About the Lecture: Glenn Corn will provide a ground-level perspective of the current situation in Ukraine and discuss why it's important for the U.S. to support the Ukraine's fight against the Russian invasion. About the Speaker: Glenn Corn is a 34-year veteran of the U.S. Intelligence and Foreign Affairs communities. Prof. Corn served for over 20 years abroad, including tours in Russia, Turkey, Central Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East. He also held senior leadership positions within the Intelligence Community in the U.S. and is a graduate of multiple specialized training programs in the fields of Intelligence, Security, Adult Education and Training and Executive Leadership. He is a founding partner of the Strategic Advisory and Consulting firm “Varyag” and Expert contributor to the “Cipher Brief”. He has a master’s degree in Russian Language and Literature from American University and a bachelor’s degree in Russian Studies from Hofstra University, and he is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Russian Institute. He speaks Russian and Turkish.

An Alexander Hamilton Society student roundtable discussion focusing on current affairs in East Asia, what would happen leading up to an invasion of Taiwan or conflict breaking out in the South China Sea, the policy implications behind it for the region, the United States, and the rest of the world, and then identify unique policy responses outside of what the current thinkers are considering. About Michael Sobolik Michael Sobolik is a Senior Fellow in Indo-Pacific Studies for the American Foreign Policy Council (AFPC). His work covers American and Chinese grand strategy, regional economic and security trends, America’s Asian alliance architecture, and human rights. Michael also serves as editor of AFPC’s Indo-Pacific Monitor e-bulletin, AFPC’s review of regional developments. His analysis has appeared in The Diplomat, Foreign Policy, The Hill, Jane's Defence Weekly, The National Interest, National Review, Newsweek, Providence, and RealClearDefense. Before joining AFPC, Michael served as a Legislative Assistant in the United States Senate from 2014 to 2019. While in the Senate, Michael drafted legislation on China, Russia, India, Taiwan, North Korea, and Cambodia, as well as strategic systems and missile defense. Michael is an undergraduate student at Texas A&M University, where he studied political philosophy. He also earned his Master of International Affairs degree in American grand strategy and U.S.-China relations at the Bush School of Government and Public Service.

About the Debate: In Nov 1945, the U.S. joined UNESCO, a new post-WWII organization designed to promote world peace and security. In Dec 1984, President Reagan took the U.S. out of UNESCO citing corruption and mismanagement. In Oct 2003, President George Bush rejoined UNESCO to advance human rights, tolerance, and learning. In Dec 2018, President Trump took the U.S.out of UNESCO citing anti-Israel bias, and the U.S.’s mounting arrears to UNESCO resulting from Palestine’s election as a full member. In July 2023, President Biden rejoined UNESCO for the third time to combat increasing Chinese influence at the organization. Given the problematic relationship between the U.S. and UNESCO, and the organization’s history of controversial initiatives, was this a wise decision? What are the pros and cons for the U.S. of being a member of UNESCO once again? About the Presenters: Gerald C. Anderson served as Director of Administration and Finance at the Pan American Health Organization in Washington, DC, from March 2014 to July 2021. Prior to joining PAHO, Mr. Anderson served from 2011-2014 as Secretary for Administration and Finance at the Organization of American States in Washington DC. Mr. Anderson served the United States Foreign Service from 1980 - 2010, completing his serviced as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of International Organizations. Mr. Anderson also served in Foreign Service posts in Warsaw, Tel Aviv, Seoul, Jerusalem, and at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Mr. Anderson served in the United States Peace Corps in Benin, West Africa, and in the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Mr. Anderson holds a Master of Arts degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Washington, DC, (1980) and a Bachelor of Arts from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois (1976). Stephen Engelken is a veteran of 38 years in the U.S. Foreign Service. Notably, he was Deputy Chief of the U.S. Mission to UNESCO in 2007-2010, serving as Charge’ d’Affaires for seven months in this period. Engelken went on from there to serve as Deputy Chief of the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan (2010-2011). Prior to those senior assignments, he served postings abroad in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Italy; France, and Australia and at the State Department in Washington as Director of Pakistan/Bangladesh Affairs, Director of the Office of Proliferation Threat Reduction, Deputy Director of the office of Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Operations, and Deputy Director of Arabian Peninsula Affairs. Since his retirement in 2012 while Principal Officer in Peshawar, Pakistan, Mr. Engelken has taught at Foreign Service Institute, the State Department’s training center. Mr. Engelken is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, and a resident of Washington, D.C. He holds a B.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University. He is also a graduate of the Ecole Nationale d’Administration in France. Mr. Engelken speaks French, Italian, and Arabic.

