What: American University’s experts on internet governance and oversight are available to comment on Big Data, internet surveillance and the NSA/Edward Snowden controversy.
When: August 14 and on-going
Where: In-Studio, via Skype, via telephone, or at American University
Who: Robert Lehrman is a correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor and a professor at American University. He has recently written a cover story on “Big Data” and its effects, both positive and negative. The negative areas are the focus of intense media scrutiny in light of the fact that the National Security Agency makes use of Big Data analysis to monitor potential terrorism. This Big Data analysis requires, in part, the parsing of internet data generated from all Americans when they access and use the internet. Professor Laura DeNardis, who was interviewed for Robert Lehrman’s latest piece, is a noted scholar on internet governance, and an expert on the role of government in looking at internet data and possibly infringing on the rights of Americans. Below are their bios.
Robert Lehrman is a correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor and a professor of Public Communication. He is a novelist, teacher, and speechwriter for dozens of Democratic political figures including Vice President Al Gore. He’s author of the recently released book The Political Speechwriter’s Companion (CQPress 2009). Lehrman, has taught public speaking at American University since 1998, and in 2005 created SOC's first course in Speechwriting.
Laura DeNardis is a globally recognized internet governance scholar and a professor in the School of Communication at American University in Washington, DC. Her books include Opening Standards: The Global Politics of Interoperability (MIT Press 2011); Protocol Politics: The Globalization of Internet Governance (MIT Press 2009); Information Technology in Theory (Thompson 2007 with Pelin Aksoy); and a forthcoming Yale University Press book on Global Internet Governance. She is an affiliated fellow of the Information Society Project at Yale Law School and served as its Executive Director from 2008-2012. She currently serves as the Vice-Chair of the Global Internet Governance Academic Network. DeNardis has more than two decades of experience as an expert consultant in internet governance to Fortune 500 companies, foundations, and government agencies. DeNardis holds an AB in Engineering Science from Dartmouth College, an MEng from Cornell University, a PhD in Science and Technology Studies from Virginia Tech, and was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship from Yale Law School.
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