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Technology impacts society across all industry sectors and aspects of daily life. Our focus on tech policy prepares students to address issues of government support for innovation and actions to mitigate the negative impacts that technology can make on individuals’ lives like ethics, privacy, cybersecurity, and impact on historically disenfranchised populations.
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Academic Overview
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David Hoffman previously served as Associate General Counsel, Director of Security Policy, and Global Privacy Officer for Intel Corporation. Hoffman is the former chair of the Civil Liberties and Privacy Panel for the Director's Advisory Board for the US National Security Agency.
Related Programs & Courses
The Public Policy Studies major is a perennial top major at Duke University.
PhD in Public Policy
- Duke Pratt School of Engineering – Master’s in Cybersecurity Engineering Program
- Duke Law Center for Innovation Policy
- Kenan Institute for Ethics
- Science and Society
- Deep Tech at Duke
Stories & Research
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Research Feature
Massive data centers powering the boom in AI and other digital services are increasing demand on the U.S. electrical grid and straining natural resources. A report surveys the sustainability challenges these data centers present, examines potential solutions and outlines recommendations for companies, utilities, regulators and policymakers.
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Welcome Prof. Anne Washington
Anne Washington is the Rothermere/Harmsworth Duke Associate Professor at the Sanford School of Public Policy. She is a computer scientist trained in organizational ethnography who applies her expertise in digital innovation to issues of data governance. Her work explores how digital technologies intersect with governance and society, uniting technical expertise with qualitative research to better understand the role of data in public life.
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Annual Cyber Cup Competition
A cyber crisis is unfolding: ports are stalled, software has failed, and America’s food security is at risk. That was the challenge in the 2025 Sanford Cyber Cup, a competition that places participants in the heart of a fast-moving national security crisis. The event pushes teams to think like senior policy advisors, briefing the National Security Council on how to respond when a cyberattack threatens critical infrastructure.
What collaborations are available to Sanford students studying tech policy?
Collaborations Across Campus
Pardis Emami-Naeini is a faculty member in the computer science department, where she also runs a lab.
"My lab at Duke focuses on human-centered privacy and security, which naturally aligns with policy. All of my Ph.D. students have taken multiple courses at Sanford, which have deeply enhanced their understanding of why security and privacy must be examined through a human lens rather than solely as technical challenges. These courses also help them recognize how current policies can be improved to better protect the most vulnerable users. Also, in both my undergraduate and graduate courses, I regularly have students from Sanford who are passionate to learn how user-centered research can inform policy design. We discuss what questions to ask users, whom to engage with, and how to analyze user data to generate policy-relevant insights.”
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"Having Sanford here at Duke plays a critical role in enabling students to move beyond viewing policy as an abstract concept; they engage directly with policy experts and explore real-world challenges that need actionable solutions." - Pardis Emami-Naeini, Director, Duke InSPIre Lab
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"Duke University is a premier destination for cybersecurity education, home to the nation’s #1 Online Master of Engineering in Cybersecurity Program, as ranked by Fortune." - Art Ehuan, Executive Director of the program and Adjunct Instructor at Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering.
Leadership in Cybersecurity Education
The Duke Cybersecurity programs benefit from a strong partnership between the Sanford School of Public Policy and Pratt Engineering, through which Duke offers the Executive Cybersecurity Certificate Programs, co-directed by Art Ehuan and David Hoffman, JD, Professor of the Practice of Cybersecurity Policy. Together, the Pratt and Sanford schools are advancing Duke’s mission to educate the next generation of cybersecurity leaders — professionals equipped to protect, manage, and shape policy in an increasingly interconnected world.
“With our designation as an NSA Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, industry-leading faculty, and a strong mentorship network, Duke prepares students to lead and innovate in the rapidly evolving field of cybersecurity.” - Art Ehuan
incubating ideas & solutions
David Brown, a distinguished professor at Duke's Fuqua School of Business says Duke's Deep Tech Initiative is a key organization on campus.
