I am best-known as a "futurist" who comments plausibly and entertainingly about trends in technology and society, including some of the challenges that may confront our rambunctious civilization in the decades ahead. One favorite topic: creativity, helping members of the audience think "out of the box" about both near- and long-term problems. Other groups ask for fresh perspectives on security and privacy in a world where cameras grow smaller and more numerous every year (see below).

Lately, this secondary speaking career has grown so hectic that I've had to limit the engagements I accept, in order to concentrate on my family, books and science. Still, I do accept on average one speech-commitment per month.

To contact me for a speaking engagement, please email me at davidbrin@sbcglobal.net. Please enter "enquiry about a speaking engagement" in the subject line.

The sections for this page are:

• Past Engagements as Featured or Keynote* Speaker
• TV and Media Appearances
• Some Topics I'm Asked to Discuss
• Honoraria
• References and Sample Praise

Dinner speech for the American Association for Clinical Chemistry, San Diego Conference, San Diego, California (3/06)
International Association of Privacy Professionals, Las Vegas (10/05)
Enviro Fair, "Our Sustainable Future," Del Mar, CA (9/05)
NASA Conference on Exobiology (dinner speaker), NASA Ames Research Center (8/05)
Sandia National Laboratory, "Preventing Terrorism at Soft Targets" (7/05)
Santa Barbara Writers' Conference, evening speaker honoring Ray Bradbury (6/05)
Marina Del Rey: Hollywood Writers' Salon on "Real Science Fiction in Movies" (6/05)
UC Irvine Conference panel: "Human Rights, Technology & the Humanities" (5/05)
MIT Enterprise Forum Panel: "Enterprise Pitfalls & Opportunities in the Information Age" (La Jolla, CA 4/05)
Service Industry Association, dinner speaker at Hotel Coronado (3/05)
CDM Camp Dresser & McKee Inc., company brainstorm speaker (3/05)
American Astronomical Society: Panel on Using Art for Science Education, (1/05)
Project Inkwell: "Technology Empowering Education" (dinner speaker 11/04)
Accelerating Change 2004: "Horizons of Perception in an Era of Change" (Stanford 11/04)
Danish IT Security Council, Danish Open Source Vendors Association, and Internet Society (Copenhagen 11/04)
40th anniversary of Free Speech Movement (UC Berkeley 10/04)*
Imation Inc. Patent Recognition Banquet (Minneapolis 10/04)*
Swissnex debate on human augmentation (San Francisco 10/04)
Global Solutions Institute -- on future of environmentalism (Seattle 10/04)
Pacific Northwest Digital Government Summit (6/04)
Strategic News Service FiRe (Future in Review) Conference (Coronado 5/04)
Woodrow Wilson Center: Conference on Anonymity, Washington D.C. (5/04)
San Diego Writers and Editors Guild, Odin Award recipient/speaker (4/04)
CONTACT Conference on Cultures of the Imagination (3/04)
California Librarians Association, Keynote, Ontario CA, "Keeping Reading Relevant" (11/03)
The Skeptic Society, Caltech, Pasadena CA, "21st Century Fables: Can We Learn to See Well?" (11/03)
DLC and Progressive Policy Institute, speech & consultation about 21st Century politics, Macinac MI (9/03)
National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) Conference, Scottsdale AZ, (9/03)
Dinner speaker, IPv6 Conference (6/03)
Jacobs School of Engineering (UCSD), graduation speech (6/03)
Book Expo, Los Angeles (5/03)
FIRe Future in Review Conference, Hotel del Coronado (5/03)
Arizona Book Festival: on adding action to thought and vice versa (4/03)
UCSD Foundation Trustees: on philanthropy in the future (3/03)
MIT Media Lab: on the future of augmented reality (2/03)
Harvard University Law School: seminar on legal ramifications of transparency (2/03)
Los Alamos National Labs: LANSCE Workshop (1/03)
Border Research & Technology Center, San Diego (12/02)
Association of Biotechnology Finance Officers, San Francisco (6/02)
Utopiales: International Conference on the Future, Nantes France (10/02)
Minneapolis ACM Computer Human Interface Conference* (4/02)
BIOCOM San Diego Biotech Industry Breakfast Meeting (3/02)
"Biosensors/Bioterror" SAIC Conference, Del Mar CA (2/02)
Microsoft Speakers' Program "Intelligence: Artificial & Otherwise" (2/02)
"Sensors/Sensing" UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering Annual Review* (2/02)
D.C., "The Digital Divide: Japanese & American Perspectives" (12/01)
National Academies of Science, President's Circle* (11/01)
University of Michigan "Accountability Systems" (11/01)
Privacy/Security Symposium, Zurich, Switzerland (11/01)
University of Chicago, "Danger and Individualism" (11/01)
Global Privacy Summit, Plaza Hotel, New York (11/01)
WebDevShare Conference, Indiana University (10/01)
National Reconnaissance Office (8/01)
Defense Information Systems Agency (8/01)
American Library Association Freedom of Speech* (6/01)
Apache Conference on Open Source Software Movement (4/01)
Qualcomm - motivational-innovation speech (4/01)
William Saroyan Literary Conference* (3/01)
Forum of Associations of Grantmakers "Future Philanthropy" (2/01)
Democratic National Convention Privacy Teach-in (8/00)
Library of Congress Speaker Series (6/00)
SAP TechEd 2000* - Las Vegas (6/00)
"Out of the Box" Pentagon-Potomac Institute Brainstorm* (6/00)
Procter & Gamble Innovation 2000 trade show* (6/00)
World Bank International Conf. on Credit Reporting (6/00)
Internet Everywhere Summit, San Francisco 2000
Bar Assoc. Conference on Alternative Dispute Resolution
"1984: Orwell & Our Future" - U.Chicago Law School (11/99)
Association of Information Technology Professionals (11/99)
Institute for the Future: Outlook Project Exchange (10/99)
California First Amendment Coalition* (9/99)
Decision Makers 2000, Frankfurt Germany (5/99)
Economic Crime Summit*, Orlando (5/99)
Privacy Briefing for Congressional Staff (4/99)
Planet-Fest - 1999 (Planetary Society)
Economic Crime Conference* (5/99)
Card-Tech ID Technology Gathering (11/98)
Communication Tech & Society Conference (Cato Institute)
1998 Space Frontier Conference*
Government Communications/Info Officers' Summit '98
TTI/Vanguard '98 Conference: Security & Information
L.A. Junior Chamber of Commerce
LaBatt Corporation Executive Retreat
Defense Department Highlands Group
TED-MED '98
Microsoft Lecture Series
California School Library Association*
Future of Medicine Conference (6/98)
1997 Supercomputing Conference
The Planetary Society
California Institute of Technology
Sandia National Laboratories
Rutgers University School of Information Science
University of Michigan School of Information Science
MENSA Regional Gathering
United Nations Association*
Oregon Psychological Society*
Southern California Academy of Science
American Library Association
Library & Information Technology Association
International Association of Film Commissioners
Society of Science Educators

