Prof. Andrea Matwyshyn

Penn State Law & Engineering

POLICY INNOVATION LAB OF TOMORROW (PILOT) - TECHNOLOGY POLICY PRACTICUM

Fall 2026

 

Welcome.

 

1. Overview: In this class, we bridge tech theory with tech policy practice.  We begin the semester by asking the “big” normative questions of innovation: what kinds of technology are we building?  What engineering and ethical principles are we applying? Is this “progress”?  How is law helping (or not helping)?  Next, using case studies of “hot topics” in technology policy, we apply these ideas to current debates.  Finally, we conclude with a practicum – applying the lessons from the first two part of the class to a set of technology policy projects.  These projects will then be shared with relevant policymakers, seeking to assist them in their decision-making process.  

​

​

2. Grading: 50% Final Project (and related assignments); 50% Participation.         

​

Final Project:    

• Select a transparency project related to this class (from the themes of this course or make me an offer) that will help policymakers and consumers to be more informed about some aspect of technology policy. Think about aggregating existing streams of data in new and more useful ways and providing technical, legal, and policy analysis related to the issues discussed in class.  Here are some sample projects from my past classes:  https://www.pilotlab.org/labclass.  Here are ongoing PILOT lab projects to which you can contribute: https://www.pilotlab.org/projects 

• Commit to your project topic under Discussions in Canvas by September 10, 2026

• Expert interviews due in Week 4, 7, and 11.

• Due at exam time for this period, turned in by each student on Canvas.

​

Participation:

• Preparation when volunteering or cold-called in class and in class 'workshop 'exercises

• Participation in project presentations in workshop classes and on the final day of class

​​

​​

​ 3.   Reading Materials:   as listed on this syllabus and Canvas.  We do not have a single textbook because the course is interdisciplinary and books are expensive.

​​

Mandatory:

• Readings and other materials linked off this syllabus

​​

 Recommended:

• Brian Kernighan, Understanding the Digital World http://www.kernighan.org

• Steven Bellovin, Thinking Security: Stopping Next Year's Hackers, https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Security-Addison-Wesley-Professional-Computing/dp/0134277546/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480686609&sr=8-1&keywords=bellovin

​

4. Office Hours: By appointment - please email to schedule: andreamm@psu.edu with PILOT Lab as your subject line.

​

​

5. Disruption policy: If your conduct during class constitutes an unintentional or intentional class disruption in the opinion of the instructor, your camera or microphone may be muted by the instructor on Zoom and points may be deducted from participation.  Festive Zoom backgrounds are not a class disruption and are encouraged.  

​

​

6. Technology policy:

• Canvas will be used for various class communications.   Please check daily.

• Festive Zoom backgrounds welcome.

• It is a violation of the Penn State Dickinson Law Code of Conduct, Pennsylvania State wiretapping laws, and the express policies of this class to

(1) surreptitiously record any class content without the express, contemporaneous consent of all parties being recorded or

(2) repurpose any recording accessed with consent for unauthorized purposes.

• It is a violation of the trust of the class, your instructor and our guest speakers to record any portion of this class.

• This policy extends not only to traditional recording devices such as mobile phones, but also to any and all “Internet of Bodies” technologies such as smartwatches and smartglasses.

• Any use of artificial intelligence tools except as expressly instructed/permitted in writing in connection with an assignment is an ethical violation of the policies of this class and the Penn State Dickinson Law Honor Code. 

• Any (1) fabrication of a citation or (2) citation to a document that cannot be reproduced upon challenge shall result in an automatic reduction of two letter grades in your final grade for this class and/or considered an honor code violation.  

• Laptop and mobile phone use is for class purposes only. Please silence all ringers and message notifications. The instructor may deduct points from your final grade for failure to respect this policy and the learning environment for your classmates.  