"By bridging Sanford’s expertise in governance and public policy and engaging other Duke units such as the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability and Fuqua among others, the initiative has become a powerful incubator for students eager to engage with the real-world challenges of technology policy and innovation.”
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"I feel fortunate to be part of Duke’s Deep Tech initiative, where I’ve had the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with colleagues across the university, including Sanford." - David Brown, Snow Family Business Distinguished Professor, Duke's Fuqua School of Business.
What can you do with a focus on technology?
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Alumni Story
As a Senior Digital Technology Specialist at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Yoonee Jeong (MIDP’13) leads efforts to close the digital divide, ensuring that last-mile connectivity isn’t just a buzzword but a reality for millions. Her expertise in data governance, financial inclusion, and AI policy has made her a trusted advisor to governments and private sector leaders.
Read Yoonee's story | Read more alumni stories
Key Partnerships
Deep Tech
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Deep Tech at Duke brings together leaders in science, policy, and innovation to shape the technologies defining our future. They lead multidisciplinary research and collaborations that support the development of—and explore the effects of—technical domains such as AI, quantum computing, semiconductors, renewable energy, and cybersecurity.
Dewitt Wallace Center for Media and Democracy
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The DeWitt Wallace Center for Media & Democracy is Duke's journalism and media studies hub. It's located at the Sanford School.
Duke Center for Law and Technology
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The Duke Center on Law & Tech prepares students for the growing landscape of technology in the legal profession through collaboration with Duke’s innovative and entrepreneurial initiatives, engagement with entrepreneurs, and opportunities at the intersection of technology and the law.
Duke AI Health
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Duke AI Health connects, strengthens, amplifies, and grows streams of theoretical and applied research on artificial intelligence and machine learning at Duke in order to answer the most urgent and difficult challenges in medicine and population health.
Center for Innovation Policy
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The Center for Innovation Policy at Duke Law is a forum for independent analysis and balanced discussion of policies for promoting technological innovation that enhances long-term social welfare.
Triangle Privacy Research Hub
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TPRH brings together academics, industry leaders, students, and policy advocates in the North Carolina Research Triangle to address some of society’s most pressing issues through the innovative and ethical use of data.
Additional Partnerships
Duke Cyber is sponsored by SOFC, the Duke Program in American Grand Strategy (AGS), Duke Tech Policy, Pratt Engineering Alumni Council, and the Duke Office of Information Technology (OIT). Our mission is to provide informal interdisciplinary educational development to Duke students on technology topics; to cultivate a network of undergraduate and graduate students through speaker events, competitions, and social events; and to foster a greater understanding of the purpose, roles, and implications of 21st century technology. We are the proud home of Duke's competitive Cyber Policy and Cybersecurity Teams.
The Duke Technology Policy Club's mission is to bring together graduate and professional students from across Duke to explore their common interests in technology policy, with a focus on sociotechnical issues including equity, fairness, public interest, scientific literacy, and academic curiosity. The Duke Technology Policy Club provides opportunities for graduate students across Duke to hear from guest speakers working in the tech space, engage in policy discourse with professors and students on current tech policy issues, and participate in career development events.
Tech for Change @ Duke is a student hub for exploring tech, ethics, & society to shape a responsible, human-centered future.
Democracy Lab involves students in revitalizing democracy on campus, in Durham, and our nation. Students work in teams to create innovative projects addressing political issues.
The Center for Computational Thinking (CCT) enables computational education at Duke to ensure that every student, regardless of field of study, is prepared for the digital 21st century.
The Duke Program in American Grand Strategy is a flagship interdisciplinary initiative dedicated to better understanding US foreign policy and national security – past, present, and future.
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Let's Connect!
Interested in pursuing a degree with a focus on technology policy? Great! The admissions page for each program has detailed guidelines, including our contact info. Please reach out!
- Read recent stories related to technology policy
- Explore Duke Sanford's Tech Policy program.
- Sanford podcasts often feature stories about technology.