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home > think tank > research projects > Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
November 8, 2004 - Present
Although science and technology concerns have not traditionally played a prominent role in U.S. foreign policy, they are integral to U.S. interests in national security, international economics, and the environment. Twenty-first century challenges demand a partnership between American scientific strength and U.S. foreign policy.
The Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy Initiative aims to draw attention to critical areas where science and foreign policy intersect and explore the implications of emerging technologies on trade, security, U.S. competitiveness, and global health.
Past meetings can be found below.
For more information about the Nexus of Science and Foreign Policy Initiative, please contact:
Rob Kittleson
Program Coordinator
Washington Program
rkittleson@cfr.org
+1-202-518-3417
Meetings
Are Biofuels Starving the Global Food Economy?
Related Project: Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Speakers: | David J. Rothkopf, President and CEO, Garten Rothkopf |
|---|---|
| C. Ford Runge, Distinguished McKnight University Professor of Applied Economics and Law, University of Minnesota | |
| Presider: | Julia E. Sweig, Nelson and David Rockefeller Senior Fellow for Latin America Studies and Director for Latin America Studies, Council on Foreign Relations |
As biofuels garner increased attention across America and are encouraged as an important source of alternative energy, some have warned that price hikes for corn and other food staples may adversely affect developing economies. Join experts David Rothkopf and C. Ford Runge as they discuss the complex effects of the growing alternative energy market on food supplies, energy security, the environment, and economic development.
Can Coal be Clean? The Promise of Climate Change Technology
Related Project: Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Speakers: | Ernest J. Moniz, Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics and Engineering Systems, Director, MIT Energy Initiative, Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
|---|---|
| Rick Boucher, Member, U.S. House of Representatives (D-VA) | |
| Presider: | Michael A. Levi, Fellow for Science and Technology and Director, Program on Energy Security and Climate Change, Council on Foreign Relations |
As the largest generator of electricity in the United States, China, and India and a leading source of carbon emissions, coal will play an important role in energy and climate change policy from local to global levels. New technologies such as carbon capture and sequestration have been touted as cure-alls for the environmental ills of carbon-emitting coal plants. But these technologies like many others may face significant technical and economic hurdles. Join Dr. Moniz, cochair of the recent MIT report “The Future of Coal,” and Representative Boucher to discuss the pivotal role of coal in the global energy and climate change debate.
Transcript: Can Coal Be Clean? The Promise of Climate Change Technology [Rush Transcript; Federal News Service]
This meeting is on the record.
National Security and the Threat of Climate Change
Related Project: Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Speakers: | General Gordon R. Sullivan USA (Ret.), Former Chief of Staff, U.S. Army |
|---|---|
| General Paul J. Kern USA (Ret.), Former Commanding General, U.S. Army Materiel Command | |
| Admiral T. Joseph Lopez USN (Ret.), Former Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and of Allied Forces, Southern Europe | |
| Presider: | Steve Inskeep, Host, "Morning Edition," National Public Radio |
Transcript: National Security and The Threat Of Climate Change [Rush Transcript; Federal News Service, Inc.]
This meeting is on the record.
A Foreign Policy Mandate? Thirty Years of Oil and Gas (Session 1)
Related Projects: Panacea or Pipe Dream? Energy Policy and the Search for Alternatives, Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Speakers: | David L. Goldwyn, President, Goldwyn International Strategies |
|---|---|
| J. Robinson West, Chairman, PFC Energy | |
| Presider: | Sebastian Mallaby, Director of the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies, Deputy Director of Studies, and Paul A. Volcker Senior Fellow for International Economics, Council on Foreign Relations |
Transcript: Panacea or Pipe Dream? Energy Policy and the Search for Alternatives: Session I: A Foreign Policy Mandate: Thirty Years of Oil And Gas
Audio: Panacea or Pipe Dream? Energy Policy and the Search for Alternatives: Session 1: A Foreign Policy Mandate? Thirty Years of Oil and Gas (Audio)
This meeting is on the record.
