Tag: Washington DC

It’s a slow week in events – Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

Monday, November 23, 2015
The “Pitiless” War: A Strategy After The Paris Attacks– German Marshall Fund
Time: 10-11:15am
Location: The German Marshall Fund of the United States1744 R st. NW Washington, DC 20009 United States(map)
In the aftermath of the November 13 terrorist attacks in Paris committed by the self-proclaimed Islamic State group (ISIS), French President François Hollande declared that “….we are going to lead a war which will be pitiless.” What is the proper military, intelligence, and diplomatic response to counter to these recent brutal attacks against Western targets? What role will the United States play going forward? What does Europe need to do differently to meet this threat? What should the transatlantic alliance do about Syria and Iraq? With Hollande scheduled to meet U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington on November 24, and with these questions in mind, The German Marshall Fund of the Unites States (GMF) is pleased to invite you to an on-the-record discussion with three distinguished experts who all recently served in senior U.S. government positions and shaped current policies to address the ISIS threat.

Webinar: Understanding ISIS: Paris, Beirut, And U.S. Policy– Institute for Policy Studies
Time: 4-5pm
IPS Middle East expert Phyllis Bennis will discuss the new developments in Paris and Beirut, in the refugee crisis in Europe and the U.S., and discuss solutions that promote true diplomacy over military action. Terrorism survives wars, people don’t. Last week’s attacks in Paris left over 100 people dead. In Beirut, car bombs killed 43 people. Shortly before these attacks, President Obama defended his “war on terror” and said that ISIS was contained. As the civilian death toll rises and the refugee crisis grows, the U.S. global war on terror continues — and continues to fail, ultimately because you can’t bomb terrorism out of existence. In this 1-hour webinar, IPS Middle East expert Phyllis Bennis will discuss the new developments in Paris and Beirut, in the refugee crisis in Europe and the U.S., and discuss solutions that promote true diplomacy over military action.

Monday, November 16, 2015
Global Security Forum 2015: Russia’s Strategic Vision– Center for Strategic and International Studies
Time: 9:30-10:45am
Location: Center for Strategic and International Studies1616 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036(map)
Featuring: Ambassador Thomas Pickering Former Ambassador to the United Nations, the Russian Federation, India, Israel, and Jordan.
Michael Vickers Former Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence
Moderator:  Olga Oliker Senior Adviser and Director, Russia and Eurasia Program, CSIS

Countering Terrorism In Tunisia: Prospects For Security Sector Reform –Project on Middle East Democracy
Time: noon-1:30pm
Location: Open Society Foundations1730 Pennsylvania Ave NW #700, Washington, DC 20006 (map)
This event is co-sponsored by the Project on Middle East Democracy and the Legatum Institute.
A light lunch will be served at the beginning of the event.
Despite the immense progress Tunisia has made in its transition since the Jasmine Revolution, significant challenges—both internal and external—threaten the future of Tunisia’s democracy. As major terrorist attacks have negatively affected the country’s security and economic stability, Tunisia’s government has struggled to find an appropriate and effective response to counter the threat of terrorism. The Legatum Institute’s upcoming publication The Ministry Strikes Back: Could Counterterrorism Undermine the Revolution in Tunisia? analyzes successive Tunisian governments’ responses to terrorism and considers the relation between these responses and the future of the country’s democratic transition. How can governments effectively counter terrorism without threatening civil liberties? What reforms are needed to make Tunisia’s security sector effective, accountable, and in line with international human rights standards? And how can the United States and the international community play a productive role in encouraging and facilitating these reform efforts?

Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Lessons Encountered: Learning From The Long War –Institute for National Strategic Studies
Date: 3:30-5:30pm
Location: National Defense University, Abraham Lincoln Hall
Room: Abraham Lincoln Hall Auditorium
Lessons Encountered is an edited volume which began as an effort to answer two questions from General Martin E. Dempsey, 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: What were the costs and benefits of the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, and what were the strategic lessons of these campaigns?
Please join us on 17 November as editors Drs. Collins and Hooker and the book’s contributing authors unpack the major findings and takeaways from this extensive examination. The event will be followed by a reception in the Lincoln Hall South Atrium.
R.S.V.P. by 15 November 2015

Wednesday, November 18, 2015
George Mason University SGPIA Master’s Open House
Time: 6:30pm
Location: Arlington Campus, Founders Hall, Room 126 or attend virtually!
We invite you to attend an open house to learn more about the School of Policy, Government, and International Affairs. We will be discussing the different master’s degrees within SPGIA, including our Biodefense master’s and online master’s program. The session will provide an overview of our master’s degree programs, an introduction to our world-class faculty and research, and highlights of the many ways we position our students for success in the classroom and beyond. Our admissions and student services staff will be on hand to answer your questions. Continue reading “Week in DC: Events 11.16-11.20.2015” →