​

 

7. Learning outcomes:

• Substantive knowledge of technology law

• Enhancement of legal analysis and reasoning skills

​

​

*  * *

​

Week 1: Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Week 2: Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Week 3: Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Week 4: Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Week 5: Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Week 6: Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Week 7: Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Week 8: Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Week 9: Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Week 10: Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Week 11: Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Week 12: Wednesday, November 11, 2026
Week 13: Wednesday, November 18, 2026
Week 14: Wednesday, December 2, 2026

​

* * *

​

Week 1: Introduction

​

What is “progress”? How should we build the future?

​

• Introduction to the class and this semester’s PILOT projects

​

• https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/progress/

​

​

Week 2:  New Technologies and Their Disasters

​

Brian Charlton, Donora Pennsylvania Historical Society

​

• https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/deadly-donora-smog-1948-spurred-environmental-protection-have-we-forgotten-lesson-180970533/

• Bauhaus, https://digital.hbs.edu/platform-rctom/submission/designing-the-future-at-bauhaus/

• A Timeless Way of Building, [see instructions on p.vi on how to read the book], Chapters 1 and 2 http://library.uniteddiversity.coop/Ecological_Building/The_Timeless_Way_of_Building_Complete.pdf 

​

​

Week 3:  Connected Medicine and the Internet of Bodies

​

Jessica Wilkerson, JD, Quality and Regulatory Cybersecurity Lead, Roche

​

• https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jul/27/misleading-ai-generated-doctors-public-safety-danger-tiktok

• https://www.drugdiscoverynews.com/alphafold-in-drug-discovery-what-protein-structure-prediction-has-and-hasn-t-changed-17348

• https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/safety-communications/cybersecurity-vulnerabilities-certain-patient-monitors-contec-and-epsimed-fda-safety-communication

• https://www.fda.gov/media/119933/download p.1-9 - available at https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/digital-health-center-excellence/cybersecurity

• https://www.cnbc.com/2024/06/01/internet-of-bodies-could-meld-tech-and-human-bodies-together.html

• ​Optional: https://clarksonlawfirm.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/COMPLAINT-26-cv-08686-Surber-v.-Oura-Inc.-et-al.pdf 

​

Week 4: Data Intensive Business Models and AI

​

Prof. Chris Marsden, Monash University Law

 

• What is “new”? https://www.cnet.com/news/juicero-is-still-the-greatest-example-of-silicon-valley-stupidity/ 

• https://abcnews.com/Technology/glassholes-privacy-issues-troubled-run-edition-google-glass/story?id=28269049

• https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/teen-boys-meta-glasses-harass-bully-girls-school

• https://medium.com/syncedreview/fake-ai-vs-real-ai-eddee1fdf0e9 

• https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/industry-regulation/social-media-age-restrictions

• https://www.npr.org/2026/04/03/nx-s1-5764306/big-tech-lawsuits-verdicts-accountability-social-media-harms

 

 

Week 5: Information/Computer Security and Critical Infrastructures

​

Josh Corman, Executive in Residence for Public Safety & Resilience, Institute for Security +Technology

​

FIRST TWO EXPERT INTERVIEWS DUE - SUBMITTED TO CANVAS DISCUSSIONS by NOON

​

• Charles Perrow, Introduction https://www.google.com/books/edition/Normal_Accidents/g66J6Vzq6EYC?q=perrow+normal+accidents&gbpv=1#f=false

• https://www.nature.com/articles/477404a

• https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/31/politics/sweeping-cyberattack-us-water-systems

• https://www.fastcompany.com/91479523/how-hackers-are-turning-the-power-grid-and-digital-infrastructure-into-a-weapon

• ​https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa24-038a 

​

Week 6: Consumer Protection

​

Kati Daffan, Founder, Vaca Daffan Law

​

• https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/technology/articles/anthropic-faces-lawsuit-over-allegedly-175748548.html

• https://www.wsj.com/business/media/polymarket-social-media-bets-prediction-market-441cdeb5?ftag=YHF4eb9d17

• https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/business-guidance-concerning-multi-level-marketing

​

​

Week 7: Technology Commerce (and its Discontents)

 

Shirley Chiu, Senior Counsel, Office of the General Counsel, Federal Assistance Law Division, Department of Commerce

