This discussion will consider how AI-enabled systems affect humanitarian aid, disaster preparedness, and community resilience, with technical examples such as predictive modeling for resource distribution and risk mapping. Panelists will also explore vulnerabilities introduced by these systems — including surveillance misuse, inequitable access, and unintended harm — and the ethical responsibilities involved in designing and governing technologies that directly affect people’s safety and rights.
Featured Speakers
Susan Wolfinbarger, Program Manager, Geospatial Consulting Group International
Dr. Susan Wolfinbarger is the former director of the Geospatial Technologies and Human Rights Project at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), where she pioneered the use of remote sensing to document human rights violations around the world and, as part of that role, submitted expert evidence for international legal proceedings.
Rachael Lau, Loomis Council Member, Stimson Center
Dr. Rachael Lau, Ph.D. is an engineer, researcher, and policy practitioner at the intersection of geospatial intelligence, disaster resilience, and applied AI. She has held positions as an infrastructure advisor at USAID, an AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow in AI, and is a National Geographic Explorer.
Aaron Opdyke, AAAS Roger Revelle Fellow and Disaster Risk Management Specialist, World Bank Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery
Aaron Opdyke is an AAAS Roger Revelle Fellow and Disaster Risk Management Specialist at the World Bank’s Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), where he develops analytics and decision-support tools that link engineering with policy — informing building regulations, disaster risk financing, and resilient infrastructure investments.
Giulia Neaher, Research Analyst, Responsible AI Fellowship Project Strategic Foresight Hub, Stimson Center (Moderator)
Giulia Neaher is a Research Analyst with the Strategic Foresight Hub at the Stimson Center, where she leads projects on AI policy and the sociopolitical impacts of emerging technologies.
Austin Lord, Senior Fellow, Energy, Water and Sustainability Program, The Stimson Center (Moderator)
Dr. Austin Lord is the Senior Fellow in the Energy, Water and Sustainability program at the Stimson Center. His applied research focuses on disaster and climate risk management, water and energy policy, infrastructure development, and environmental governance.
