The Athena Agenda: Executing the Apollo Program for Biodefense

Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense

#Science #Biology #Podcasting Education #Government #Bipartisan Commission On Biodefense

1:14:43

Artificial intelligence is evolving at an unprecedented pace—what does that mean for the future of technology, venture capital, business, and even our understanding of ourselves? Award-winning journalist and writer Anil Ananthaswamy joins us for our latest episode to discuss his latest book Why Machines Learn: The Elegant Math Behind Modern AI . Anil helps us explore the journey and many breakthroughs that have propelled machine learning from simple perceptrons to the sophisticated algorithms shaping today’s AI revolution, powering GPT and other models. The discussion aims to demystify some of the underlying math that powers modern machine learning to help everyone grasp this technology impacting our lives, even if your last math class was in high school. Anil walks us through the power of scaling laws, the shift from training to inference optimization, and the debate among AI’s pioneers about the road to AGI—should we be concerned, or are we still missing key pieces of the puzzle? The conversation also delves into AI’s philosophical implications—could understanding how machines learn help us better understand ourselves? And what challenges remain before AI systems can truly operate with agency? If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Sign up for our newsletter at techsurgepodcast.com for exclusive insights and updates on upcoming TechSurge Live Summits. Links: Read Why Machines Learn, Anil’s latest book on the math behind AI https://www.amazon.com/Why-Machines-Learn-Elegant-Behind/dp/0593185749 Learn more about Anil Ananthaswamy’s work and writing https://anilananthaswamy.com/ Watch Anil Ananthaswamy’s TED Talk on AI and intelligence https://www.ted.com/speakers/anil_ananthaswamy Discover the MIT Knight Science Journalism Fellowship that shaped Anil’s AI research https://ksj.mit.edu/ Understand the Perceptron, the foundation of neural networks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perceptron Read about the Perceptron Convergence Theorem and its significance https://www.nature.com/articles/323533a0…

3 года назад 6:29:32

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The Commission’s baseline 2015 report, A National Blueprint for Biodefense: Leadership and Major Reform Needed to Optimize Efforts, warned that the United States was inadequately prepared for biological threats. Six years later, the U.S. experience with COVID-19 continues to validate our original findings. The Commission’s January 2021 report, The Apollo Program for Biodefense: Winning the Race Against Biological Threats, details an ambitious goal-directed program to develop and deploy the technologies needed to defend against all biological threats, empower public health, and prevent pandemics within just ten years. Since the release of this report, the pandemic continues to cause devastation throughout the United States and the world. Likewise, the risk of an accidental or deliberate release of even deadlier pathogens continues to rise. The past year has only emboldened the idea that we cannot let a pandemic like the one we are facing, or something worse, ever happen again.

On December 8, 2021, we convened an in-person meeting of the Commission, The Athena Agenda: Executing The Apollo Program for Biodefense, to provide a better understanding of ongoing federal efforts to implement The Apollo Program for Biodefense, the role of the private sector in implementing The Apollo Program for Biodefense, how the public and private sectors can fully implement The Apollo Program for Biodefense within ten years.

44 эпизодов

The Athena Agenda: Executing the Apollo Program for Biodefense

Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense

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published 3 года назад

MP3•Главная эпизода

44 эпизодов

#Science #Biology #Podcasting Education #Government #Bipartisan Commission On Biodefense

Все серии

1
Under the Weather: The Nexus of Climate Change and Biodefense 4:09:13

12 weeks назад4:09:13

4:09:13

This Commission meeting, Under the Weather: The Nexus of Climate Change and Biodefense, was held on Thursday, December 5, 2024 at 58 East 68th St., New York, NY 10065. The focus of this meeting was to provide the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense with a better understanding of: 1) the effects of climate change on human health and one health, 2) the future implications of migration and shifting disease patterns, and 3) policy considerations to reduce the inevitable impacts of climate change on biodefense. Learn more here: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/fluency-true-expertise-and-effectiveness-in-the-battle-against-influenza-2/…

