Daniel Gerstein brings a unique perspective to the understanding of technology and it’s impact on society. In this formulation, Gerstein offers that the history of humanity and the history of technology are one and the same.

Throughout recorded history, humankind has used science discovery, technology development and innovation to solve practical problems, build economies, growth societies and improve the quality of life. As the capabilities of humankind have increased, the quest for gaining a fundamental understanding of the world has driven greater scientific study which has in turn fueled greater technological achievements.

Today, the world is more connected than ever — some might even say smaller — where events in one part of the world have implications for nations and peoples thousands of miles away. Advances in information technologies, communication and cyber are allowing for sharing of ideas, data and information in real-time. Dual use technologies allow individual actors to have state-like capabilities. Areas of science and technology that once were the exclusive domain of nations, such as global positioning systems or GPS, have become parts of our daily lives. Multi-national corporations are complicating controls on science and technology proliferation.

Today emerging technologies are resulting in complementary increases in legal, policy and ethical questions and issues. Often, advances are so rapid, they are outpacing policymakers’ ability to place adequate controls on research, development and behaviors with potentially devastating consequences, and certainly before treaties, laws, policies and regulations are in place.

Dr. Gerstein is an expert in military and homeland security technologies. From precision guided munitions in the first Gulf War to drones and humanoid robots in Ukraine, Gerstein has written and spoken about a range of technologies including artificial intelligence, biotechnology, cybersecurity and communications, quantum, material science and advanced manufacturing, autonomous systems and robotics, social media and deep fakes. Dr. Gerstein led the U.S. Army’s most comprehensive restructuring since World War II and guided an effort to develop a comprehensive biosurveillance system for the Department of Defense.

He is also the author of several books on technology including War Without Humanity: Conflict in the Post-Human Era (Casemate, 2026); Tech Wars: Transforming U.S. Technology Development (Praeger. September 2022. (Paperback version released in 2024)); Assignment: Pentagon: How to Excel in a Bureaucracy (5th Edition) (University of Nebraska Press, 2020); The Story of Technology: How We Got Here and What the Future Holds (Prometheus Books, 2019); Leading at the Speed of Light: New Strategies for U.S. Security in the Information Age, (Potomac Books, 2006).