I’ve been publishing a free weekly listing of Energy (and Other) Events around Cambridge, MA for more than a decade as a listserv and a webpage (http://hubevents.blogspot.com). It covers public events in the community and in the local universities. It generally covers Harvard, MIT, BU, Northeastern, and Tufts, all of which have events to which the public is invited although they rarely know it, as well as local community events.
Since, in these days of quarantine, everything has migrated online, there are relevant online events from far beyond the Boston/Cambridge area: NYC, LA, SF, Vancouver, Toronto, London, Sweden, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong…. My one person operation merely scratches the surface of what’s available.
One theme which I believe is important is protecting the voters and their votes in this crucial upcoming election. This week the Brookings Institution is hosting two discussions on this topic. If you attend and think it’s useful, please share your notes with the rest of the class.
Election 2020: How coronavirus is changing politics and public opinion
Wednesday, July 15
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.brookings.edu/events/election-2020-how-coronavirus-is-changing-politics-and-public-opinion/corona
Join the conversation on Twitter using #Election2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted everyday life, including elections and campaigning. As polls and campaign momentum shift day to day and the country reckons with racism after the killing of George Floyd, candidates are increasingly finding themselves in uncharted waters. The November election is only four months away, and if the instability, unpredictability, and tension of this year is any indication of what’s to come, the lead-up to the election will be an unprecedented time in American politics.
On July 15, Governance Studies at Brookings will host a webinar examining the 2020 election landscape. Panelists will discuss the presidential campaign post-primaries, congressional and gubernatorial races, what to look for during the upcoming Democratic and Republican National Conventions, and the unconventional campaign strategies candidates are using to reach voters during the coronavirus pandemic.
Viewers can submit questions for speakers by emailing events@brookings.edu or via Twitter at @BrookingsGov or with #Election2020.
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Election integrity and security in the era of COVID-19
Friday, July 17
2:00 PM
Online
RSVP at https://www.brookings.edu/events/election-integrity-and-security-in-the-era-of-covid-19/
Join the conversation on Twitter using #ElectionSecurity
The threats that disinformation and foreign interference in U.S. elections pose are not new phenomena. In 2016, Russian interference exposed critical vulnerabilities in the United States’ digital election infrastructure, and its information operations sowed political divisions across America. Now, modifications to democratic processes due to the coronavirus pandemic make the task of safeguarding the integrity and security of the 2020 presidential election even more crucial.
How will inevitable adjustments to voting practices, due to COVID-19, affect the security of U.S. elections? What measures should we pursue to dissuade our adversaries from attempting to interfere? Are we adequately prepared to counter new tactics, techniques, and procedures they might employ? And what can the federal government do to ensure that every state and county has the means to conduct a fair and secure election?
On July 17, the Foreign Policy program at Brookings will host a webinar to examine aspects of election security and integrity in the era of COVID-19. Following keynote remarks from Christopher Krebs, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Brookings Senior Fellow Fiona Hill will moderate a panel discussion on how to safeguard election security. Brookings Fellow and Deputy Director of the Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Initiative Chris Meserole will then moderate a panel discussion on how to adapt to new disinformation tactics. Questions from the audience will follow each panel.
Viewers can submit questions via email to events@brookings.edu or on Twitter using #ElectionSecurity.
