Hello Community Members –
Winter seems to have come early in Boulder, but we’re keeping warm as we finish out the year and gear up for the spring and our 20th Anniversary Celebration. This year, Giving Tuesday is on December 3, and we’re hoping you’ll show your support for Silicon Flatirons and our ongoing mission to elevate the debate around technology law and policy, empower entrepreneurs, and build the next generation of leaders.
I started with Silicon Flatirons only four short months ago. I knew then that Silicon Flatirons was a national leader on convening around the most crucial issues of our time. However, it has only been from within this role that I have learned the strength and passion of our staff, our faculty leaders, and our entire community. It is all of you who have helped build and develop Silicon Flatirons into the center it is today.
Since September, we have explored tough issues around federal privacy legislation, spectrum security, and rural entrepreneurship. We have heard innovators in business and nonprofit sectors discuss their mission, work, and the challenges they have faced in a range of public and student-facing events. Before the semester closes we will hear from Scott Drake, President and CEO of ViewRay, as well as a panel of experts on the California Consumer Privacy Act, which comes into force next year.
We’ve opened up applications for our 2020 student internships and the interdisciplinary ethics tech competition we co-host with the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative. We also have officially launched our new Artificial Intelligence Initiative, to be helmed by Colorado Law Professor Harry Surden. The AI Initiative will examine the impact of AI on law, the legal system, and society through rigorous, evidence-based discussions.
This fall has been a whirlwind in the best possible way, and I hope you’ve been able to come out or tune in to at least one of our events (and if not, several of them are available for streaming; check out our events archive!).
Next year we celebrate our anniversary: 20 years of making history, along with the dedication and commitment of Phil Weiser, Dale Hatfield, Brad Bernthal, Anna Noschese, and the other visionaries who have been with Silicon Flatirons throughout the years, as well as the rest of us who have come on board since. We’ll be celebrating in the spirit of our community at Folsom Field, complete with breathtaking views of Boulder. The celebration will take place alongside our annual Tech Policy Conference, February 9 -10. At a time when the tech sector has been plagued by controversy, this year’s event will bring together thought leaders from across the country to examine the good and bad of technology in the pursuit of an analysis of how to build a stronger future.
As we look back, we’re also excited to look forward. We’re strengthening Silicon Flatirons’ key infrastructure to provide the foundation to continue growth and expansion. In addition, we’re deepening our commitment to inclusion, interdisciplinary outreach, and building connections between our work and the broader national and international conversations.
It’s a great time to be in the Silicon Flatirons community, and we’re so glad to be connected to you all. A special thanks to our initiative directors, affiliates, advisory board members, as well as all our supporters who make it possible for us to serve our mission. If you haven’t given yet this year, I hope you’ll use this Giving Tuesday to support us and our next 20 years of convening and providing resources for our entire community.
And, as always, if you have thoughts, ideas, or suggestions, please do reach out. I’m @astepanovich on Twitter and at Amie.Stepanovich@colorado.edu.
Cheers,
Amie Stepanovich, Executive Director