When I stumbled upon the TechCongress fellowship, I was immediately determined to complete the application despite having to work late on a Saturday night. I recognized that this program would be a transformative opportunity after reading the biographies from TechCongress’ previous fellows, and I knew that this program would give me the chance to apply my expertise in the innovative and exciting field of technology policy. Tech policy has always piqued my interest, but it especially drew me while I was a law student–and now as a lawyer–because of the challenging and novel legal questions it presents to our government.
For example, at the Department of Commerce, I worked alongside experts from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to examine how our legal framework interacted with cutting-edge artificial intelligence systems. As an intern for a federal judge, I saw the critical role technology can play in criminal prosecutions. Coming out of these experiences, I wanted to be a part of solving the problems brought on by technology, as well as making its benefits accessible, and I knew that there was no better place to do so than in the heart of our first branch of government, Congress: the body responsible for legislating solutions. It’s my firm belief that because technology will only continue to ingrain itself deeper into our lives, the actions of Congress will play a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of the 21st century and beyond. Thankfully, I was accepted as a Congressional Innovation Scholar and am now a part of crafting that legislative framework.
Since being placed, I’ve drafted bills, staffed hearings with Facebook, met with interest groups, and had countless other illuminating experiences about the legislative process that only working in the United States Senate can provide. It’s been very rewarding to combine my background in information privacy and emerging technology with the legal reasoning skills I developed from law school. There’s simply no other place quite like the halls of Congress, and no other place where I could apply my skillset in service of a goal as laudable as making sound policy decisions for the American people. This is just the beginning and I look forward to what the future holds.