Improving the Quality of Life through Smart Cities and Internet of Things Innovation

Text laid over a view of a city at night says "Smart and Secure Cities and Communities Challenge Expo"

By Sokwoo Rhee, associate director of the Cyber-Physical Systems Program at NIST

Six years ago, I joined the U.S. federal government as a Presidential Innovation Fellow. The White House established the program to bring in top innovators from the private sector who could develop game-changing projects to enable business opportunities, fuel job growth and save lives. I had over a decade of experience in creating Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and leading a pioneering, venture-backed business. When the opportunity to join the Presidential Innovation Fellow program came around, I couldn't pass it up. It meant using my expertise to contribute to the U.S. economy and the global innovation ecosystem, so I gladly left my home in Boston and moved to Washington, D.C.