The Kozmetsky Center at St. Edward's University provides a forum for global dialogue and exchange of diverse perspectives among the academic, policy and private-sector communities-
Examining Global Security
The Kozmetsky Center promotes comprehensive multi-disciplinary approaches to subjects that impact global security. Learn about how our conferences tackle critical issues, such as the religion-security nexus.
Council on Foreign Relations Academic Webinar Series
Winter/Spring 2021
Join CFR fellows and other leading experts to discuss pressing foreign policy issues. To sign up or for more information, contact cfracademic@cfr.org.
Wednesday, January 27, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. (EST)
American Isolationism vs. Internationalism
Charles A. Kupchan, Council on Foreign Relations; Georgetown UniversityLeslie Vinjamuri, Chatham House; University of LondonRising to the Climate Challenge
Wednesday, February 10, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. (EST)
Rising to the Climate Challenge
Maria Carmen Lemos, University of Michigan
Wednesday, February 24, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. (EST)
Regime Change in the Middle East
Philip H. Gordon, Council on Foreign Relations
Wednesday, March 10, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. (EST)
The Role of the National Security Council
H. R. McMaster, Stanford University
Wednesday, March 24, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. (EST)
Equitable Vaccine Distribution and Pandemic Preparedness
Sonya Stokes, Mount Sinai; Johns Hopkins University
April 7, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. (EST)
U.S. Response to China’s Belt and Road Initiative Wednesday
Susan A. Thornton, Yale University
Download information HERE
COVID-19 Global Pandemic: Comparing Perspectives on National Responses, Geopolitical, Economic & Security Consequences
Thursday, Feb. 25, 8 a.m (CT)
(please note: early start time to accommodate speakers based in Asia)
The second session in our series is entitled “COVID-19 Global Pandemic: Comparing Perspectives on National Responses, Geopolitical, Economic & Security Consequences.” These sessions provide contributions from global professionals affiliated with the Kozmetsky Center speakers network to offer country-specific views on the COVID-19 pandemic, including lessons learned and assessments regarding national and world security, economic and societal conditions.
Confirmed panelists for the Feb. 25 session include Dr. Su Changhe, Vice Dean of the School of International and Diplomatic Affairs (SIDA), Fudan University [Shanghai, China]; Dr. Deepika Saraswat, Research Fellow, India Council of World Affairs [New Dehli, India]; Dr. Dmitry Suslou, Professor Higher School of Economics & Valdai Group [Moscow, Russia]; Ms. Despina Afentouli, NATO Public Diplomacy [Brussels, Belgium & Athens, Greece]; Dr. Marios Efthymiopoulos, Dean, College of Security and Global Studies [Dubai, United Arab Emirates]; Dr. Mary Ulrich, Distinguished Professor, U.S. Air Force Academy [Colorado Springs, USA] and Dr. Ted Karasik Senior Analyst, Gulf Analytics & former U.S. Armed Forces Medical Intelligence Center (AMIC)/Pandemics [Washington DC, USA].
Fall 2020 Events
STARS & STRIFE DOCUMENTARY: Film & Discussion with Producer David Smick
On Wednesday October 14, 5:30 -8:30 PM (CST) the Kozmetsky Center hosted a screening of the documentary film “Stars & Strife” written and directed by New York Times best-selling author, David Smick. The film offers views from past political leaders, business figures, academics, activists and former members of extremist groups on the current sharp polarization in the United States and the risks of perpetual divisiveness for the future of our society. “This film explores the epidemic of hate … how we can overcome the forces of division to meet the challenges of our time and live up to the promises of our founding…most of all, the film is about why we need to rediscover empathy — the lost heart of America” Smick said. SEU Professors Dr. Rodrigo Nunes (Global Studies) and Dr. Brian Smith (Political Science) offered their impressions and thoughts on the documentary followed by discussion among SEU students. David Smick, producer of "Stars & Strife,” also joined the St. Edward's University community for the discussion. This event dprovided a space to come together to share a diversity of views among the SEU community on the extraordinary circumstances confronting our nation at this time. For additional information see:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo44J_LHdww
"Coping with COVID19"
On Tuesday September 22, 12:00-1:30 PM we featured our first ZOOM Webinar lecture event for the 2020-2021 academic year with Andrew S. Natsios, Executive Professor at the George H. W. Bush School of Government at Texas A & M University and Director of the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs on the topic “Coping with COVID19.” Professor Natsios previously served as Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development leading USAID’s emergency disaster management. Natsios has extensive policy and research experience on pandemics and has called for creating a new global early-warning system that would have been effective in early detection of the COVID19 virus threat. He recently released a report entitled “Preparing for a Collision” focused on the escalating challenges posed by the spread of COVID19 with seasonal influenza offering specific recommendations to avoid overwhelming medical capacity.
"The Existential Global Climate Change Challenge"
Dr. Schellnhuber was quoted in a BBC article of July 2019 stating that "The climate math is brutally clear: While the world can't be healed within the next few years, it may be fatally wounded by negligence until 2020.” Hans Joachim (“John”) Schellnhuber studied Physics and Mathematics and completed his PhD in Theoretical Physics at the University of Regensburg. He has published extensively on topics of climate change, global warming and security topics at the intersection of science and earth systems and space. Professor Schellnhuber served as founding director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) in Germany from 1991 - 2018 and was research director at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research in Great Britain from 2001-2005. He is a member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the German National Academy Leopoldina, the US National Academy of Sciences, and the Academia Europaea, and the recipient of the German Environment Prize (2007), Volvo Environment Prize (2011) and Blue Planet Prize (2017). Dr. Schellnhuber served as scientific advisor to a number of eminent political and religious leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso and Pope Francis. He has been a member of the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) since its establishment in 1992 and contributed to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. Dr. Schellnhuber’s lecture will explain sources of climate change and the threat posed to earth systems by global warming.
"A Cambodian Spring"
On Thursday, March 5, the Kozmetsky Center will host a screening of “A Cambodian Spring” dealing with public activism and protests over inequality and land rights. Winner of the Brooklyn Film Festival “Best Documentary,” A Cambodian Spring features the personal accounts of activists leading a movement to overthrow the dictatorial regime on Hun Sen. The film exposes political corruption and the human rights crisis in the country, and origins of political activism among its most vulnerable citizens. This film is a testimony “of their struggle for dignity and justice, and a window into the sober reality of a nation and its possibilities for change.” SEU Professors Dr. Jooyoun Lee(Global Studies) and Dr. Imran Khan (History), subject area experts on Asia/ Southeast Asia, will offer their perspectives and lead a discussion following the film. The screening will take place in the Jones Global Events Center from 7:00-9:30 PM.
"Exploring Religious-Policy/Security Nexus in Addressing Global Security Challenges"
On Wednesday, February 5, the Kozmetsky Center will feature our first event for the new decade entitled “Exploring Religious-Policy/Security Nexus in Addressing Global Security Challenges.” The session is a continuation of the Kozmetsky Center (St. Edward’s University) and The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (Tufts University) project series on religion in international security with the support of the NATO Public Diplomacy Division (Brussels). The session will feature perspectives of project leaders, policy/security practitioners, together with St. Edward’s University faculty of Religious Studies Dr. Kelley Coblentz Bautch and Dr. Jennifer Veninga. St. Edward’s University Professor Emeritus Father Lou Brusatti will join Imam Yahya Pallavicini, President of COREIS, the Islamic Religious Community of Italy to bring perspectives of the Catholic and Islamic faiths to the discussion. Project organizers are approaching the topic with the assumption that the international community faces challenges that can only be addressed by fostering comprehensive cooperative approaches. We hope that by facilitating exchanges among academic experts, policy officials, security and defense practitioners and religious leaders representing different nations and regions, we can strengthen networks of collaboration for addressing our most important human security challenges. Panelists will offer updates on recent project conferences, research initiatives and global engagement efforts as well as sharing views on the importance, potential and challenges in promoting cooperation among our global policy/security communities with religious faith communities in managing human security. Topics might include violent extremism and terrorism, migration, drivers in contemporary geopolitical divisions, conflict resolution, climate change, and more. The forum will be held in Carter Auditorium in the John Brooks Williams Natural Sciences Center at 12:00-2:00 PM.
"Strategic Security Challenges in the Middle East: Perspective on a 'Second Arab Spring' and the U.S.-Iran Confrontation
Dr. Ted Karasik, Senior Advisor to Gulf State Analytics and Fellow at the Jamestown Foundation will deliver a lecture on the topic “Strategic Security Challenges in the Middle East: Perspectives on a ‘Second Arab Spring’ and the U.S.-Iran Confrontation.” For the past 30 years, Dr. Karasik worked for several U.S. agencies involved in researching and analyzing defense acquisitions, the use of military power, and religio-political issues across the Middle East and Eurasia including the evolution of violent extremism and financing networks. From 2006 until 2016, Dr. Karasik lived in Dubai, UAE where he worked on Arabian Peninsula foreign policy and security issues surrounding cultural awareness, cybersecurity, maritime security, counter-piracy, counter-terrorism, and infrastructure and national resilience. Dr. Karasik was formerly a Senior Political Scientist in the International Policy and Security Group at RAND Corporation serving as Director of Research for the RAND Center for Middle East Public Policy. He earned his PhD in History from the University of California, Los Angeles in four fields: Middle East, Russia, the Caucasus with additional concentration in Cultural Anthropology focusing on tribes and clans from Central Asia to East Africa. Dr. Karasik has been a frequent commentator for major Arab news media (Al Arabiya, Al Jazeera, Sky News Arabia, and others). He will share his perspective on the current challenges in the Middle East, the potential of a Second “Arab Spring” and the recent diplomatic and military confrontation between the United States and Iran. The lecture event is scheduled for Wednesday February 19 from 12:00-1:30 PM in Carter Auditorium in the John Brooks Williams Natural Sciences Center.
Council on Foreign Relations Conference Call Series
The Kozmetsky Center will continue to offer the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Conference Call Series. Please click here to see the Spring 2020 CFR Conference Call Series Schedule. These conference calls are open to all students.
Please check our website [https://www.stedwards.edu/kozmetsky-center-excellence] for additional details on these events, and other activities supported by the Kozmetsky Center throughout Fall 2019. Kozmetsky Center events are free and open to the community.
Director's Upcoming Speaking Activities
- Lecturing on Transatlantic Security and Geopolitics," Summer Diplomatic Academy, Montenegro, July 2021
- Chairing panel entitled “Major, Emerging and Small State Interactions in a Time of Shifting Global Geopolitics,” and presenting paper “Russia, China and Regional Security Flashpoints: Authoritarian Convergence Counterbalancing the United States and Challenging the Western Liberal Order,” Research Committee on Geopolitics, International Political Science Association (IPSA) World Congress, Lisbon Portugal, July 2021
- Speaker at United States Air Force Academy, Department of Political Science, "China, Russia and Global Geopolitics," April 2021
- Speaker at the 2020 annual 2BeSecure conference sponsored by the Atlantic Council Montenegro, NATO, US Embassy Montenegro on the topic “Geopolitics of COVID19 and Global Leadership,” December 2020
- Chaired panel entitled “Exploring the Nexus Between Orthodox Christianity and Geopolitics: Identities, Values and Interests,” 52nd Annual Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies, ASEEES Convention, Washington DC, November 2020
- Panel chair for session “Geopolitics of Eurasia” at the Fletcher Initiative on Religion, Law and Diplomacy (RLD) 5th annual conference entitled “Ukraine is Not Yet Dead: Religion, Pluralism and Geopolitics in Eurasia,” Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, October 2020
- Served as Faculty Judge for student global business emerging markets projects in the conference sponsored by the SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell University, Cornell Emerging Markets Institute (EMI) Annual Conference: “Constructive Engagement,” Bloomberg Center on Roosevelt Island, Cornell Tech Campus, New York, November 2019
- Chaired panel entitled "Russia’s Perspectives on World Order: Implications for Geopolitics Among Major Powers, Russia, China and the United States" 51st Annual Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies ASEEES Convention to be held at the San Francisco, November 2019 [https://www.aseees.org/convention]
Please click here to see past Director's Activities