​​​

• https://mm.commerce.gov/about-department-commerce.html

• https://www.bfi.org/about-fuller/biography/dymaxion-american

• https://autoweek.com/article/classic-cars/buckminster-fullers-dymaxion-car-probably-scariest-thing-weve-ever-driven

• [if the link above is dead, read this: https://www.ntsb.gov/news/events/Pages/2019-HWY18MH010-BMG.aspx]

• https://www.jdjournal.com/2026/02/21/judge-upholds-243m-tesla-autopilot-crash-verdict/

• https://newrepublic.com/article/206992/flock-safety-cameras-alpr-deflock-resistance-nationwide

• https://hoodline.com/2026/08/nurses-take-palantir-fight-to-peter-thiel-s-west-hollywood-doorstep/

• https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/autonomous-ai-drones-are-now-killing-humans-and-theres-no-going-back/

• optional: Unavailable, Introduction, https://lawreview.law.pitt.edu/ojs/index.php/lawreview/article/view/677/450

 

 

Week 8: Space, Junk, and Internet Access

​

Prof. Rob Frieden, Penn State

​

• https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-astronomical-problem-of-space-junk-180987782/

• https://www.astronomy.com/space-exploration/astronomers-urge-fcc-to-research-impacts-of-space-junk/

• https://www.space.com/kessler-syndrome-space-debris

• https://www.npr.org/2025/11/08/nx-s1-5575723/a-look-at-the-latest-effort-to-get-more-americans-in-rural-communities-online

​

​

Week 9: Data Centers

​​

NEXT TWO EXPERT INTERVIEWS DUE - SUBMITTED TO CANVAS DISCUSSIONS by NOON

​

• https://www.pa.gov/governor/newsroom/2026-press-releases/governor-shapiro-signs-executive-order-on-data-center-developmen

• https://www.npr.org/2026/07/15/nx-s1-5894905/whats-behind-americas-data-center-revolt

• https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/25/climate/epa-data-centers-public-comment.html

​

​

Week 10: Projects: Scoping and Design

​

• Submission: Preliminary plan of work posted to Discussions

  • Create a plan of attack for the question. Threat model the scenario.

  • What are the technical and design questions that you need to answer? How will you accomplish this?

  • What are the legal questions that your project implicates? How will you research this?

  • Who are the experts that you should consult? Hint: you might want to start here: https://www.pilotlab.org/people

​

​

Week 11: Projects: Expert Reports and 360 Reviews

​

• Submission: Six interview forms posted to Discussions

  • Consult at least six experts – one technical expert, one private sector legal expert, one consumer protection expert, two consumers with strong opinions on the topic, one regulator or academic expert

  • What was each expert’s advice?

  • How has this expertise impacted your project design?

  • What top five key issues and top five legal questions will you be exploring for next week?

Resource: https://open.oregonstate.education/qualresearchmethods/chapter/chapter-11-interviewing/

​

​

Week 12: Projects: Key Findings and Legal Analysis and 360 Reviews

​

• Submission: List of top ten key project factual findings and top 5 legal concerns with analysis posted to Discussions

​

​

Week 13: Projects:  Deployment Model and Budget Analysis and 360 Reviews

​

• Submission: Timeline of deployment with potential providers and rates + total budget estimate with justification

 Resource: https://medium.com/the-digital-project-manager/create-a-project-budget-that-works-the-complete-cost-estimation-guide-73dd08436295

​

 

Week 14:  BIG IDEA DAY: Final Presentations

​

Submission: Public-facing website posted to Discussions that includes the following materials:​

​

1. White paper executive summary (5 pages, single spaced, 12 point font)

• Page 1: Summary of past efforts and why they failed/lessons learned

• Page 2: Summary of expert advice

• Page 3: Summary of key elements for a project to succeed

• Page 4: Summary of legal analysis and policy concerns

• Page 5: Concrete proposal for deployment with budget (attachments allowed)

• Your original images, relevant charts, and other supplemental materials to assist readers with understanding the arguments in your white paper.

​

2. Supporting data and materials from prior weeks

​

3. Bibliography of technical and legal sources consulted.