Stay ConnectedActionable, expert advice on policy careers in AI, biosecurity, and emerging technologies. Learn how to break into US policy, where you can make a difference, and strategies to advance your career.
Narrations of emergingtechpolicy.org guides by the Horizon Institute for Public Service.
Copyright: © 2025 All rights reserved
This guide explains how the US government develops and uses technical standards and evaluations and how they intersect with emerging technology policy. It outlines key institutions and processes and discusses considerations and opportunities for working in this space.
---
Outline:
(00:11) Overview
(02:16) Why does the government use technical standards and evaluations?
(04:39) Technical standards and evaluations basics
(04:44) What are technical standards?
(06:56) What are evaluations?
(08:37) The lifecycle of standards and evals
(09:43) Who makes standards?
(12:26) How US agencies adopt and use standards
(15:39) Standards & evaluations for emerging technology
(16:24) AI
(18:28) Biosecurity and life sciences
(21:55) Why (not) work on technical standards & evaluations?
(22:12) The case for impact
(24:18) The case for professional growth
(25:32) Limitations
(27:43) How does the USG engage with standards? Whos involved?
(29:24) Agencies creating standards themselves
(32:05) Agencies participating in external (non-governmental) standard-setting bodies
(33:16) Agencies or legislators adopting or referencing external standards
(35:09) Working on standards & evals: types of roles and career opportunities
(35:35) Preparing for standards & evals roles
(40:30) Appendices: Day-in-the-life
(40:44) Further reading
---
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.
The original text contained 4 footnotes which were omitted from this narration.
---
First published:
March 26th, 2026
Source:
https://emergingtechpolicy.org/technical-standards-and-evaluations
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a non-regulatory agency in the Department of Commerce that serves as the US national measurement institute.
---
Outline:
(00:50) Overview
(03:17) Background on Commerce
(05:04) Organizational structure
(06:03) Commerce and AI policy
(07:09) Recent AI-related developments at Commerce
(14:23) Commerce offices working on AI policy
(14:41) Commerce and biosecurity policy
(16:02) 2022. National Biodefense Strategy and Implementation Plan
(16:47) Recent biosecurity-related developments at Commerce
(20:40) Commerce offices working on biosecurity policy
(20:59) Working at Commerce
(22:04) Further reading
---
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.
The original text contained 6 footnotes which were omitted from this narration.
---
Last updated:
February 18th, 2025
Source:
https://emergingtechpolicy.org/institutions/executive-branch/department-of-commerce
---
Images from the article:
Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try Pocket Casts, or another podcast app.
NEC and DPC advise the president and coordinate policymaking processes for economic and domestic issues. Both have supported the development and implementation of major AI or biosecurity policy initiatives.
---
Outline:
(00:12) Overview
(01:09) Background on NEC and DPC
(02:43) Organizational structure
(03:12) Council members
(04:30) Council staff
(06:18) Activities
(09:06) The honest brokers
(12:37) NEC, DPC, and emerging technology policy
(13:19) Recent AI-related developments at NEC and DPC
(14:48) Recent bio-related developments at DPC
(15:22) Working at NEC and DPC
(18:06) Further reading
---
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.
The original text contained 1 footnote which was omitted from this narration.
---
Last updated:
November 29th, 2024
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
