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Thank you. dot com backslash cyberwire. My name is Ben Yellen and I'm the program director for public policy and external affairs at the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security.

I grew up as a bit of a political junkie.

My parents are pretty political, and so I always had an eye on policy issues.

And then, you know, my formative years, there were a lot of very significant life-defining political developments that disputed 2000 election, 9-11, the Iraq War.

And, you know, I think that helped develop my interest in politics and in public policy.

I originally thought I wanted to be a politician,

and then I realized that not only did I not have adequate political skills,

but I just could not put myself through that ringer.

So I decided that I had more of an interest in public policy.

And so I went to law school at the University of Maryland

and graduated in 2013.

I became aware of the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security when I was a law student. I was an exter in there.

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