Televised panel on Internet Ethics for Teens, ITV & EthiCal (5/06)
"Surfing the Internet: Who's Watching? Who's Censoring?" University of San Diego Center for Ethics in Science & Technology (broadcast on KPBS radio) March 20, 2006 (downloadable).
History Channel: Future Tech (Principal Cast member)
CBS Sunday Morning
Tactical to Practical (History Channel)
Modern Marvels (History Channel)
Voice of America Live
Fast Forward
TechNation
Beyond Human (PBS)
Closer to Truth
Life on the Internet
Prisoners of Gravity
Sightings
Future Quest BBC Tomorrow's World
BBC 'Hyperspace'
Beyond the Galaxy
Science of the Impossible
and numerous morning shows and talk radio appearances

1. A new millennium has people thinking about the nature of the future. Audiences seem eager to explore wide possibilities -- dark and bright -- for what challenges may confront us in the years ahead. Avoiding pat answers and sensationalism, I cover a broad range of plausible tomorrows, both near and far. The future will be what we make of it.

2. Drawn into stark contrast by recent events -- security, privacy and intrusive surveillance in our lives. As cameras get smaller, cheaper and more mobile -- and new threats crowd in all around -- is Big Brother on the horizon? Or will new technologies empower private citizens in unexpected ways? Against the popular trend of panic and secrecy, I've been urging calm, candor and openness, as in The Transparent Society: Will Technology Force Us to Choose Between Freedom and Privacy?... which at one point brought me to testify in the U.S. Senate. I've been asked to give more than fifty speeches, interviews and consultations on this topic alone.

3. How to be creative. After achieving success in several arts and sciences, I'm often asked how to spot opportunities and trends, how best to take advantage of them... and how to catch the mistakes we always kick ourselves for missing. It can be remarkably easy to practice stretching the mind. Millions of people are more flexible than their ancestors. I point out some of the ways we're already doing this... and a few tricks to enhance the trend.

4. Interest has been stirred by my proposal for a new approach to philanthropy. In an era when perhaps twenty trillion dollars may pass between generations, many bold projects stand outside the typical investment horizons of governments and corporations. A new century calls for new ideas. (See also my page on philanthropy.)

5. My novel Earth (a N.Y. Times bestseller) deals vividly with the future of our planet's living environment. Tech pundits also credit this novel with predicting many aspects of the World Wide Web! But the area of planetary management -- whether we can both thrive as a species and care for the world responsibly -- is where the book achieved its biggest reputation.

6. As a participant in SETI -- the scientific Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence -- I appear often in person and on TV, debunking so-called UFOs (in a way that leaves audiences roaring with laughter) while explaining how real life in the universe may be far more interesting. I am also a regular "space expert" at Imax Theaters and planetariums.

7. Scientific issues that I've explored in fiction, and have been asked to talk about, include: cloning, immortality, bio-warfare, psychology, time travel and the prospects for continuing human evolution.

8. From novels such as Startide Rising and The Uplift War (film rights now sold to Paramount Pictures), I have a reputation as an authority on dolphins and chimpanzees, and how humanity may relate to other creatures in the future.

