As the Potomac Institute celebrates its 30th year, we are revitalizing our brand to meet the challenges of a contested global order. Central to this transformation is the "People Power" that has defined us for three decades, led by our Board of Regents. Welcome to our latest interview series: Regents in Conversation, a masterclass in the bold, unconventional thinking that gives our clients, and our nation, what it needs, not just what it wants.

In this series, CEO Jennifer Buss sits down with a few esteemed members of PIPS’ Board of Regents to discuss their respective work and careers, their experience with The Potomac Institute, and their thoughts on current and future policy topics.

In this episode of Regents in Conversation, Jen Buss speaks with Dr. Rita Colwell about a career that has linked scientific research to national and global impact. Drawing on her work in cholera research, marine microbiology, biodefense, and leadership at the National Science Foundation, Colwell explains how sustained scientific investment produces practical capabilities in public health, attribution, forecasting, and national preparedness. The conversation reinforces the policy value of long-horizon research funding, cross-disciplinary innovation, and stronger readiness against emerging biological threats.

Key Takeaways:

• Protect long-term science funding as a national preparedness priority. Colwell’s experience demonstrates that foundational research creates capabilities that later become essential for public health, biodefense, and national resilience.

• Strengthen the connection between research investment and operational readiness. Advances in biology, data, and sensing can improve forecasting, attribution, and response, but only if institutions sustain support from discovery through application.

• Treat emerging biological threats as a continuing security challenge. The episode underscores the need for ongoing vigilance, interagency coordination, and preparedness planning rather than episodic crisis response.

• Prioritize technologies that improve detection, attribution, and response. DNA-based tools, environmental data, and predictive methods can inform better decisions across public health and national security settings.

• Support science leadership that translates research into policy and protection. Effective leadership is required to turn scientific progress into actionable programs, governance frameworks, and resource decisions.