1
FLUency: True Expertise and Effectiveness in the Battle Against Influenza 3:38:07

20 weeks назад3:38:07

3:38:07

The Commission meeting, FLUency: True Expertise and Effectiveness in the Battle Against Influenza, was held on Tuesday, October 8th, in Washington, DC. The focus of this meeting is to provide the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense with a better understanding of: (1) national leadership to defend food and agriculture against influenza; (2) federal operational requirements for preparedness, coordination, and response; (3) biosurveillance, forecasting, and the need for diagnostic tests; and (4) front-line needs and partnerships in the fight against influenza. Learn more here: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/fluency-true-expertise-and-effectiveness-in-the-battle-against-influenza-2/…

1
Masters of the Air: Overcoming Airborne Pathogens Indoors 3:03:11

31 weeks назад3:03:11

3:03:11

In this meeting, the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense will explore: (1) how the federal government currently addresses indoor air quality; (2) new scientific and technological advances for indoor air quality; and (3) how enhancing indoor air quality can help prevent the spread of pathogens. Learn more here: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/masters-of-the-air-overcoming-airborne-pathogens-indoors/…

1
A Tribute to Senator Lieberman with the Release of the 2024 National Blueprint for Biodefense 1:22:50

42 weeks назад1:22:50

1:22:50

We all lost a visionary leader and friend with the unexpected passing of Senator Joe Lieberman, who along with Governor Tom Ridge co-chaired the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense for ten years. His death came just as the Commission was preparing to release our 2024 National Blueprint for Biodefense: Immediate Action Needed to Defend Against Biological Threats. Senator Lieberman, who worked tirelessly to defend Americans against biological threats, was a driving force behind this report. So, it is only fitting that we host a special tribute to Senator Lieberman as we publicly release the new National Blueprint for Biodefense. The Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense (formerly the Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense) was established in 2014 to provide a comprehensive assessment of the state of United States biodefense efforts and to issue recommendations that foster change. Subsequently, the Commission has briefed White House Administrations (including then Vice President Biden); testified before Congress; convened numerous meetings with experts; released 12 reports; produced the graphic novel Germ Warfare; and mobilized biodefense conversations and actions in the private and public sectors. In its 2015 bipartisan report, A National Blueprint for Biodefense: Leadership and Major Reform Needed to Optimize Efforts, the Commission described biological threats to the Nation and made 33 recommendations to optimize US efforts to prevent, deter, prepare for, detect, respond to, attribute, recover from, and mitigate intentionally introduced, accidentally released, and naturally occurring biological events. Many recommendations from this report have been taken up by the government, including the National Biodefense Strategy, a federal biodefense budget crosscut by the Office of Management and Budget, and the recent Biodefense Posture Review by the Department of Defense. The world continues to experience rising threats from offensive biological weapons programs, lab accidents, and outbreaks affecting our national security. There have been burgeoning biotechnological advances in medical countermeasures (e.g., antibiotics, antivirals, vaccines, diagnostics) yet huge gaps in prevention, deterrence, preparedness, detection, response, attribution, recovery, and mitigation still remain. The federal government must address gaps in the US biodefense enterprise. Nine years after its seminal report, the Commission is releasing the 2024 National Blueprint on Biodefense with specific recommendations for government leaders in Congress and the Administration to strengthen the federal government’s biodefense posture. Learn more here: A Tribute to Senator Lieberman with the Release of the 2024 National Blueprint for Biodefense - Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense (biodefensecommission.org)…