9. I've also been invited to speak on theology in the scientific age. (Believe it or not!) A fascinating topic... though one that I feel just a bit less qualified or knowledgeable about!

10. My novel, The Postman, was filmed by Kevin Costner. Describing this roller-coaster experience puts listeners in stitches.

My standard fee is has gone up lately for commercial meetings requiring extensive travel. (Please inquire for latest rate.) The fee is less for events near San Diego or for non-profit groups clearly benefiting the public or kids. It can help if the subject is fascinating! The greater the distance, the more likely it is that I must travel Business Class.

Paul R. Brown, President: Public Services Group, CDM Camp Dresser & McKee Inc: "Many, many thanks for an exhilarating evening. Your remarks launched another 48 hours of discussion and dialogue. Most importantly, you created the context for one of the best planning meetings we ever held. Your 5% creative thinking challenge and encouragement to accept criticism as a way of ensuring success stuck with us throughout our meeting -- much better ideas offered with much less defensiveness. Fears were lowered and the boundaries of concern widened. We all really appreciated your intelligence, insights, and most importantly your engaging and open style."

John Smart, Accelerating Change, Stanford University: "Fabulous! Your provocative future scenarios, your explanation of developmental trends in technology and your balanced, nuanced delivery got folks energized like no speaker we've had before. I think the truest mark of a great speaker is their popularity in the hallways afterward, and on that score you again exceeded all expectations. It was great to see how many groups self-organized to discuss the issues you raised for the remainder of the weekend. Passionate engagement, incisive thinking, rapid references to the key ideas in the value space, enlightened and centered solutions... You set a standard for us all to achieve."

Guy Iannuzzi, BIOCOM: Biotechnology Executives Networking Breakfast, San Diego/La Jolla (250 biotech professionals): "You were wonderful beyond even my exaggerated expectations. You are a hero to these business people (and, not to put too fine a point on it, have made me also a hero for finding you)..."

Paul Saffo, Institute for the Future: "David, I just looked in my email box and realized my earlier thank you to you bounced back. Gad! Especially as you were absolutely spectacular -- you completely stole the meeting! I am still hearing from clients who were utterly taken by your comments. So, once again, many, many thanks!

Dean Robert W. Conn, UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering (c/o Kelly Briggs) "Sensors/Sensing" Annual Review, keynote: "Thanks for the outstanding presentation... It was by all accounts the most successful review ever, due in significant measure to your contribution."
 
Don Wood, American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom: "What a successful program! I've never seen quite such a spontaneous and enthusiastic response to one of our speakers! Thanks again, David. I hope this is not the last time you'll be able to participate in one of our programs."

Card Tech West: "Dear David, We enjoyed meeting you and hearing your presentation. You were interesting, amusing, and challenging; I wish we had a video, but we do have the audio tape, which I have already listened to, in its entirety. We all feel delighted you came up to be our keynote speaker. My opinion was validated by the speaker evaluations. You were our highest scoring speaker with the following scores: (5 = highest) Knowledge of subject: 5.0; Audio/visual: 3.4; Style/Organization: 4.67; Value of Talk: 4.67; Weighted Average: 4.57... Comments by attendees: 1. Well done! 2. In 9 years of conferences, this is the first time I bought an audio tape. 3. Excellent, brilliant! Attendees appreciated the book signing.... Thanks again and if you every need a reference for speaking, give me a call." Liz Wenchel 301-654-0551.

Margaret Miller, World Bank Conference on Credit Reporting, Miami: "I was very happy with your willingness to take on the assignment on short notice, with your professionalism and courteousness and most of all, with the insights that you brought to bear on this topic. More than 90% of those responding to the survey about the event rated it as a 4 or 5 on a scale of 1-5."

Ken Coar and Jim Jagielski, Apache Software Foundation: "I'd like to thank you again for a most excellent keynote. I thought that your concept of the "Maturity Principle" (which I first read in your book) was an excellent analogy of open source technology and the members seemed genuinely inspired!"

Defense Information Services Agency: "Hey David: Gang buster presentation -- folks loved it. Thanks Thanks Thanks." --Paul Barsnica

ALSO:

Potomac Institute for Policy Studies: "Out of the Box" Pentagon Defense/Terrorism Conference (June 2000 keynote dinner speaker) Michael Swetnam (president) or James Richardson (vice president) 703/525-0770.

SAP TechEd 2000 Conference (June 2000 keynote, MGM Grand Hotel, Las Vegas) Linda Bortolus, speaker liaison, 650/849-4157.

Space Frontier Foundation Conference (keynote speaker October 1998): Kerinia Cusick, Conference Chair, Voice: 805/581-4463, Fax: 805/581-2420.

Highland Defense Department Conferences (97 & 98): Richard O'neill.

Santa Fe Institute: Dr. Mike Simmons.

Association of Information Technology Professionals (keynote 11/99): Rod L. Ramsey, CDP, 858/581-9727.

To contact me for a speaking engagement, please email me at davidbrin@sbcglobal.net. Please enter "enquiry about a speaking engagement" in the subject line.