“Government” Track: March 10–13

The Forrest Four-Cast: January 31, 2017

Given the Trump Administration’s massive disruption of Washington DC, the “Government” track at the 2017 SXSW Conference should be particularly captivating. Sessions in this track run from Saturday, March 10 through Monday, March 13 at the Hilton Austin. Ten of these “Government” panels and presentations that will be particularly impactful include:

1. 2016 Election: How We Got it Wrong! National Public Radio (NPR) correspondent Sam Sanders review the past 18 months of campaign events and rhetoric that led pollsters and the public alike to presume the success or failure of the next Presidential and Congressional Election.Scheduled Friday, March 10.
2. Can Congress Help Tech Diversify? Many tech companies are working hard to create a more diverse workplace, but can public policy quicken this process? The halls of Congress are not bastions of diversity either; can tech help? This panel will explore the diversity in tech, diversity on government and the policy implications of each. Scheduled Sunday, March 12.
3. Cloaks, Daggers, and Dice: How the CIA Uses Games. Join a panel of CIA officers as they discuss how the CIA is developing games and using gaming techniques in support of their national security mission. Scheduled Sunday, March 12.
4. Elevator to Hyperloop: Policy Advancements. The future of transportation involves big ideas like high-speed rail and self-driving cars, but there are also tremendous policy implications of these innovations. This session features US Senator Jerry Moran (Kansas) and US Senator Mark Warner (Virginia), who are two of the more than two dozen congressional leaders who will be in Austin for SXSW 2017. Scheduled Saturday, March 11.
5. Five Cities Are Eliminating Racial Equity, And You Can Too. What if all cities worked in new ways to understand how municipal operations affect people of color and reproduce inequities, and began to address them in transformative ways? This session features Louisville Mayor Greg Fisher and Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry, who are two of the more than two dozen big-city mayors who will be in Austin for SXSW 2017. Scheduled Sunday, March 12.
6. The Future of Warfare. Will Roper, the director of the Pentagon’s Strategic Capabilities Office, speaks with WIRED editor in chief Nicholas Thompson about the ways that robots, artificial intelligence, and new weapons will shape the future of warfare. Scheduled Monday, March 13.
7. How the Gig Economy Impacts the Future of Work. Technology is powering careers that allow individuals to work when and how they choose. Is this gig mentality the future of work? How does the independent work model impact public policy, and how do we see this evolving in the years to come? Scheduled Sunday, March 12.
8. Tech Policy Outlook in the 45th Administration. What does this new administration have in store for the technology industry? What issues will become legislative priorities? Scheduled Tuesday, March 14, this session will provide a nice preview for the “Tech Under Trump” panels and presentations on Wednesday, March 15 and Thursday, March 16.
9. Text2Vote: Simple Policy Changes for Major Impact. Mobile phones have changed the way we live our lives, everything from maps to messages. But could technology disrupt the voting booth and allow us to text to vote? This session features Rep Ben Lujan (New Mexico) and Rep Randy Hultgren (Illinois), who are two of the more than two dozen congressional leaders who will be in Austin for SXSW 2017. Scheduled Saturday, March 11.
10. When Should My Data Become the Government’s Data? Join this session for a discussion on how our laws balance personal privacy with the necessity of government access to data for our security and how we are updating these laws. This session features Rep Kevin Yoder (Kansas), who is one of the more than two dozen congressional leaders who will be in Austin for SXSW 2017. Scheduled Monday, March 13.

Other tracks for the SXSW 2017 Conference include “Brands & Marketing” (March 11–16), “Intelligent Future” (March 11–16), “Journalism” (March 11–16), “Social Impact” (March 11–15), and “Startup Village” (March 10–16). Or browse the 1000+ total sessions of March Magic by visiting the online schedule — use the search too at the top right corner to find specific topics.

Save $100 on the walkup price for the 2017 event if you register before the end of the day on Friday, February 10. Watch this short video before you buy to better understand this year’s improved badge functionality. After you buy, begin the pre-event networking process by connecting with other attendees from across the US and around the world on SXSW Social.

Hugh Forrest tries to write four paragraphs per day on Medium. These posts generally cover technology-related trends. When not attempting to wordsmith or meditating, he serves as Chief Programming Officer at SXSW in Austin.