1
Meeting the Moment: Biodefense Policy, Procurement, and Public Health 3:32:24

1 year назад3:32:24

3:32:24

This meeting was recorded on Tuesday, December 5, 2023. Find more information about this meeting here: Meeting the Moment: Biodefense Policy, Procurement, and Public Health - Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense (biodefensecommission.org) As the Nation continues to endure the consequences of recent pandemics, and with continued interest in biological weapons by nation states and other enemies, the federal government has an opportunity to address vulnerabilities in the biodefense enterprise. At this meeting, titled Meeting the Moment: Biodefense Policy, Procurement, and Public Health, the Commission intends to further explore : (1) biodefense policies and activities at the Department of Defense; (2) federal stockpile evaluation and decision-making for smallpox medical countermeasures; (3) needed authorities of the Department of Health and Human Services, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and (4) biodefense leadership.…

1
No Checkered Flag: The Perpetual Race Against Biological Threats 5:29:00

1 year назад5:29:00

5:29:00

In this meeting, the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense will explore: (1) state and local efforts to strengthen public health and biodefense; (2) special security management of biological threats to mass gatherings; and (3) efforts to understand and mitigate the agricultural impact of biological threats to plants and animals. Learn more here: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/no-checkered-flag-the-perpetual-race-against-biological-threats/ Speakers will include: Governor Eric J. Holcomb Virginia A. Caine, MD, Director and Chief Medical Officer, Marion County Public Health Department Kristina Box, MD, Former Indiana State Health Commissioner Tory Castor, JD, Senior Vice President of Governmental Affairs, Indiana University Health Sergeant Robert Brown Jr., Program Manager, Counter-WMD (CBRNE) Unit, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Special Agent Casey P. Farrell, Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordinator, Indianapolis, Federal Bureau of Investigation Julia Vaizer, MD, Medical Director, Indianapolis Motor Speedway John Ball, Vice President, Security and Event Services, Pacers Sports & Entertainment Darcy E. P. Telenko, PhD, Associate Professor of Plant Pathology, Purdue University Bret D. Marsh, DVM, Indiana State Veterinarian, Indiana State Board of Animal Health Paul Ebner, PhD, Professor of Animal Sciences, Purdue University…

1
Solving the Puzzle: Biological Intelligence and Information Sharing 3:34:46

2 years назад3:34:46

3:34:46

As the biological threat continues to evolve, biological intelligence gathering, analysis, and dissemination activities must increase to keep pace with the advances of our adversaries. At this upcoming meeting, the Commission intends to further explore the expanding nature of the biological threat, the federal biological intelligence enterprise, and information sharing with non-federal governments. See here for more information: Solving the Puzzle: Biological Intelligence and Information Sharing - Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense (biodefensecommission.org) Speakers include: The Honorable Kenneth L. Wainstein – Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Department of Homeland Security Dr. Paul Friedrichs – Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Global Health Security & Biodefense, National Security Council, The White House; former Joint Staff Surgeon, Department of Defense Marina Mayo – Section Chief, Countermeasures and Mitigation, Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate, Federal Bureau of Investigation Dr. William T. “Thom” Burnett – Chief Scientist, National Center for Medical Intelligence, Department of Defense Dr. Chris Rodriguez – Director, District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency Joshua Bushweller – Director, Delaware Information & Analysis Center, Delaware State Police Colin Mulloy – Deputy Director, Kansas Intelligence Fusion Center Judith Harrison – Assistant Chief, Counterterrorism Division, New York City Police Department…

1
Informing Blueprint 2.0: Know the Enemy 3:56:39

2 years назад3:56:39

3:56:39

In this upcoming meeting, the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense intends to further explore the prevention, deterrence, and attribution of biological threats. The discussion will delve into how these critical elements of biodefense can be improved through technology, policy, and coordination. This meeting will inform the Commission’s refresh of the National Blueprint for Biodefense, which we will issue later this year. Learn more here: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/informing-blueprint-2-0-know-the-enemy/…

