Richard Thieme
Biography of Richard Thieme
The challenges posed by new technologies and the future
Richard Thieme is an author and professional speaker focused on the deeper implications of technology, religion, and science for twenty-first century life.
Thieme's creative use of the Internet to reach global markets has earned accolades around the world. He is a member of the 'cyber avant-garde', according to CNN… "a prominent American techno-philosopher", according to LAN Magazine (Australia)... "a father figure for online culture", according to the (London) Sunday Telegraph... "a keen observer of hacker attitudes and behaviors", according to Le Monde (Paris)... "one of the most creative minds of the digital generation", according to the editors of CTHEORY and Digital Delirium and... "an online pundit of hacker culture" according to the LA Times... and "extremely subtle and deep" according to the Linux Journal.
Thieme has published widely. Translated into German, Chinese, Japanese, Slovene, Dutch, Hebrew, Danish and Indonesian, his articles are taught at numerous universities in Europe, Australia, Canada, and the United States. His work has been frequently anthologized. His column, 'Islands in the Clickstream', has been published in Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Toronto, Djakarta, Dublin and Capetown and distributed to subscribers in 60 countries.
Thieme's passion for integrating technology and spirituality began in the eighties when he wrote 'Computer Applications for Spirituality: The Transformation of Religious Experience', an essay published by the Anglican Theological Review. He joined Bill Moyers and noted religious scholars in New York to explore religion and technology in the twenty-first century; a book based on that conference includes his 10,000- word essay 'Entering Sacred Digital Space'. He spoke for the ARIL conference at MIT on spirituality and technology.
Thieme has spoken for twelve straight years for the Black Hat Briefings (intelligence and corporate security) and Def Con, an annual computer hackers' convention. He has also spoken for security conferences such as Toor Con, PumpCon, Interz0ne West, SecurityOPUS, Xmas Con (New Orleans 2600), RubiCon, HiverCon (Dublin), ShmooCon, NotaCon and RootFest. He keynoted AUSCERT in Brisbane, Australia in 2005 and 2006 and returned to deliver a closing speech in 2007. He keynoted govcert in The Hague in 2007. He keynoted Wireless Australia 2006 and the ID Management Summit 2006 in Sydney. He keynoted Microsoft Tech Ed in consecutive years and shared the keynote platform at MIS InfoSecWorld with Bob Woodward and NBC’s Roger Cressey. In 2007 he keynoted conferences in Auckland and Wellington NZ and will return to keynote a corporatre/government security conference in Wellington in 2009. He keynoted IT Defense in Berlin in February 2009. He has been invited in addition to speak in Oslo, London, Riyadh, Dubai, Singapore and Beijing.
At DefCon VIII, he moderated a panel that included the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Dir. of Information and Infrastructure Assurance for DOD, and the Dir. of the Federal Computer Incident Response Team who came to 'dialogue' with more than 5000 computer hackers. He was invited to moderate because, according to a National Security Agency officer, "You’re the only one in the room with the acceptance and respect of both the hacking community and the Feds".
Clients include: GE Medical Systems; Medtronic; Microsoft Israel; Johnson Controls; the Pentagon; the FBI; the US Secret Service; Los Alamos National Laboratory; US Department of the Treasury; Thunderbird School of Global Management; IT Defense (Berlin); Ajilon; OmniTech; Strong Capital Management; Neohapsis; Network Flight Recorder; Merge eFilm; System Planning Corporation (SPC); International Intelligence Ethics Association; Cypress Systems; Ross Systems; Institute for Applied Network Security (IANS); Information Systems Security Assn. (ISSA); Assn. for Investment Management and Research (AIMR); Alliant Energy; Wisconsin Electric; UOP; Firstar Bank; Financial Services – Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC); Psynapse/Center for the Advancement of Intelligent Systems; MAPICS; MIS Training Institute WebSec, HealthSec, and InfoSec Conferences; Influent Technology Group; Case Management Society of America); The CMA Group; Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co.; Advanced Health Care; Navy Federal Credit Union; Arthur Andersen; Credit Union Executives Society; Graduate School of Banking; Allstate Insurance; American Council of Life Insurance; Conference of State Legislatures; Society for Technical Communication; the Attorney General of the State of Wisconsin; the Governor’s Conference on Economic Development; Alverno College; Purdue University – CERIAS; and the Technology, Literacy and Culture Distinguished Speakers Series of the University of Texas.
