On October 17, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Stanford University to engage with students, faculty and other community leaders. After meeting with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and California Congresswoman Anna Eshoo at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and appearing at an event with former Secretary of State Condaleeza Rice at the Hoover Institution, Blinken also attended a Stanford student recruitment event with Ambassador at Large Nate Fick, hosted by Stanford Law School (SLS) Dean Jenny Martinez on behalf of the Cyber Policy Center, a collaboration between SLS and the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. The event included approximately 100 students for a conversation about STEM career opportunities at the U.S. State Department.

“Much of the success of modern America can be ascribed to the public-private partnership between the U.S. Government, academia, and the private sector that has spurred innovation, expanded economic prosperity, and maintained America’s competitive advantage and leadership on the international stage,” said Martinez in her opening remarks. “That partnership is reflected on our stage today.”

Martinez went on to highlight Secretary Blinken’s distinguished 30-year career in foreign policy from the Capitol to the White House to the State Department. She also introduced Ambassador Fick, a Marine veteran who returned to public service to lead the State Department’s cyberspace and digital policy efforts after a career in the private sector at cybersecurity software company Endgame and search company Elastic. 

In their opening remarks, both Blinken and Fick talked about their personal pulls to service and the deep satisfaction they get out of representing the U.S. ”Issues that impact our lives like Covid, climate change, security, even supply chain issues…this is where diplomacy comes in and plays a major role,” said Blinken. Describing the critical role that STEM graduates can play in State diplomacy, Blinken said “We are at an inflection point and technology is at the heart of the positive vision we have at the State Dept.” 

Both Blinken and Fick spoke effusively about the State Department’s new Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy and encouraged Stanford students to consider a career that “addresses the national security challenges, economic opportunities, and values considerations presented by cyberspace, digital technologies, and digital policy and promotes standards and norms that are fair, transparent, and support our values.”

“If you believe tech is the new frontier for diplomacy, we have a place for you at the State Department,” said Fick. “We need you to help us find solutions.”

After the remarks from Blinken and Fick about public service, the panel took questions from students.