World Changing (or Destroying) Innovations in Science and Technology Course
Science and technology hold incredible promise for advancing the health and well-being of our Nation and the world, but they also pose threats. These dangers are not static; like science, they are constantly evolving. New discoveries and emerging technologies reveal themselves almost daily. It can be difficult to remain aware of what’s new, but even harder to fully appreciate what threats and opportunities they may present. Still, it is more essential than ever that those serving the Nation understand both the opportunities and threats science and technology pose to the world. World Changing (or Destroying) Innovations in Science and Technology is a two-week, fully immersive course designed to provide action officer level participants from across the federal government an overview of recent innovations in science and technology and their potential to cause disaster-level events. Throughout the course, invited subject matter experts from across the federal government, academia, and industry describe novel and emerging technologies and present potential threats and opportunities from the medical and public health perspective. Special emphasis is placed on innovations with the potential to cause the greatest harm to the health of U.S. military and civilian populations.
Part one of the course provides participants insight into the cutting edge in science and technology and allows them an opportunity to explore the many threats and opportunities posed by recent and emerging innovations. Part two provides participants an opportunity to actively engage with the material presented, while working to identify its relevance to the mission and priorities of their respective organizations. Participants are encouraged to anchor discussion in the operational realities of their work, while challenging the assumptions presented by technical experts throughout.
At the end of the course, participants will have gained a general awareness of the most consequential innovations in science and technology and can articulate the types of threats and opportunities those innovations pose to the mission of their organizations. Key technical content, discussion points, and outputs from the course are summarized and presented annually to senior leaders across the federal government.
For more information on the course or to inquire about enrollment, email us at: NCDMPH@usuhs.edu.