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Tommy Sowers

At the intersection of emerging technology and ethics. Girl Dad. Husband.

Tommy Sowers is a multifaceted leader with extensive experience across military, academic, corporate, and governmental sectors. He currently serves as the Faculty Lead of Applied Technology Ethics at Duke University's Initiative for Science & Society. In this role, Sowers directs programs such as the Applied Ethics+ program, which pairs students with organizations like OpenAI and UNESCO to address ethical challenges in technology and policy. He also mentors students, develops curricula, and fosters collaborations with industry leaders.123

Background and Education

  • Education: Sowers graduated from Duke University in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and later earned a Master of Science and Ph.D. from the London School of Economics. His dissertation explored the impact of technology on hierarchical organizations.134
  • Military Service: An 11-year U.S. Army veteran, Sowers served as a Green Beret, leading counterinsurgency operations in Iraq and Kosovo. He also taught at West Point as an assistant professor in Social Sciences.34

Career Highlights

  1. Government and Policy:
    • Served as Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs during the Obama administration.
    • Directed communications and led initiatives for homeless veterans and public outreach campaigns.34
  2. Business Leadership:
    • Former President of flyExclusive, where he led the company through its IPO, managing operations for one of the largest private jet charter firms in the U.S..35
    • Co-founder and CEO of GoldenKey, a venture-backed real estate startup acquired in 2018.34
  3. Academia:
    • Previously taught courses at Duke University on national security and entrepreneurship.
    • Visiting faculty at Duke’s Sanford School of Public Policy and Assistant Director of the Hart Leadership Program.13

Current Focus

Sowers is passionate about addressing ethical challenges in emerging technologies. His leadership at Duke's Applied Technology Ethics program emphasizes real-world problem-solving by interdisciplinary student teams, tackling issues such as AI deployment and societal impacts of innovation.12

Highlights

The Honorable Tommy Sowers Joins Duke Science & Society on the ...
Apr 17 · youtube.com
Meet Tommy Sowers | Faculty Lead, Applied Ethics+ - YouTube
Meet Tommy Sowers | Faculty Lead, Applied Ethics+ - YouTube
People in Aviation - Aviation International News
Jul 10 · Neuse News
Business Brief: flyExclusive Doubles Down on Innovation and Expands Leadership Team — Neuse News - Neuse News
Nov 12 · en.wikipedia.org
Tommy Sowers
Tommy Sowers

Related Questions

What inspired Tommy Sowers to transition from military and government roles to academia?
How does Tommy Sowers integrate his diverse experience into the Applied Technology Ethics program?
What are some of the real-world challenges that the Duke Applied Ethics+ program is addressing?
How does Tommy Sowers' background in leading startups influence his teaching style?
What partnerships has the Duke Applied Ethics+ program established with organizations like OpenAI and UNESCO?
Tommy Sowers
Tommy Sowers, photo 1
Tommy Sowers, photo 2
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Location

Durham, North Carolina, United States