Former Cong. Jason Chaffetz Will Be A 2017 Fellow At The Institute Of Politics At Harvard Kennedy School

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Institute of Politics (IOP) at Harvard Kennedy School is pleased to announce that former Congressman Jason Chaffetz will be a 2017 Fellow. Examining the political, regulatory and personal challenges to our expectations of privacy in a rapidly evolving technological environment will be his topics of discussions with students during the fall 2017 academic semester.

"Jason Chaffetz has been a legislative pioneer in bringing complex issues such as the impact of emerging technologies on all aspects of our lives to the table for expert examination and discussion," said IOP Acting Director Bill Delahunt.  "His experience in leadership of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in investigating a broad range of controversial events and issues affords our students the opportunity to better understand how elected officials can impact diverse aspects of national life and policy."

As one of the few three-term Representatives ever selected to Chair a House committee, Chaffetz led investigations into the United States Secret Service, the Department of Education I.T. vulnerabilities, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) data breach, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Benghazi terrorist attack, misuse of classified information by Hillary Clinton, Fast & Furious, and the IRS scandal. He left Congress in June 2017.

"I feel as though the tech industry doesn't understand Washington D.C. and Washington doesn't understand the tech industry," said Chaffetz. "But like it or not, technology affects everything we do. I believe defining our expectation of privacy in this transitional period – and the role of government in this process – is a seminal question of our time."

The Fellows program is central to the IOP's dual commitment to encourage student interest in public life and to increase interaction between the academic and political communities. Over the course of an academic semester, Fellows interact with students, develop and lead study groups and participate in the intellectual life of the Harvard community.

Before being elected to Congress, Chaffetz was Chief of Staff to the Governor of Utah. A former placekicker on the Brigham Young University Football, Chaffetz spent 16 years in private sector business. He is currently a contributor for Fox News Networks.

"How government can or should limit the information that technology can gather is one of the questions students at the IOP will help us explore. Harvard is perhaps the most prestigious institution in our country. It's an exciting prospect to help frame such discussions with the students who will influence our future decisions on current and emerging technologies," said Chaffetz.

Read Congressman Chaffetz's biography at http://bit.ly/2017FallFellows.

The Institute of Politics (IOP) at Harvard Kennedy School was established in 1966 as a memorial to President Kennedy. The IOP's mission is to unite and engage students, particularly undergraduates, with academics, politicians, activists, and policymakers on a non-partisan basis to inspire them to consider careers in politics and public service.  The Institute strives to promote greater understanding and cooperation between the academic world and the world of politics and public affairs. More information is available online at http://www.iop.harvard.edu.  

SOURCE The Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School

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