This lecture is part of the Student Speaker Series About the Lecture: China's advancements in space technology and orbital operations are second only to the U.S. Historically assisted by the Soviet Union, China's space program has set an impressive timeline of space launch milestones, meeting every spacefaring goal for the past 30 years. Under the guise of scientific research, PLA documentation and dual-use technology has demonstrated that even commercial space activities serve military interests. As investment in launch capabilities increases and China's presence in cislunar space becomes more of a concern, what are the intentions, plans, and capabilities behind China's interest and activities in space? With tensions rising in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, will China start utilizing space operations to support terrestrial military activity? Does China's capacity to operate in space match its strategic interests? How does China's advancing capabilities create more risk for U.S. space interests? This lecture will discuss a brief history of China's accomplishments in space and highlight PLA ambitions and operations in three areas: counterspace weapons in orbit, a permanent lunar presence, and interest in the future space economy. The lecture will also discuss the risk these three areas pose to U.S. interests and the proposed strategies for deterrence in what the DoD, NATO, and the PLA define as a new "warfighting domain." About the Speaker: Carlos Alatorre is an M.A. candidate for Statecraft and National Security Affairs at IWP with a specialization in Defense. Prior to joining IWP, he was a middle school teacher who spent five years teaching English in South Korea and China before deciding to make a transition to the national security and intelligence field. He brings his experience of Chinese political culture and East Asian geography (as well as his Mandarin skills) to complement his studies in Chinese military and geopolitical affairs in the Indo-Pacific. His research focuses on China's usage of emerging technologies, specifically the PLA's research in and implementation of AI, space/cislunar operations, and hypersonic missiles. Originally from Southern California, he earned his B.A. in Philosophy from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

***This lecture is sponsored by the IAFIE Washington DC Chapter and the IWP IAFIE Alpha Student Chapter*** About the Lecture: For a long time, the Australian Signals intelligence (or Sigint) story has been kept secret. Until now… Why does Australia have a national signals intelligence agency? What does it do and why is it controversial? And how significant are its ties with key partners, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand, to this arrangement? Revealing Secrets is a compelling account of Australian Signals intelligence, its efforts at revealing the secrets of other nations, and keeping ours safe. It brings to light those clever Australians whose efforts were for so long entirely unknown or overlooked. Blaxland and Birgin traverse the royal commissions and reviews that shaped Australia’s intelligence community in the 20th century and consider the advent and the impact of cyber. In unearthing this integral, if hidden and little understood, part of Australian statecraft, this book increases our understanding of the past, present and what lies ahead. About the Speakers: John Blaxland is Professor of International Security and Intelligence Studies in the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre (SDSC), Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs at the Australian National University (ANU). He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales. He was also formerly a military intelligence officer, Head of SDSC and Director of the ANU Southeast Asia Institute. He is the author and editor of several publications on military history, intelligence and international security affairs. Clare Birgin’s career in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) spanned 30 years, with a focus on national security and intelligence. She had postings in Warsaw, Moscow, Geneva, and Washington DC as the Liaison Officer of the Office of National Assessments, followed by postings as Ambassador in Hungary, Serbia, Kosovo, Romania, North Macedonia and Montenegro. Subsequently she was a Visiting Fellow at the ANU before joining John Blaxland’s history writing team. She has been awarded the Polish Government’s Knight’s Cross Medal and the Bene Merito Medal by the former Polish Foreign Minister.

About the Lecture: **This lecture is part of the Asia Initiative Lecture Series** For 25 years after the end of the Cold War, most of the national security community assumed that nuclear weapon use was unlikely to be part of any future war. But over the last few years, North Korea has made regular threats of nuclear weapon use and Russia also threatened nuclear weapon use associated with its invasion of Ukraine. Moreover, the Chinese nuclear weapon force is rapidly expanding. These developments appear to make future nuclear weapon use more possible, especially limited nuclear weapon use. The escalatory implications of limited nuclear weapon use have not been well researched. This situation forces us to reevaluate more broadly the national security risks in many regions, and especially in Korea. This briefing addresses four major security developments on the Korean peninsula that contribute jeopardy to the national security of South Korea, the United States, and other U.S. allies. Nuclear weapon use is of course a major issue, but so is North Korean instability. Another issue is the dramatic decline in the size of the ROK Army, the result of demographic challenges and political choices, especially when coupled with the ROK decision to only partially fund its plan to offset its manpower reductions with technology versus manpower tradeoffs. And the potential for third party intervention, and especially Chinese intervention, further complicates Korean security. These four issues are developed, and suggestions made for how South Korea and the United States can at least partially mitigate these challenges.” About the Speaker: Bruce W. Bennett is a Senior International/Defense Researcher at The RAND Corporation. He is an expert in Northeast Asian security issues, having visited the region over 125 times and written much about Korean security. His research addresses issues such as the North Korean military threats, countering the North Korean nuclear threat and provocations, future ROK military force requirements, Korean unification, the Korean military balance, and potential Chinese military intervention in North Korea. Dr. Bennett specializes in “asymmetric threats” such as weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and how to counter those threats with new strategies, operational concepts, and technologies. He has recently completed reports on the current North Korean nuclear, chemical, biological, and cyber threats, and teaches a class at the Pardee RAND Graduate School on “Understanding Nuclear Forces.” He has worked with the Pentagon and with US commanders in Northeast Asia and the Persian Gulf on these subjects. He has facilitated a large number of seminar/war games to address these issues. Dr. Bennett received a Ph.D. in policy analysis from the Pardee RAND Graduate School (1979 dissertation on “Uncertainty in ICBM survivability”) and a B.S. in economics from the California Institute of Technology.

