Over the past 15 years, New York City has become a technology powerhouse, with almost 350,000 jobs in the sector propelled by businesses large and small, including more than 9,000 start-up firms. The city’s institutions of higher education are producing more tech, STEM and life sciences graduates than any other locality in the nation, and the New York is a leader in the development of civic technology. How did we get here? Is our current growth sustainable? Are our educational programs feeding alumni into careers in technology large enough and inclusive enough to make tech a vehicle for social equity? What challenges does a high concentration of highly educated, highly compensated employees in this industry pose for the city? Join us for a conversation with three people who have been intimately involved with New York’s emergence as a technology hub and setting the agenda for further growth. The Marxe Issues panel of experts includes: Gale A. Brewer, Manhattan Borough President; Andrew Rasiej, Founder/CEO Civic Hall, Founder Personal Democracy Forum, Chairman Emeritus, NY Tech Alliance; and J. Phillip Thompson, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives for New York City. This program will be moderated by David S. Birdsell, Marxe Dean, Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs.