Risk Never Sleeps Podcast – Episode #170

"Building Security From Chip To Cloud In Connected Care"

Guest: Florence Hudson, Executive Director, Columbia University
Host: Ed Gaudet
Date: December 18, 2025

Episode Overview

This lively episode features Florence Hudson, Executive Director of the Northeast Big Data Innovation Hub at Columbia University, as she joins Ed Gaudet and team for a spirited conversation at AIMed 2025. The discussion centers on building trust and security in connected healthcare, spanning everything from digital twins and IoT standards to the integration of AI, the value of mentorship, and the future of interdisciplinary collaboration—all delivered in Florence's trademark energetic, insightful style.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Florence’s Background and Mission

• Aerospace Roots & Healthcare Parallels: Florence describes her journey from NASA and aerospace engineering into healthcare, highlighting parallels in mission-driven work, data-rich environments, and a shared goal: "Keep the humans alive." (03:22)
• Role at Columbia: Executive Director of the Northeast Big Data Innovation Hub, focusing on leveraging data for societal good, spanning healthcare, transportation, and national security. (01:34, 02:54)
• Global Standards Leadership: Vice Chair of IEEE Engineering Medicine and Biology Society; critical role in defining global standards for connected health and clinical IoT. (02:28)

Building Security from “Chip to Cloud"

• Origin of Standards Work: ARM approached Florence at IBM about security for IoT, catalyzing the creation of a "trust and security thing" spanning from hardware (chip) to cloud. (10:28)

• Florence led the development of the TIPS standard—Trust, Identity, Privacy Protection, Safety, and Security—for clinical IoT. The aim: to safeguard humans, data, devices, and institutions across all domains. (02:28, 10:28)

  “Our plan is to have it be ubiquitous and protect the humans, the data, the devices and the institutions going forward across all domains.” – Florence Hudson (02:28)

• Openness & Collaboration: Florence intentionally developed these standards with IEEE to ensure no company ‘owns’ security—“everybody needs to be secure and safe.” (11:28-12:09)

• Scale and Interest: Over 300 collaborators from 33 countries contributed to the standard, reflecting the global urgency for unified approaches. (12:09)

• Awards & Recognition: TIPS standard won the IEEE Emerging Technology Award. (12:29)

Applying Aerospace “Digital Twin” Technology to Healthcare

• Digital Twins: Adapting digital twin methodology (from aerospace and manufacturing) to the human body for precision medicine and remote subject monitoring. (05:35-06:58)

  "We were talking about applying digital twins, which we've used in aerospace... for decades. ...And now applying it to the humans... there's so much opportunity in that." – Florence Hudson (06:02)

• AI and Biomarkers: Exploration of AI in analyzing existing and yet undiscovered human biomarkers.

Mentorship, Inspiration, and Human-Centered Technology

• Mentoring the Next Generation: Florence frequently mentors young engineers, encouraging them to use AI and technology for good, fostering diversity and passion in healthcare innovation. (05:13-05:35)

  "We want all humans, no matter what age, to be inspired and excited about using AI and technology for good in healthcare..." – Florence Hudson (05:35)

• National Student Data Corps: Over 20,000 worldwide leveraging Columbia’s open online data science content, empowering future data and healthcare leaders. (14:02)

Real-World Examples & Emerging Tech

• Exhibit Hall Insights: Discussions on novel health IoT devices, like a sensor-equipped baby doll for respiratory monitoring, highlighting the balance between innovation and regulatory claims. (07:37-09:01)
• UL2900 Security Standard: Florence’s chairing role and Ed’s role commercializing the standard via Censinet, illustrating the connection between academic rigor and industry adoption. (09:47-10:04)

Interdisciplinary and Interplanetary Healthcare

• Projects on healthcare in space (NASA collaborations) provide analogies for social determinants of health, exploring the impact of environmental deprivation on human genomics and health outcomes. (14:25-15:39)

Reflections on Career, Gender, and Inclusion

• Career Advice: “Keep going.” – Florence’s succinct advice to her 20-year-old self. (18:17)
• On Diversity & Women in STEM: Highlights the need to normalize women in science/engineering, noting her books are in the Springer “Women in Engineering and Science” series—“Women can do anything.” (20:58-21:12)

  “When are we going to stop saying that? ...That’s the world I want.” – Ed Gaudet (21:14)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On standards and collaboration:

  “We had over 300 people from 33 countries and 6 continents... because we would say to people, 'Oh yes, we’re working on the umbrella standard…' And they're like, 'Oh my God, nobody’s doing that. We needed it.'” – Florence Hudson (12:09)

• On combining missions:

  “Space is mission based. Healthcare is mission based. Keep the humans alive.” – Florence Hudson (03:24)

• On the importance of mentorship and inspiration:

  “We need to try to inoculate [students] ...with what we know. So they don’t have to learn all the badness.” – Florence Hudson (17:53)

• On digital twins and AI in health:

  “Applying digital twins… now applying it to the humans and bringing all this information, the genome and the exposome and your X-rays and biomarkers. And the biomarkers we haven’t even figured out yet.” – Florence Hudson (06:00)

• On normalization of women in STEM:

  “Women can do anything.” – Florence Hudson (21:05)

Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment / Highlight | |-----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:34 | Florence introduces her work at Columbia and with global standards | | 03:22 | Aerospace background and parallels to healthcare | | 05:35 | Mentoring next-gen engineers; using AI for good | | 06:00 | Virtual human twins & digital twin technology | | 09:47 | UL2900 security standard & academic/industry bridge | | 10:28 | Origin of the TIPS standards (Trust, Identity, etc.) | | 12:09 | Collaborator scale; winning IEEE Emerging Technology Award | | 14:02 | National Student Data Corps; impact on workforce development | | 15:15 | Interplanetary health research and what it teaches about determinants | | 17:53 | Inspiring & equipping future leaders | | 18:12 | Lightning round: wisdom to younger self; career choices | | 21:05 | Gender, inclusion, and aspirations for the future | | 25:09 | Quantum research initiatives at Columbia |

Tone and Atmosphere

• Energetic & Playful: The chemistry among host, co-host, and Florence brings a fun, informal energy to deep technical topics. Jokes, personal anecdotes, and friendly ribbing abound.
• Empowering & Inclusive: Florence repeatedly stresses the need for openness, mentorship, and empowerment of all future innovators.
• Mission-Driven: Throughout, the sense of protecting patient safety—and using technology for societal good—anchors every conversation thread.

Final Thoughts

Florence Hudson exemplifies the multidisciplinary, mission-oriented leadership needed to innovate securely in connected healthcare. Her work—fusing standards development, academic rigor, engineering excellence, and a passion for mentoring—embodies the “chip to cloud” approach essential for safeguarding patients in a hyper-connected world. Her advice to “keep going” and her insistence that “women can do anything” are echoed in her technical, organizational, and cultural contributions.

How to Reach Florence:

• LinkedIn is best: “As long as you’re polite and you don’t badger me…” (26:59)

Upcoming Events:

• AI in education webinar (University of Chicago), ongoing speaking, and research at Columbia.

Listen to the full episode for more insightful banter, technical wisdom, and Florence’s infectious enthusiasm for innovation in health and beyond.