Monday, November 9, 2015
The Strategic Lessons of the Campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq –Institute of World Politics
Time: 4:30pm
Location: Institute of World Politics1521 16th Street NW Washington, DC (map)
Dr. Joseph J. Collins, the Director of the Center for Complex Operations at National Defense University will speak on the new NDU book, Lessons Encountered:  Learning from the Long War. The book began as two questions from then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Martin Dempsey: what have been the costs and benefits of our operations in Iraq and Afghanistan; and what are the strategic lessons that one can draw from these two campaigns in the Long War.  The speaker will summarize the 500-page book with an emphasis on the strategic lessons that were identified, and hopefully one day, learned.

Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Responding to Looming Cyber Threats – The New Reality –Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
Time: 8-11:15am
Location: Information Technology and Innovation Foundation1101 K Street, N.W. Suite 610, Washington, D.C. 20005(map)
Please join Arent Fox LLP, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), and George Washington University’s Center for Cyber and Homeland Security (CCHS) on Tuesday, November 10, for an engaging policy forum where cyber security leaders from industry, government, and academia will discuss the ever-changing landscape of cyber security threats, the role that policymakers can play in reducing risk to the enterprise, and best practices for responding to cyber incidents in a global economy.
Companies today face an unprecedented level of cyber security threats as a result of increases in the number of attacks and the sophistication of the attackers. Each week brings new headlines about data breaches and computer system failures that hurt the customers, profits, and reputations of US businesses. In addition, many companies are confronted with rising compliance costs as government regulators take enforcement actions against those who fail to provide sufficient security safeguards for customer data. And the security threat will be even greater in the future as companies expand their digital footprints with new investments in technologies like cloud computing, mobile devices, and the Internet of Things. The current state of cyber security is not sustainable, but changing it will require thoughtful leadership from both the public and private sector.
Registration and networking will begin at 8:00 am with coffee and light breakfast. The speaking program will begin at 8:30 am.

Climate Change & Food Security: Challenges And Options At Global And National Scales –International Food Policy Research Institute
Time: 12:15-1:45pm
Location: International Food Policy Research Institute2033 K St NW, Washington, DC 20006 (map)
Room: 4th Floor Conference Center
As we become increasingly aware of the impacts of heat, drought and other extreme weather events, climate challenges that once seemed a concern for the distant future are becoming more immediate. The impacts of climate change on agricultural commodities and trade need to be analyzed in the context of implications for agricultural production, food security, and resource use. In addition, climate change raises very real and important timescale and planning horizon issues not normally at the forefront of the more traditional economic development research agenda.
As scientists, advocates, researchers, and political leaders prepare to head to Paris for Conference of Parties (COP21) a panel of experts lays out some of the most urgent aspects of climate change and agriculture. Join IFPRI as new results on the impact of climate change on agriculture and food security from the International Model for Policy Analysis of Agricultural Commodities and Trade (IMPACT) are presented, along with a modeling framework and results designed to assist national decision- and policy-makers address climate change and mitigation goals in a politically and economically sustainable way. Following presentations by senior IFPRI researchers Alex de Pinto and Keith Wiebe, a panel of experts will share their views and recommendations. Continue reading “Week in DC: Events 11.9-11.13” →

Monday, November 2, 2015
Nuclear Policy Talk: Argonne National Lab And National & Global Security –Elliott School of International Affairs
Time: 12:30pm-2pm
Location: Elliott School of International Affairs1957 E St NW, Washington, DC 20052, United States (map)
Since it was established as the nation’s first National Laboratory, Argonne has conducted world class research and development for the Department of Energy. Within weeks after Enrico Fermi and his team produced the first man-made, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction (in other words, nuclear reactor) at the University of Chicago, Argonne was created just down the road to pursue peaceful uses of the atom, notably a full decade prior to Eisenhower’s famous “Atoms for Peace” speech. Flash forward 7 decades and Argonne is now globally recognized as a leader in many scientific disciplines including nuclear energy, materials science, high performance computing, national security and additional disciplines. This presentation will provide a brief description of what Argonne represents today, where it is heading in the future, and areas of opportunity for collaborations with universities and academic laboratories. While the focus of the presentation will be on national and global security, a broad array of opportunities will be addressed.

NCIS: Current and future operations in investigating and defeating terrorists, foreign intelligence, and criminal threats –Institute of World Politics
Time: 5:30-6:30pm
Location: Institute of World Politics1521 16th Street NW Washington, DC (map)
This event is sponsored by IWP Career Services. Andrew L. Traver, Director of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, will be speaking at The Institute of World Politics on Monday, November 2, 2015 to discuss current and future operations in investigating and defeating terrorists, foreign intelligence, and criminal threats. As the Director of NCIS, Mr. Traver leads the agency as it investigates and defeats terrorist, foreign intelligence, and criminal threats to the United States Navy and Marine Corps wherever they operate: ashore, afloat, or in cyberspace. Mr. Traver’s areas of special emphasis include developing and expanding strong partnerships and liaison with law enforcement organizations, security services, and intelligence agencies worldwide, as well as ensuring agile, adaptive, and responsive NCIS support to the Navy and Marine Corps’ enhanced security posture and global engagements. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service serves to protect the people, equipment, technology and infrastructure of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps by deploying a unique, highly-trained, and effective team of Special Agents, investigators, forensic experts, security specialists, analysts, and support personnel. Predominantly a civilian federal agency, NCIS brings an investigator’s perspective to every mission. NCIS personnel are deployed around the world to support the Navy and Marine Corps wherever needed. Director Traver will also discuss NCIS careers and the future needs of the agency. Join us for this interesting session and learn about the important mission and work of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). Register

Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Korean Unification: What Would It Take? –RAND Corporation
Time: 8:30am-12:30pm
Location: RAND1200 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA 22202 (map)
Join us for a half-day conference organized by the RAND Center for Asia Pacific Policy on possible paths toward unification of the Korean peninsula and the longer-term economic, geopolitical, and human security implications of unification. Co-hosted by the Republic of Korea’s Sejong Institute and sponsored by the Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles, top experts on Korea will join RAND analysts to consider how the Republic of Korea, the U.S., and other countries in the region might facilitate unification, as well as address the challenges of working with the current North Korean government. Continue reading “Week in DC: Events 11.2-11.6” →

Monday, October 26, 2015
20th Anniversary of Dayton Peace Accords Series – The Balkan Wars of the 1990s: Reflection and Reconciliation –Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
Time: 10am
Location: Johns Hopkins SAIS – Nitze Building1740 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036(map)
20th Anniversary of Dayton Peace Accords Series – The Balkan Wars of the 1990s: Reflection and Reconciliation Panelists: Thomas J. Miller Former U.S. Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Robert E. Hunter Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Robert M. Beecroft Former OSCE Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Moderator: Sasha Toperich CTR SAIS Senior Fellow and Director, Mediterranean Basin Initiative

Putin’s Crimean gamble: Russia, Ukraine, and the new Cold War –Brookings Institution
Time: 10:30am-noon
Location: Brookings Institution1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, D.C. 20036(map)
Since the time of Catherine the Great, Crimea has been a global tinderbox. Most recently, the world was stunned when the forces of Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded and seized Crimea in March 2014. In the months since, Putin’s actions in Crimea, eastern Ukraine and, more recently, in Syria have provoked a sharp deterioration in East-West relations. Basic questions have been raised about Putin’s provocative policies, his motivations, and the future of U.S.-Russian relations—and whether the world has now entered a new Cold War.On October 26, the Foreign Policy program at Brookings will host Nonresident Senior Fellow Marvin Kalb for the launch of his new book, “Imperial Gamble: Putin, Ukraine, and the New Cold War” (Brookings Institution Press, 2015). In “Imperial Gamble,” Kalb examines Putin’s actions in Ukraine, the impact on East-West relations, and how the future of the post-Cold War world hangs on the controversial decisions of one reckless autocrat, Vladimir Putin.Joining the discussion are Thomas Friedman, The New York Times columnist, and Nina Khrushcheva, professor of international relations at The New School. Brookings President Strobe Talbott will provide introductory remarks, and Martin Indyk, Brookings executive vice president, will moderate the discussion.After the program, Kalb and the panelists will take audience questions.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015
How Data Can Fight Foodborne Diseases –Center for Data Innovation
Time: 9:30-11am
Location: Goethe-Institut Washington812 7th St NW, Washington, DC 20001 (map)
Every year, one in six Americans—48 million individuals—get sick from contaminated food. Over the past few years, public health officials have worked diligently to use data to quickly identify and track outbreaks of foodborne disease and alert consumers. In particular, with many instances of food poisoning originating in restaurants, cities around the country have begun publishing restaurant health inspection scores as open data so local business review websites like Yelp can integrate this data into their apps and get the information into the hands of users. Public health officials also are beginning to use data culled from social media to identify likely hotspots of foodborne illness and prioritize inspections accordingly. Join the Center for Data Innovation for a panel discussion about how technology experts and government leaders are marshaling open data to improve food safety and how civic tech applications can help address more of these types of public health concerns in the future.

U.S. Policy Toward North Korea: The Case for Instituting a More Effective, Human Rights-Centric Approach –Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
Time: 9:30am
Location: Johns Hopkins SAIS – Nitze Building1740 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036(map)
The International Bar Association (North America), Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, Defense Forum Foundation, North Korea Freedom Coalition, The Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, US-Korea Institute at SAIS, Yonsei Center for Human Liberty and Freedom House are convening this conference to bring together decision-makers on Capitol Hill and in the Administration, as well as civil society, to discuss the importance of making human rights a central pillar of U.S. policy toward North Korea.  A keynote speech will be delivered by Justice Michael Kirby, who was appointed by UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon to chair the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in North Korea. The event is hosted by The International Bar Association (North America), Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, Defense Forum Foundation, North Korea Freedom Coalition, The Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, US-Korea Institute at SAIS, and Yonsei Center for Human Liberty and Free

Wednesday, October 28, 2015
International Forum for Women’s Food Leadership -Global Gender Program (GGP), Women’s Food Leadership Initiative (WFL)
Time: Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30am-6pm
Location: Elliott School of International Affairs1957 E St NW, Washington, DC 20052 (map)
Room: 602
This two-day public event brings together women entrepreneurs, CEOs, scientists, and industry leaders from Latin America and Africa, food policy professionals, and academics to discuss what works in promoting women’s agricultural entrepreneurship. Panelists will address successful strategies for starting, growing, and managing agribusinesses in the Global South. Keynote speakers will offer perspectives based on grounded experience and point the way forward.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

HDIAC Webinar Series: Biosurveillance – Homeland Defense & Security Information Analysis Center 
Time: 2pm EST
The Homeland Defense & Security Information Analysis Center is proud to present the ninth webinar in our 2015 series on October 29, 2015 at 2 p.m. EST. Registration is required for this event.
Webinar Description: This webinar will focus on available biosurveillance data and data sources, preparation and attributes. The recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa is one example of using biosurveillance data and the limitations of consequence acceptance and management in resource-limited locations. While early warning and situational awareness are important, that importance is lost without rapid, decisive and appropriate actions. Further, the One World Health paradigm and the key role of animals in certain human disease outbreaks is stressed. Which data streams or, more likely which combination of data streams, will best serve various biosurveillance goals is largely unknown. Cloud computing, High Performance Computing and Advanced Predictive Analytics/Machine Learning are being applied to streaming biosurveillance data to clarify the practical significance of multiple data stream analysis in identifying and predicting disease outbreaks. Tactical biosurveillance is also considered in terms of data generation by a number of sensors to provide warfighters immediate situational awareness.

The Costs of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict– RAND Corporation
Time: 9:15am
Location: RAND1200 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA 22202 (map)
After decades of failed efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, hopes for ending the standoff are dim. But could putting a price on the impasse lead to meaningful policy discussion? Join us to learn about a RAND study that examined the potential net costs and benefits over the next 10 years of five alternatives to the status quo: a two-state solution, coordinated unilateral withdrawal by Israel from most of the West Bank, uncoordinated unilateral withdrawal by Israel from some of the West Bank, nonviolent resistance by Palestinians, a violent Palestinian uprising.

Governing Climate-Induced Migration and Displacement –Elliott School of International Affairs
Time: 6-7pm
Location: Elliott School of International Affairs1957 E Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20052 (map)
Ahead of the upcoming Climate Negotiations in Paris (CoP21) this December, Dr. Andrea Simonelli will discuss the global implications of climate change for displacement and refugees, as well as the role of international organizations and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCC). Dr. Simonelli will also discuss her newly released book Governing Climate Change Induced Migration: IGO Expansion and Global Policy Implications, which evaluates climate displacement from a political science perspective. This presentation will delve into the potential expansion and the structural constraints faced by intergovernmental organizations to tackle climate induced migration and displacement. Join us for an in-depth evaluation of how this urgent global issue relates to the current climate governance gap, including human and traditional security concerns.

Friday, October 30, 2015
Dialogue on Defense 2015 –Association of Government Relations Professionals
Time: noon-1:30pm
Location: Hall of States444 North Capitol Street, NW, Washington, DC (map)
On Friday, October 30th at 12:00 noon, AGRP will be hosting a panel of professional staffers from the four key Congressional defense oversight committees – the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee (HAC-D), House Armed Services Committee (HASC), the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee (SAC-D), and the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC).

Preparing for Paris: What to Expect from the U.N.’s 2015 Climate Change Conference- Cato Institute
Time: 10am-4:30pm
Location: Cato Institute 1000 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001 (map)
In late November world leaders will gather in Paris at the United Nations Climate Change Conference for what is viewed as the last great chance for a sweeping international agreement to limit carbon dioxide emissions. The consequences of this gathering may be enormous. Please join us to hear distinguished climate scientists and legal experts assess the issues sure to drive the debate before, during, and after the Paris meeting. Conference attendees will receive a free print edition of the new ebook Lukewarming: The New Climate Science That Changes Everything, by Patrick Michaels and Paul Knappenberger, being released in the next several weeks.

EU-U.S. Science Technology and Innovation (STI) Cooperation Forum: NEW FRONTIERS IN SCIENCE DIPLOMACY- Opportunities for U.S.-EU Cooperation
Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
Date & Time: Monday, September 28, 2015, 8:30am
Location: Johns Hopkins SAIS – Nitze Building1740 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 (map)

The EU-funded project BILAT USA 2.0 will organize a conference on Science Diplomacy on 28 September in the Johns Hopkins University in Washington D.C. This conference will gather major EU and US stakeholders as well as active researchers and innovators to answer, among others, the following key questions: How to advance “science in diplomacy”, “diplomacy for science” and “science for diplomacy” Where can the EU and the US learn from each other’s approaches with regard to Science Diplomacy? Where are potentials for cooperation? How similar / different are the motivations and approaches of different countries / regions – here in particular the EU and US – in science diplomacy? What are some of the key differences? The promotion of scientific cooperation is an essential element of foreign policy. Research and innovation cooperation between countries can help solve common problems, address grand societal challenges and build constructive international partnerships. Many countries integrate science as an important part into their international agendas utilizing the term ‘Science Diplomacy’ to describe international cooperation in research and innovation cooperation, even in times of crisis. Although experts may use a variety of definitions for science diplomacy, the term now has become an established approach that encompasses a variety of formal and informal technical, research-based, academic or engineering exchanges.

Meeting the Challenges of Global Polio Eradication 
Center for Strategic and International Studies
Date and Time: Monday, September 28, 2015, 8:30am-2:30pm
Location: Center for Strategic and International Studies1616 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036 (map)

The number of wild poliovirus cases worldwide is significantly reduced compared to last year, as Pakistan improves its immunization reach and Africa goes more than a year since its last reported case. Nonetheless, substantial challenges remain to global eradication, including newly reported cases of vaccine-derived poliovirus in Ukraine and Mali. Join the CSIS Global Health Policy Center on September 28 as it welcomes keynote speakers Dr. Thomas Frieden, Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Chair of the global Polio Oversight Board, and Sir Liam Donaldson, Chair of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative’s Independent Monitoring Board. They and other top experts will discuss current and future eradication challenges, including the ambitious vaccine switch needed to address vaccine-derived polio cases. Panelists also will explore plans to transition polio-related assets and knowledge to national health systems and other health priorities as well as measures to address political instability and insecurity hampering vaccination efforts.

George Pataki Speaks on Domestic & Foreign Policy
George Mason University
Date & Time: Tuesday, September 29, 2015, 4pm
Location: 113 Founders Hall, George Mason University, 3351 Fairfax Dr, Arlington, VA 22201

Please join the Financial Times and the Center for Politics & Foreign Relations for a speech on domestic and foreign policy featuring Republican Presidential Candidate George Pataki.  Seating is limited.  Please RSVP to Robert Guttman, rguttman@gmu.edu.

The Syrian refugee crisis: Challenges for Syria’s neighbors and the international community
Brookings Institution
Date & Time: Tuesday, September 29, 2015, 10:30am-12pm
Location: Brookings Institution1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, D.C. 20036 (map)

In the last five years, more than four million Syrian refugees have crossed into neighboring countries seeking safety from the unending civil war. Providing protection and public services for the refugees has taxed the capacities of host countries, with hospitality wearing thin and many refugees despairing about their futures. In recent months, the European dimension of the Syrian refugee crisis has finally drawn global public attention to the catastrophe and the need to increase burden-sharing with neighboring host countries. Does the international community have the political will and the resources to respond, and if so, how will it address the challenge? How is the crisis affecting Syria’s neighboring countries that still bear the brunt of the refugees? Why is burden-sharing so important? On September 29, the Center on the United States and Europe (CUSE) at Brookings will host a panel discussion to explore the international response to the Syrian refugee crisis. Brookings Senior Fellow Elizabeth Ferris and Brookings TÜSİAD Senior Fellow and CUSE Turkey Project Director Kemal Kirişci will present their new study, “Not Likely to Go Home”, an examination of  the challenges that Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey face in providing protection and humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees. They will also reflect on what these conclusions mean for the wider international community. Following their presentations, Simon Henshaw of the U.S. State Department, Gregory Maniatis of the Migration Policy Institute, and Alar Olljum of Brookings and the European External Action Service will provide remarks. Elizabeth Ferris will moderate the event and offer opening remarks.

Does Putin’s Move on Syria Make Russia the New Middle East Power Broker?
Hudson Institute
Time & Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2015, 11:45am-1:30pm
Location: Hudson Institute1015 15th Street, N.W. 6th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20005 (map)

In coordination with Iran, Russia has been steadily building up its position inside of Syria. President Vladimir Putin has sent combat planes, ships, technicians, engineers, marines, and special forces units. Although American policymakers have suggested that the Russians are there to fight the Islamic State, Moscow has made its intentions clear—they are there to defend Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. And by building an air force base and expanding its current naval facility at Tartus, Putin’s larger purpose appears to challenge the United States as the Middle East’s power broker.
How will Russia’s incursion into Syria shape the ongoing conflict? How will it affect the three American allies on Syria’s borders, Israel, Jordan, and Turkey? Does Putin’s increasingly assertive behavior signal the erosion of American influence in the Middle East? If so, how would the next White House change course?
On September 29th, Hudson Institute will host a timely discussion of these issues with an expert panel moderated by Lee Smith and featuring Michael Doran, Hannah Thoburn, and Tony Badran.
Subcommittee Hearing: Ridding Central Africa of Joseph Kony: Continuing U.S. Support
U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs
Time & Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2015, 2-5pm

Location: Rayburn House Office Building45 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20515 (map)
Room: 217

Panel I

The Honorable Robert P. Jackson
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary
Bureau of African Affairs
U.S. Department of State

Panel II

Mr. Paul Ronan
Co-Founder and Project Director
The Resolve LRA Crisis Initiative

Mr. Sasha Lezhnev
Associate Director of Policy
Enough Project

The State of Transatlantic Relations: A Conversation with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Latvian President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga
German Marshall Fund
Date & Time: Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Location: German Marshall Fund1744 R st NW Washington, DC 20009 United States (map)

With conflict persisting in Europe’s east and to Europe’s south, a migration crisis in Europe, and continuing economic uncertainty, the transatlantic community is facing the most difficult set of challenges in 25 years. These crises have exposed rifts in the post-1989 political and security architecture, while also serving to unify transatlantic partners. Given these realities, GMF is pleased to invite you to a conversation with former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Latvian President Vaira Vike Freiberga on the current state of transatlantic relations and what is required to confront the regional and global challenges facing the partnership.

Cybersecurity Summit
Washington Post Live
Date & Time: Thursday, October 1, 2015, 8:30am-11:30am
Location: The Washington Post1150 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20005 (map)

Engaged Scholarship Brown Bag Lunch Talks: Dr. Denise Brennan, “Trafficking, Migrant Exploitation, and Moral Panics: Doing Research on Spectacularized Issues”
Georgetown University
Date & Time: Friday, October 2, 2015, 12:30-1:30pm
Location:  Georgetown University37 St NW and O St NW, Washington, DC (map)

Dr. Brennan (Anthropology) will talk about her research with a specific focus on her methods and data collection. Direct questions and requests for accommodations to Dr. Andria Wisler at akw28 or 7-2859.

U.S. Policy against ISIS: Minorities in the Middle East -Syrian American Council and Muslim Public Affairs Council
Date: Monday, September 21, 2015, 11am-1pm
Location: Rayburn House Office Building45 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20515 (map) Room: 2325

Since March 2011, religious and ethnic minorities in Syria have been brutally oppressed under the Assad regime and at the hands of ISIS. Join this discussion about the future of Christians and minorities in Syria, the role of the Assad regime in fanning the flames of sectarianism, and recommendations for US policymakers.

A Post-Iran Deal Security Agenda: Containment, Cooperation, or Both? 
New American Foundation
Date: Monday, September 21, 2015, 9am-0:30am
Location: New America Foundation1899 L St., N.W., Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20036 (map)

Debate on the terms of the nuclear deal with Iran is over, but in the U.S. and in the region, debate on what’s next for security is only beginning. Inside Iran, some voices are calling for reduced engagement — but others seek to reinforce Iranian patterns of influence. In Washington, an influential group of legislators is pushing new legislation with provisions Iran has said would constitute a breach of the deal. Attention is also turning to the extent of Iran’s ties to Houthi rebels in Yemen, as U.S. allies seek military assistance to alter the regional balance. At the same time, some voices suggest Iran could be central to effectively rolling back ISIS and ending Bashar Assad’s reign of terror in Syria.

RSVP Here

The ISIS Apocalypse: the history, strategy and doomsday vision of the Islamic State
Brookings Institute
Date: Tuesday September 22, 2015, 10am-11am
Location: Brookings Institution1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC (map)
Room: Falk Auditorium

In “The ISIS Apocalypse” (St. Martin’s Press, 2015), Will McCants examines the Islamic State’s tactics and goals, and the many ways in which it is more ruthless, more apocalyptic, and more devoted to state-building than any of its predecessors or current competitors. Based almost entirely on primary sources in Arabic—including ancient religious texts and secret al-Qaida and Islamic State letters that few have seen—“The ISIS Apocalypse” explores how religious fervor, strategic calculation, and doomsday prophecy shaped the Islamic State’s past and foreshadow its dark future.

Looking Towards the Future of the U.S.-Japan Relationship: One Mansfield Foundation Fellow’s Perspective
Elliott School of International Affairs
Date: Wednesday September 23, 2015, 2pm-4pm
Location: Elliott School of International Affairs1957 E Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20052 (map)

PISA proudly invites you to attend a presentation by Mr. Ariel Wyckoff, an Elliott School graduate and former PISA Program Assistant. Mr. Wyckoff will discuss his experience as one of ten Fellows from the Mansfield Fellowship’s 19th class (2014-2015). The Mike Mansfield Fellowship Program (MFP) was established by the U.S. Congress in 1994 to build a corps of U.S. federal government employees with proficiency in Japanese language and firsthand knowledge about Japan and its government. Alumni Fellows have direct responsibility for a wide variety of Japan issues, provide counsel to their home agencies on Japan-related matters, and tend to stay involved with Japan-related issues long after the end of the Fellowship year.

Getting With It: Putting Momentum behind the U.S.-India Nuclear Deal
Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
Date: Thursday September 24, 2015, 12:30pm-2pm
Location: Johns Hopkins SAIS – Rome Building1619 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. (map) Room 806

Vijay Sazawal, nuclear industry expert, and Paul Murphy, Special Counsel at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy will speak on this subject. Walter Andersen, Director of South Asia Studies will moderate.

Welcome to Washington: Policy Players and Creative Networking
Cato Institute
Date: Thursday, September 24, 2015, 6-8pm
Location:vCato Institute 1000 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001 (map)

Each year, thousands of young professionals descend on Washington with the hope of landing the perfect job at a think tank, on Capitol Hill, or in related fields. With so many bright, talented interns and recent graduates vying for the same opportunities, how can you distinguish yourself from the pack?

Join the Cato Institute and America’s Future Foundation for a crash course in creative networking and career advancement — an event specifically designed for young professionals. Speakers will discuss topics related to post-graduate professional success, with a special focus on policy research and analysis, and the role of ideas generated within the nonprofit network in the broad public policy debate.

If you can’t make it to the event, you can watch it live online at www.cato.org/live and join the conversation on Twitter using #CatoEvents. Follow @CatoEvents on Twitter to get future event updates, live streams, and videos from the Cato Institute.

Iran’s Deadly Ambition: The Islamic Republic’s Quest for Global Power
Heritage Foundation
Date: Friday, September 25, 2015, 12pm-1pm
Location: Heritage Foundation214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, D.C. 20002 (map)

Conventional wisdom certainly seems to believe we are on the cusp of détente with Iran. In the aftermath of the interim nuclear deal struck in November 2013 hopes are now running high for a historic reconciliation between Iran’s clerical regime and the West. Yet there is ample reason for skepticism that the United States and Europe can truly curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions by diplomatic means. Moreover, the current focus on Iran’s nuclear program on the part of the Western governments is deeply dangerous, because it fails to recognize – let alone address – Iran’s other international activities or its foreign policy ambitions. Those objectives, argues Ilan Berman, are global in scope and growing.

Iran’s Deadly Ambition explains how America’s retraction from the Middle East has created significant breathing room for a regime that not long ago was on the political ropes. Economically, the Islamic Republic is “out of the box” that was erected over the past decade-and-a-half by Western sanctions, thanks to the nuclear deal just concluded by Iran and the P5+1 powers. As a result, Iran’s leaders are again thinking big about their country and its place in the world. America faces stark choices: to confront Iran’s nuclear ambitions and global activities, or to accept and accommodate the region’s newest hegemon, with all that that portends for American security and the safety of its allies.

The World We Seek: Reigniting the Dialogue on Human Security – Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies

Date: September 14, 2015, 9:30am-5:30ppm

Beijing by rediscovering the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the foundation for global security and sustainable development. International Experts and a new generation of rights activists will share proven models for alleviating poverty, improving health and sanitation, and countering violent extremism. The program will feature poetry, music, and the Washington D.C. premiere of the WLP documentary film, Human Rights: The Unfinished Journey.