About the Lecture: The Wagner Group has operated as a manifestation of Russian influence, supporting critical Russian interests in key domains across the globe. The organization, originally founded in 2014 by oligarch businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin as a private mercenary force, has become one of the more prolific instruments of power projection in the Russian geopolitical arsenal. About the Speaker: Dr. John R. McCarthy is currently the Senior Program Advisor with the US Navy’s only explosives, weapons, and foreign materiel Technical Exploitation command. In 2006, John was recruited from the private sector by Naval Surface Warfare Center, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division and subsequently mobilized as a naval reserve officer to initiate programmatic, infrastructure, and organizational development for the newly established Technical Support Detachment (TSD), which was to specialize in investigating, exploiting, and attacking the improvised explosive device (IED) manufacturing network on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. The command, renamed Expeditionary Exploitation Unit ONE (EXU-1), now spans the globe working with Combatant Commanders, Special Operations Command and forces, and the Intelligence Community supporting technical exploitation, technical intelligence collection, counterterrorism, and irregular warfare activities. Prior to his return to active-duty military and current federal service, John held a senior leadership position supporting business and financial operations at a non-profit healthcare organization and was a technical business development executive for a global specialty chemical manufacturer serving the industrial sector, for over 16 years. In addition, he has served as an adjunct professor and part time faculty of leadership & management and other business and intelligence disciplines for a number of universities, since 2004. Educationally, Dr. McCarthy holds a Graduate Certificate of Intelligence Studies (Strategic Intelligence in Special Operations concentration), a Master of Science of Strategic Intelligence (MSSI) degree, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Organization and Management with a specialization in Leadership studies. Always seeking to enhance and broaden his knowledge base, Dr. McCarthy remains engaged in continuous learning opportunities and is a currently enrolled in IWP’s Certificate of Graduate Study program focusing on Statecraft and National Security.

About the Lecture: The current state of politics is divisive, and navigating this is no easy task. As we enter an election year, with over 15 years of non-profit, trade association, multi-client, corporate lobbying experience, and a current advisor to dozens of politicians, political candidates, and past presidential campaigns, Brian Johnson is a captivating speaker who will share with us his insights on lobbying and the current state of the political landscape. About the Speaker: Brian Johnson is an experienced government and public affairs executive with over 15 years of non-profit, advocacy, trade association, multi-client representation, political campaign/fundraising, and management experience. Throughout his career, Brian has developed and executed numerous strategic government and public affairs campaigns, drafted and had countless pieces of legislation introduced, secured tens of millions of dollars in targeted Appropriations, worked intimately on, and helped pass, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), and was named to “The Hill’s Top Lobbyist 2020” list. Currently, Brian serves as the Vice President of Government & Public Affairs for Veterans Guardian, the largest veteran-owned and operated disability claims consulting company in the world, helping tens of thousands of veterans every year secure benefits they are legally, ethically, morally and medically entitled. In this capacity Brian manages all lobbying, public affairs campaigns, and political giving as head of the company's Washington, DC operations. Politically, Brian advises on dozens of political campaigns, serves on several elected officials’ Steering Committees, and is heavily involved in local politics. As a policy expert he has testified before Congress and his expert commentary has been featured on BBC, CNN, C-SPAN, Fox News, Fox Business News, PBS, Real Clear Politics, and many more.

About the Lecture: In 1991, Ukraine’s independence set the tombstone for the USSR, and the U.S. regained its global primacy. Where are we today? How is it possible that In 2004, a top American expert argued, “stop criticizing Putin and start helping him”? Or that In 2021, Ukraine was not even mentioned in the new administration’s Interim Global Security Guidelines? And what do our dealings with Moscow from the end of WWI through 1991 tell us? About the Speaker: Mr. Victor Rud practiced law for forty years and served as special counsel to a member of the U.S. Delegation to the Madrid Review Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Before the fall of the Soviet Union, he represented, in the West, Soviet dissidents persecuted by the KGB. Mr. Rud has spoken, domestically and internationally, before various audiences on issues bearing on U.S./Russian relations, including specifically Ukraine. Among them are the State Department, West Point, American University Kyiv, and the UN. His analysis and commentary have been carried by The Hill, Center for European Policy Analysis, The Messenger, Kyiv Post, and Forbes, among others. Mr. Rud is past Chairman of the Ukrainian American Bar Association, and Senior Advisor to the Centre for Eastern European Democracy in Canada, and to Open Court, an NGO in Ukraine. He received his undergraduate degree from Harvard College and law degree from Duke University.

