AAAS Center for Science Diplomacy published a special issue of Science & Diplomacy in February 2022 that explores the intersection of emerging technologies and diplomacy, available here. The pieces provide a current snapshot of the landscape, reflecting individual experiences, offering an expansive definition of emerging technologies, and suggesting roles for science diplomacy. Articles and perspectives focus on topics ranging from biosecurity and quantum computing to genetic privacy.
To foster discussion about a role for science diplomacy in responding to the challenges and opportunities posed by emerging technologies, the Center organized a virtual event featuring the following authors from selected pieces included in this issue:
- Maria Elena Bottazzi, professor, the Division Chief of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, and the Co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development at Baylor College of Medicine; first author of “Shiny New Toys and Matchbox Cars: Vaccine Diplomacy Requires Balancing Emerging and Traditional Technologies”
- Christopher Ashley Ford, Distinguished Policy Advisor at MITRE Labs and former Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Non-Proliferation; first author of “The National Science Foundation and the New Frontier of S&T Diplomacy”
- Andre Xuereb, Ambassador of Malta for Digital Affairs and the Head of the Department of Physics at the University of Malta; author of “Quantum Diplomacy: Rebalancing the Power Dynamic through Emerging Technologies”
- Amanda Buch, neuroscientist and postdoctoral fellow at Weill Cornell Medicine; first author of "Engineering Diplomacy: How AI and Human Augmentation Could Remake the Art of Foreign Relations."
Watch the event's recording here: https://youtu.be/i1e6tKizjzA
Panelists provided introductory remarks expanding on the texts they wrote for Science & Diplomacy as well as on their thoughts on the special issue in general. Afterwards, Dr. Kim Montgomery, director of international affairs and science diplomacy of AAAS and executive editor of Science & Diplomacy moderated a Q&A session between the authors and the public.