Johns Hopkins SAIS – Nitze Building1740 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 (map) Room: Kenney-Herter Auditorium    RSVP Here

The Iran Nuclear Deal and Its Implications – Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies

Date: September 15, 2015, 5pm-7pm

Featuring: Robert Einhorn, Brookings Institution; former State Department Special Advisor; Shanta Devarajan, Middle East and North Africa, The World Bank; and Robin Wright, US Institute of Peace and the Woodrow Wilson Center

Location: Johns Hopkins SAIS – Rome Building1619 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. (map)
Room: Rome Auditorium

The Encryption Debate: Balancing Privacy and National Security – The Christian Science Monitor

Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2015, 8:30am-11:00am

Major American companies moved to ramp up security on their consumer devices to fight hackers and eavesdropping governments, in the wake of the Edward Snowden revelations about National Security Agency surveillance two summers ago. But senior law enforcement and intelligence officials say the new default protections prevent them from catching dangerous terrorists and criminals, and have called on companies such as Apple and Google to find a secure way for them to access consumers’ data with a warrant – which many technologists and privacy advocates claim is tantamount to building a “backdoor” into otherwise strong encryption.

What’s the right balance between protecting people’s personal privacy and the country’s security? How the Obama administration and Congress decide to proceed could impact US national security and foreign policy, the competitiveness of American businesses, and the future structure of the Internet. Join Passcode for a discussion with key figures in the debate between US law enforcement and the tech sector — doors open at 8:30 a.m. for coffee and networking

Location: St. Regis Hotel923 16th Street NW, Washington, D.C. (map), Carlton Ballroom

Arctic Transformation: Understanding Arctic Research and the Vital Role of Science – Center for Strategic and International Studies

Date: September 16, 2015,  8:30am-12:00pm

Following President Obama’s historic visit to the American Arctic, please join us for a timely conference on the vital role of science which seeks to better understand the profound and stunning changes that are occurring in the Arctic. Scientific research and collaboration informs our understanding on the impact of climate change on the most northern latitudes while also informing approaches to safely operating in and sustainably developing the economic potential of the region. Our keynote speakers will discuss the vital role of science leadership in the Arctic and will examine the most pressing gaps in our understanding of this dynamic region.

Location: Center for Strategic and International Studies1616 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036 (map)

Anwar al-Awlaki, Yemen, and American Counterterrorism Policy – Brookings Institution

Date: September 17, 2015, 10:00am-11:30am

On September 30, 2011, the U.S.-born radical Islamic cleric, Anwar al-Awlaki, was killed by an American drone strike in Yemen, marking the first extra-judicial killing by the United States government against a U.S. citizen. Placed at the top of a CIA kill list in 2010 by the Obama administration, al-Awlaki was known for his intimate involvement in multiple al-Qaida terrorist plots against U.S. citizens, including the 2009 Christmas Day airline bombing attempt in Detroit and the 2010 plot to blow up U.S.-bound cargo planes. His calls for violent jihad remain prominent on the Internet, and his influence has turned up in many cases since his death, including the Boston Marathon bombing of 2013 and the Charlie Hebdo shootings in Paris early this year. In a new book, “Objective Troy: A Terrorist, A President, and the Rise of the Drone” (Crown, 2015), The New York Times national security reporter Scott Shane, drawing on in-depth field research in Yemen and interviews with U.S. government officials, charts the intimate details of the life and death of al-Awlaki, including his radicalization, his recruiting efforts for al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, and the use of drone strikes by the United States to prosecute its counterterrorism goals.

On September 17, the Intelligence Project will host Shane to examine the roles played by al-Awlaki in al-Qaida plots against the United States, al-Awlaki’s continued influence on terrorism, and the current state of al-Qaida today. Brookings Senior Fellow Bruce Riedel, director of the Intelligence Project, will provide introductory remarks and moderate the discussion. Following their remarks, Riedel and Shane will take questions from the audience.

Location: Brookings Institution1775 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036 (map)
Room: Falk Auditorium

Talks@Pulitzer: Untold Stories From The Front Lines of Ebola – Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting

Date: Thursday, September 17, 2015, 5:30pm

Join German filmmaker Carl Gierstorfer and science journalist Erika Check Hayden as they present their reporting on Ebola and the human toll of the deadly disease at our Talks @ Pulitzer on Thursday, September 17.
Gierstorfer shares the story of one community’s fight in Liberia for survival against Ebola and provides a preview of his latest film, while Check Hayden reveals the untold stories of heroism and hope from first responders in Sierra Leone.

Space is limited so reserve your seat today: rsvp@pulitzercenter.org—specify in subject line: “September 17 Talks @ Pulitzer.”

Location: Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting1779 Massachusetts Ave NW #615, Washington, DC 20036 (map), Room: 615