Author Archive

Sara Friedman

Sara Friedman is a reporter/producer for GCN, covering cloud, cybersecurity and a wide range of other public-sector IT topics.

Before joining GCN, Friedman was a reporter for Gambling Compliance, where she covered state issues related to casinos, lotteries and fantasy sports. She has also written for Communications Daily and Washington Internet Daily on state telecom and cloud computing. Friedman is a graduate of Ithaca College, where she studied journalism, politics and international communications.

Friedman can be contacted at sfriedman@gcn.com or follow her on Twitter @SaraEFriedman.

Click here for previous articles by Friedman.

Digital Government

NSF, Energy Department invest in AI research

The new funding opportunities will distribute approximately $170 million to advanced research projects powered by artificial intelligence.

Digital Government

Building a cloud-ready workforce

After earning an associate degree in cloud computing at Northern Virginia Community College, students can take courses at George Mason University toward a bachelor's of applied science degree in cloud computing.

Digital Government

Air Force, MIT launch AI accelerator

The joint artificial intelligence accelerator program will focus on fast-tracking AI technologies through fundamental research in computational intelligence, reasoning, decision-making and autonomy.

Cybersecurity

Filling the federal cyber talent pipeline

The Cybersecurity Talent Initiative aims to jumpstart cyber careers by placing university graduates in federal agencies.

Emerging Tech

HHS investigates blockchain for securing log files

The HHS Division of Acquisition is working on a pilot to secure system logs required by the Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation program.

Digital Government

ARL taps universities for battlefield AI research

Carnegie Mellon University will lead a consortium of universities developing solutions to support autonomous processing and highly effective human-machine teams.

Emerging Tech

CFTC chairman calls for light touch on blockchain regulation

Today's rapidly changing financial environment calls for a light regulatory touch when it comes to distributed ledger technologies, says the chief of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

Digital Government

NSF rolls out financial management bots

The National Science Foundation is working with the Bureau of Fiscal Service to automate payment processes.

Emerging Tech

FDA explores blockchain to secure drug supply chain

A Food and Drug Administration pilot is looking for technologies to verify and trace prescription drugs.

Emerging Tech

How blockchain-secured voting works

The West Virginia Secretary of State’s office explains how the first statewide blockchain voting pilot for overseas voters came together.

Infrastructure

DISA investigates blockchain as a service

The Defense Information Systems Agency is considering adding blockchain as a service to its infrastructure platform.

Emerging Tech

Marriage certificates sealed by blockchain

Hunter Halcomb, the head of IT for the Washoe County Recorder’s Office, spoke with GCN about the challenges of putting marriage certificates onto a blockchain-based system.

Emerging Tech

Blockchain makes new inroads into public sector

Many of the efforts are still nascent, but all levels of government have started to explore blockchain’s capabilities through pilot projects, legislation and research.

Emerging Tech

HHS expects to roll out blockchain acquisition solution

The Department of Health and Human Services is making a big push to have the first blockchain-based program in the federal government that gains an authority to operate.

Emerging Tech

NSF explores blockchain for grants management

The Grants Community Blockchain would allow agencies and universities to track funding opportunities.

Cybersecurity

DHS looks to blockchain to deter counterfeit certificates

The Department of Homeland Security wants to prevent forgeries in the certificates and licenses issued by Customs and Border Protection, Citizen and Immigration Services and the Transportation Security Administration.

Emerging Tech

GSA expands blockchain procurement pilot

The General Services Administration is investigating how blockchain can be applied to the Multiple Award Schedules program.

Cybersecurity

How West Virginia brought blockchain-secured voting to Election Day

The West Virginia Secretary of State estimates 144 voters in 30 different countries used the app to cast secure, anonymous ballots.

Cybersecurity

CDC tests blockchain for outbreak response

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants to use blockchain to get health responders into crisis zones faster.

Emerging Tech

CBP tests augmented reality, blockchain to better protect intellectual property

Customs and Border Protection is using emerging tech to help agents ensure intellectual property rights.