1
Informing Blueprint 2.0: Please, Look Up! 2:59:06

2 years назад2:59:06

2:59:06

Recorded on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 In this meeting, the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense further explores preparedness needs and efforts, new solutions to improve biosurveillance, and data modernization. The discussion delves into how preparedness coordination between federal and state efforts can be better harmonized and how the nation can best ensure having eyes on the ground during the emergence of a biothreat. This meeting will inform the Commission’s refresh of the National Blueprint for Biodefense, which we will issue later this year. See more information about this meeting here: https://biodefensecommission.org/events/informing-blueprint-2-0-please-look-up/…

1
Afterthoughts: Response, Recovery and Mitigation of Biological Events 4:49:25

2 years назад4:49:25

4:49:25

Seven years after the release of the Commission’s National Blueprint for Biodefense, the Nation remains critically unprepared for future biological events, which threaten to strain resources and impact government efforts to address threats like COVID-19. At this meeting, the Commission intends to further explore challenges for biodefense response, recovery, and mitigation capabilities at all levels of government and the private sector. Learn more here: https://biodefensecommission.org/even...…

1
Banding Together: Partnerships for Biodefense 4:18:55

2 years назад4:18:55

4:18:55

On Thursday, September 22, 2022 the Commission held an in-person meeting - Banding Together: Partnerships for Biodefense. The Commission delved into how to optimize partnerships to defend against biological threats, a critical enabler of success identified in its report released earlier this year, The Athena Agenda: Advancing The Apollo Program for Biodefense . The meeting examined what is needed to incentivize and effectively manage partnerships between the federal government and industry, academia, and nongovernmental organizations to drive technology innovation and improve biological intelligence for current and future threats.…

1
When Borders Don’t Matter Defending the Homeland Against Biological Threats 4:20:02

3 years назад4:20:02

4:20:02

On Tuesday, May 3, 2022 the Commission convened an in-person meeting to provide the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense with a better understanding of: (1) biological incidents that affect homeland and national security; (2) roles and responsibilities of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in addressing biological threats; and (3) opportunities to enhance national biodefense. See more information about the event here: When Borders Don’t Matter: Defending the Homeland Against Biological Threats - Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense…

1
The Biological Threat Expanse - Current and Future Challenges to National Biodefense 6:35:14

3 years назад6:35:14

6:35:14

On Tuesday, March 22, 2022, the Commission convened for an in-person meeting to provide a better understanding of: (1) the expanding landscape of current and future biological threats; (2) the roles and responsibilities of the federal government in assess and preparing for various biological threats; and (3) biological weapons, bioterrorism, and biological arms races. More information on the event is available here: The Biological Threat Expanse: Current and Future Challenges to National Biodefense - Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense…

1
The Athena Agenda: Executing the Apollo Program for Biodefense 6:29:32

3 years назад6:29:32

6:29:32

The Commission’s baseline 2015 report, A National Blueprint for Biodefense: Leadership and Major Reform Needed to Optimize Efforts , warned that the United States was inadequately prepared for biological threats. Six years later, the U.S. experience with COVID-19 continues to validate our original findings. The Commission’s January 2021 report, The Apollo Program for Biodefense: Winning the Race Against Biological Threats , details an ambitious goal-directed program to develop and deploy the technologies needed to defend against all biological threats, empower public health, and prevent pandemics within just ten years. Since the release of this report, the pandemic continues to cause devastation throughout the United States and the world. Likewise, the risk of an accidental or deliberate release of even deadlier pathogens continues to rise. The past year has only emboldened the idea that we cannot let a pandemic like the one we are facing, or something worse, ever happen again. On December 8, 2021, we convened an in-person meeting of the Commission, The Athena Agenda: Executing The Apollo Program for Biodefense, to provide a better understanding of ongoing federal efforts to implement The Apollo Program for Biodefense, the role of the private sector in implementing The Apollo Program for Biodefense, how the public and private sectors can fully implement The Apollo Program for Biodefense within ten years.…

1
Saving Sisyphus: Course Corrections for National Biodetection 6:20:27

3 years назад6:20:27