In recent years, data has become a source of socioeconomic and geopolitical power, and the concept of anticipatory diplomacy is increasingly taking the center stage. This is because it is no longer sufficient for nations and organizations to confront and react to crises as they arise. Instead, such bodies have to anticipate any potential conflicts, risks, and challenges before they escalate into full-blown meltdown crises. On Thursday, October 19th, Dr. Ona Ambrozaite and National Science Policy Network (NSPN) Chair of Science Communication, Anastasia Bernat, presented a summary and analysis of the NSPN Data Diplomacy Series on data governance, transnational data management, and privacy protection in a Rethinking Diplomacy Program (RDP) webinar moderated by Ambassador Robert W. Pearson (ret), and hosted by RDP director, Dr. Giovanni Zanalda.
About the Speakers:
Ona Ambrozaite is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Chemistry at Johns Hopkins University and National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellow focused on developing novel semiconducting materials with unique optoelectronic properties for quantum information science and technology applications. Ona is currently serving as president of the Johns Hopkins Science Policy & Diplomacy Group (JHSPDG), where she promotes science diplomacy as a tool for cooperation, monitoring, and expertise at the service of development, innovation, and analysis of global issues. She has successfully led large-scale collaborative science diplomacy projects with partners at Ghent University in Belgium as well as Embassies of Belgium, France, Switzerland, Finland, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, the Netherlands, and Brazil, with more collaborations coming in the future. She is also the Co-Director of the new Johns Hopkins Science Diplomacy Hub in Washington D.C.
Anastasia Bernat is a Data Scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the Chair of Science Communication for the National Science Policy Network (NSPN). Anastasia holds a B.S. in Environmental Science and a B.A. in English Language & Literature from the University of Chicago.
Discussants:
Ambassador (ret.) Bob Pearson, RDP – Duke University
Dr. Giovanni Zanalda, SSRI, Economics, History, and RDP – Duke University
This event was organized by the Rethinking Diplomacy Program in collaboration with the National Science Policy Network (NSPN) Science Diplomacy Committee and the support of the Sanford School of Public Policy. The Rethinking Diplomacy Program is supported by a grant from the Josiah Charles Trent Memorial Foundation Endowment Fund.
