Alan R. Shark

Alan R. Shark is an associate professor in the School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. His research focuses on technology leadership, artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, governance, cybersecurity, and civic engagement. 

Among his recent work, he is the author of Artificial Intelligence- A Primer for State and Local Government, the textbook Technology & Public Management Second Ed., 7 Trends That Will Transform Local Governments through Technology, Smarter Cities for a Bright and Sustainable Future and CIO Leadership for CIO Leadership for Cities and Counties: Emerging Trends and Practices. For the past 4 years, Shark has written a monthly commentary on technology and policy for numerous magazines in the tech field. He also hosts and produces a bi-monthly podcast series, “Sharkbytes.Net.” 

His work has been supported by the Sloan Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, the United Nations, OECD, and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Shark was elected as a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and serves as co-chair for the NAPA Standing Panel on Technology Leadership and serves on the American Society for Public Administration’s Section on Science & Technology executive committee. Shark is also a fellow of the American Society of Association Executives.

He earned his doctorate in public administration from the University of Southern California.

Areas of Focus & Research

• Technology Leadership in Government
• Artificial Intelligence
• Civic Media and Digital Service Delivery
• IT Governance
• Cyber Security Policy and Governance