Defense Digital Service Acting Director Katie Olson heads up a team of about 80 technologists working on some of the toughest challenges facing the U.S. Department of Defense. Since Katie started leading the team, often called the Pentagon’s “SWAT team of nerds," it has increasingly focused on the threat from drones, cybersecurity risks in space and the consequences of climate change. In this episode, Katie talks about this cutting-edge work, how DDS helped the Pentagon reduce the impact of COVID-19 and what big issues her team will tackle next. 

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Why you should listen:

* Learn about some of the most cutting-edge work going on inside the Pentagon.

* Better understand emerging threats such as drones and risks associated with climate change.

* Hear how DDS helped the military rapidly deploy technology to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

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Key Quotes:

* "What I've seen shifting in my time here is making security researchers the good guys."

* “Facilitated by the pandemic, we are seeing just increased awareness and attention to cybersecurity.”

* “It would be better for us to check our defenses first before we have some kind of major breach.”

*  “For those white hat hackers who want to contribute to national security, [there’s] a huge opportunity.”
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Related Links:

www.synack.com

https://www.dds.mil/

https://www.synack.com/blog/3-years-of-hack-the-pentagon/

https://www.usds.gov/projects/hack-the-pentagon

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