FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich said he understands the following sentiment: As intelligence spreads throughout the world, it is restrained less and less by borders.
Bowdich said the FBI's place in an ever-changing world is shaped by digital technology.
The event was hosted by the McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure as part of its Leaders on the Plains speaker series and held in The Hotel at Auburn University on Friday morning.
Bowdich cited the 9/11 attacks as one example of how intelligence has gone global. In the wake of these attacks, the FBI reorganized and united the intelligence community to guard against similar attacks, he said.
While he feels that in the wake of these reforms, another 9/11 style attack is unlikely, Bowdich explained that this is not the only issue the FBI now faces.
Bowdich also spoke about the FBI's top priorities and challenges, especially in relation to computer science and engineering. He spoke about the importance of cybersecurity and of anticipating advances in this to better defend the U.S.
Counterterrorism remains a top priority for the FBI, along with counterintelligence. Bowdich highlighted the importance of cooperating with the public sector, especially in combating the efforts of the country's primary adversaries.
In this increasingly complex world of intelligence, Bowdich said the FBI remains focused on serving the public.
"We get in some difficult situations, and we oftentimes make very difficult and sometimes unpopular decisions, but it's important that we do them in the right way," Bowdich said. "The public should always be able to question our work, but the public should never have to question our motives and that is incredibly important to our organization."
Bowdich emphasized the FBI's recruiting priorities and issues, especially the value of promoting leadership.
"What we're focused on internally is: Don't just look up. Don't let your ambition send you up those stairs," he said. "Look back and try to pull someone along because we've got to identify, develop, encourage future leaders to lead this organization. I think all of us ... want to look back at whatever organization you came from and say, 'I was a part of that, and you know what, it's even better now than when I was there.'"
In addition to good leaders, the FBI seeks to recruit a diverse array of skills, from STEM majors to multilingual speakers, Bowdich said. They also value recruits who have professional experience, such as former nurses and lawyers.
While the FBI cooperates with the private sector on important issues, they have to compete with them in recruiting agents. The struggle, Bowdich said, is competing with the financial incentives that the private sector offers.
"We try to provide financial incentives when we can, but at the end of the day there's only so much taxpayer money, and it's coming out of all of our pockets," he said.
According to Bowdich, while the FBI cannot compete financially with the private sector, the agency has meaningful incentives to offer.
"What we have is an opportunity to serve the public and to serve the country," Bowdich said. "If the college students out there hear nothing else, I would say this: Serve your country in some form or fashion. It doesn’t have to be with us, but this is a great country you're in. Serve it, at least through part of your adult life, because it will provide you with more gratification than that big check will."
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