A Software Engineer at Scale AI and Captain in the U.S. Army Reserve, received District 7620’s Global Grant Scholarship to pursue a Master of Science in Cognitive Science at the University of Edinburgh. His work currently focuses on building Artificial Intelligence technology to support national security.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree from MIT and has specialized expertise in defense technology, AI/ML development, and software engineering. A former Boren Scholar at Tsinghua University in Beijing, Eric served on active duty in the Army after graduating from MIT. He has worked in Maryland and the DC area supporting U.S. Cyber Command’s Cyber National Mission Force and Special Operations Command.

As a Global Grant Scholar at the University of Edinburgh, Eric aims to advance the study of ethical AI and leverage it to proactively prevent conflicts, aligning with the Rotary Foundation’s focus on Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention. He was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Washington, DC and values Rotary’s unique position to unite DC’s diverse professional community for service.

A resident of Navy Yard, Eric enjoys runs on the National Mall and biking around the city. He speaks Mandarin Chinese and some Russian and has studied and lived in Russia, China, and Kazakhstan. Eric looks forward to sharing his insights from his Edinburgh studies with Rotary clubs throughout District 7620.

Ukpeme Akpan Okon, the Principal of The Values String, LLC is the Author of  award-winning The Values String: A book on Transitional Life, Compelling Fulfillment, and Profound Peace.A Lawyer, Human Rights Consultant, Arbitrator, Adjudicator, Mediator, Speaker, Trainer, Mentor, and Ambassador for Peace, she believes that the complexities of the world, and challenges encountered by individuals can be surmounted.

A retired Deputy Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department and former Chief of Police at the Supreme Court of the United States. With over 43 years in law enforcement, he has commanded large teams, taught ethics at Johns Hopkins and American University, and was awarded the Fulbright Scholarship to work with Scotland Yard. He holds three master’s degrees and has published over 35 articles on policing. Known for transforming police culture through ethical leadership, Swope was the sole officer invited to keynote the DOJ’s National Symposium on Police Integrity, later influencing reform efforts in Los Angeles following the Rampart scandal.