Topics
- How to Reinvent Yourself
- TechnoCultureShock
- Thinking About the Future
- Mutuality, Feedback and Accountability: Keys to Individual and Organizational Success
- Hacking as Practice for Trans-planetary Life in the 21st Century
- Blending Families and Cultures
- The Difference it Makes Being Different: Dealing Realistically with Diversity
- Defending the Information Web: New Ways of Thinking About Security
- Identity Shift: The Impact of Technology, Bioengineering, and Interplanetary Culture on Human Identity
- Living on the Edge: The Sources of Creativity
- Soft Boundaries: Challenges to Identity, Structure and Security
- Masters of the Unseen: The Art of Information Warfare
- Hacking UFOlogy: Thirty Years in the Wilderness of Mirrors
- The Changing Context of Intelligence and Ethics
- The Stock Market, UFO’s, and Religious Experience
- Spirituality and Religion in the Digital Era
- Identity and Self in the Digital Era
Photos of Richard Thieme
Books of Richard Thieme
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Title:Islands in the ClickstreamSubtitle:Reflections on Life in a Virtual WorldAuthor:Richard ThiemePublisher:SyngressBook:Kindle Edition, 256 pagesCNN called Richard Thieme 'a member of the cyber avant-garde'. Digital Delirium named him "one of the most creative minds of the digital generation". Now Richard Thieme's wisdom on the social and cultural dimensions of technology is available in a single volume. 'Islands in the Clickstream' ranges beyond the impact of technology to spirituality, psychological insight, and social commentary. Now that people are used to living in virtual worlds and move easily between online and offline worlds, they want to connect that experience to the deeper issues of our lives, including spiritual issues. Some examples include 'Dreams Engineers Have', 'The Crazy Lady on the Treadmill', and 'Whistleblowers and Team Players'. These essays raise serious questions for thoughtful readers. They have attracted favorable commentary from around the world and a fanatic, almost rabid fan base.
References of Richard Thieme
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Jack Phillips, CEO & Co-Founder
"Three qualities in Richard have made him an ideal fit to address our technical security audiences: Level of preparation, ability to make complex topics consumable, and his humor & wit. In every case, Richard came well prepared to address the material we had discussed in advance.
In my business, “no surprises” is the key to success, and Richard was always among the most reliable moving parts of our conference. Every fact shared is researched and footnoted, every claim backed up, and every opinion well thought through. His level of preparation makes him predictable. That is an essential quality.
“Mind-bender” and “he really made me re-think how I think” are common remarks from our attendees who hear Richard speak. He has a knack for taking technical topics and boiling them down to essential human concerns, and that sells well among my audience. He is a “futurist” in the truest sense of the word.
Finally, if you need someone to increase the energy of a delegation group, Richard is a great choice. His humor and wit are sophisticated, but really put a room full of professionals at ease. Richard is able to draw from so many experiences outside of technology to bring a lighter side to so many technical topics.
In sum, Richard unfailingly brings inspiration and hope to our audience. Attendees walk out of our events with Richard’s words stuck in their brains, and a sense of what’s possible. They then think of IANS as the source of that inspiration, and that’s good for my business."IANS
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Larry Greenblatt, CSO
"Richard Thieme is easily one of my favorite speakers. From the first time I saw Richard giving a speech around 2000, I have been overwhelmed by his incredible ability to weave tales from science and spiritual journeys together in a way that appear to provide very appropriate, even important lessons for the modern human. A true Renaissance man. Since that time I have read many of his writings and have seen him speak in person and on the net and he has never let me down. Always very informative, relevant, unpredictable and thoroughly entertaining.
I was thrilled when Richard agreed to speak at events sponsored by my information security company, InterNetwork Defense, in 2004 and again in 2008. In both occasions he managed to exceed expectations. It is truly an honor to say that I twice shared a stage with a man I consider to be, one of the great thinkers of the cyber-world. I cannot say enough to express my gratitude and respect for Richard and his work. I look forward to working with him again."InterNetwork Defense
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Larry Greenblatt, CSO
"Richard Thieme is easily one of my favorite speakers. From the first time I saw Richard giving a speech around 2000, I have been overwhelmed by his incredible ability to weave tales from science and spiritual journeys together in a way that appear to provide very appropriate, even important lessons for the modern human. A true Renaissance man. Since that time I have read many of his writings and have seen him speak in person and on the net and he has never let me down. Always very informative, relevant, unpredictable and thoroughly entertaining.
I was thrilled when Richard agreed to speak at events sponsored by my information security company, InterNetwork Defense, in 2004 and again in 2008. In both occasions he managed to exceed expectations. It is truly an honor to say that I twice shared a stage with a man I consider to be, one of the great thinkers of the cyber-world. I cannot say enough to express my gratitude and respect for Richard and his work. I look forward to working with him again."InterNetwork Defense
Publications of Richard Thieme
Video's of' Richard Thieme
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