About the Speaker: Jim Carter is a Senior Fellow with the America First Policy Institute’s Center for American Prosperity. Previously, as Director, he oversaw the Center’s operations, including research and policy development impacting economic growth, tax and budget policy, regulation, trade, and labor productivity. For nearly a decade, Jim was Vice President of Government Affairs at Emerson, a diversified global manufacturing and technology company based in St. Louis, Missouri. In addition to managing Emerson’s global, federal, and state government affairs, Mr. Carter’s lobbying portfolio included tax policy, international trade, and management of the company’s political action committee. Before joining Emerson, Mr. Carter served in the Bush and Clinton Administrations, as a senior staff member on the Senate Budget Committee, and as a policy advisor to former Senators John Ashcroft, Sam Brownback, and Connie Mack. Jim has served as a Deputy Undersecretary at the Department of Labor, a Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Department of Treasury, and Associate Director of the National Economic Council at the White House. While at the Treasury Department, he received the Secretary of the Treasury’s “Exceptional Service Award” and a separate award for his work on behalf of the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. Mr. Carter has been published more than 200 times on fiscal policy, economics, and other public policy matters for leading publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Investor's Business Daily, Politico, The Hill, The Daily Caller, and USA Today. He is a frequent speaker, including as an adjunct professor at The George Washington University and as a lecturer in the Public Management program at Johns Hopkins University. Jim is a 2014 recipient of Johns Hopkins University’s “Excellence in Teaching” award. He also appeared in season three of House of Cards, playing a U.S. senator. Jim recently served on the board of directors for both the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and the National Capital Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. He is a former president of the Business-Government Relations Council, a non-profit organization that seeks to increase governmental awareness of the role of business in national affairs. He holds degrees from George Mason University and Truman State University.

About the Book: What starts as a minute-by-minute account of a disaster in a war zone quickly turns into an uplifting story of survival and triumph in FINDING WAYPOINTS: A Warrior’s Journey Towards Peace and Purpose by Terese Schlachter and Col. Gregory D. Gadson, (Ret.). Emmy Award winning television producer Schlachter was working at the Pentagon Channel when she attended a press event at Walter Reed Army Medical Center’s Military Advanced Training Center (MATC) in 2007 after a decade covering national news for NBC and MSNBC in Washington. There, the co-authors met for the first time. Their resulting book is the result of their extraordinary relationship, a hybrid of biography and autobiography, that tells the story of a man who survived the worst and has used his experience to enrich the lives of others. ***Copies of the book will be made available for purchase at the conclusion of the event and can be signed by the author.*** Purchase the book here. About the Authors: Terese Schlachter is a Washington, D.C., based writer and producer of videos and documentaries (NBC News, Dept of Defense) who first met Colonel Gadson when covering the new veterans facility at the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 2007. She became his fast friend and confidante during his painful recovery and rehabilitation. Terese is a three-time Emmy Award-winning television producer and founder and Chief Storyteller of Ridgeback Communications. Her short film "Picture Perfect" was nominated for "Best Short" at the 2017 DC Indie Film festival as well as a National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Emmy. She lives in Shady Side, Maryland, with her husband Jon, and Lillian, a Rhodesian Ridgeback dog. Colonel Gregory Gadson, (Ret.) was grievously wounded in an IED attack in Iraq in 2007 while he and his unit were returning from a service for two fallen soldiers. He subsequently lost both legs and severely injured his right arm, and, in the course of his rehabilitation and recovery, he became a source of inspiration and motivation for other war-wounded at the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Due to his longtime connection with West Point as a football player there, and his friendship with the coach of the then-struggling NY Giants in 2007, Gadson soon became a motivational co-coach and spiritual guide, helping the team go from nearly last place to Superbowl Champions in 2008. Gadson subsequently starred in a major Hollywood movie, Battleship, and has been an admired motivational speaker and coach for numerous organizations, both civilian and military, for several years now. An avid outdoorsman and enthusiast of skiing, cycling, and deep-sea fishing, he has led numerous adventure-travel expeditions for wounded veterans. He is the recipient of the 2010 NCAA Inspiration Award and the 2017 Henry Biscardi Achievement Award. In his honor, in October 2022, the new veterans center at Wayne State University was named the Colonel Gregory Gadson Office of Military and Veterans Academic Excellence. When not traveling around the country as a motivational speaker, Gadson enjoys time at home in Alexandria, VA, with his wife, children, and grandchildren, and continues to pursue his acting career and his love of photography.