The Range of the Possible: Energy Alternatives in the Market (Session 2)
Related Projects: Panacea or Pipe Dream? Energy Policy and the Search for Alternatives, Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Speakers: | John E. Bryson, Chairman and CEO, Edison International; cofounder, Natural Resources Defense Council |
|---|---|
| Vijay Vaitheeswaran, Correspondent, The Economist; Author of "POWER TO THE PEOPLE" | |
| Presider: | Sebastian Mallaby, Director of the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies, Deputy Director of Studies, and Paul A. Volcker Senior Fellow for International Economics, Council on Foreign Relations |
Transcript: Panacea or Pipe Dream? Energy Policy and the Search for Alternatives: Session II: Energy Alternatives in the Market
Audio: Panacea or Pipe Dream? Energy Policy and the Search for Alternatives: Session 2: The Range of the Possible: Energy Alternatives in the Market (Audio)
This meeting is on the record.
What Next? Government Action and the Policy Puzzle (Session 3)
Related Projects: Panacea or Pipe Dream? Energy Policy and the Search for Alternatives, Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Speakers: | Brian Bilbray, Member, U.S. House of Representatives (R-CA) |
|---|---|
| James E. Rogers, Chairman, President and CEO, Duke Energy | |
| Timothy E. Wirth, President, United Nations Foundation | |
| Presider: | Sebastian Mallaby, Director of the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies, Deputy Director of Studies, and Paul A. Volcker Senior Fellow for International Economics, Council on Foreign Relations |
Transcript: Panacea or Pipe Dream? Energy Policy and the Search for Alternatives: Session III: Government Action and the Policy Puzzle
Audio: Panacea or Pipe Dream? Energy Policy and the Search for Alternatives: Session 3: What Next? Government Action and the Policy Puzzle (Audio)
This meeting is on the record.
Energy Policy and the Search for Alternatives: Keynote Address (Session 4)
Related Projects: Panacea or Pipe Dream? Energy Policy and the Search for Alternatives, Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Speaker: | James E. Rogers, Chairman, President and CEO, Duke Energy |
|---|---|
| Presider: | Sebastian Mallaby, Director of the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies, Deputy Director of Studies, and Paul A. Volcker Senior Fellow for International Economics, Council on Foreign Relations |
Transcript: Panacea or Pipe Dream? Energy Policy and the Search for Alternatives: The United States' Future Need for Power and Energy
Audio: Panacea or Pipe Dream? Energy Policy and the Search for Alternatives: Session 4: A Conversation with James E. Rogers (Audio)
This meeting is on the record.
China, the U.S., and the Future of Military Space Policy
Related Project: Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Speakers: | Stephen Cambone, Former Undersecretary for Intelligence, U.S. Department of Defense |
|---|---|
| Richard L. Garwin, Fellow Emeritus, IBM Corporation | |
| Presider: | Bruce W. MacDonald, President, Provectus Technologies |
China’s recent anti-satellite missile test has put space policy back on the front page, and the implications of these actions are as yet unclear for bilateral relations, global space cooperation, and national security. In particular, the test highlights the new U.S. National Space Policy released last fall by the Bush administration. Some worry this policy presents significant shifts in longstanding American approaches to space, while others see it as a necessary step to protect important U.S. space assets. Join Stephen Cambone and Richard Garwin for a discussion and debate on where the U.S. is headed with its military space policy.
Funding an Energy Revolution? Ethanol and Energy Security
Related Project: Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Speaker: | Vinod Khosla, Partner, Khosla Ventures; Co-founder, Sun Microsystems; Former General Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers |
|---|---|
| Presider: | Sebastian Mallaby, Editorial Writer and Columnist, The Washington Post |
In response to member demand, the Council has begun a new series focusing on energy and the available options for increasing U.S. energy security. Given finite federal resources, the decisions made by venture capitalists will be critical in helping to determine the range of energy alternatives available. Over the next few months, meetings will examine both the technology behind and politics of the global energy challenge. In this first installment, join venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, who has poured millions into cleantech ventures and has led a wave of investment in the sector, to discuss the viability of the ethanol option.
This meeting is on the record.
Plugging In and Speaking Out: the Internet, the Public, and Policymaking
Related Project: Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Speakers: | Joe Trippi, Trippi & Associates; former Campaign Manager for Dean 2004 |
|---|---|
| Lee Rainie, Director, Pew Internet & American Life Project | |
| Presider: | Drew J. Ladner, General Partner, Clasis Capital |
As more citizens turn online for information and opinions, the Internet plays an increasingly central role in empowering and shaping public involvement in the political process on issues ranging from the war in Iraq to the Dubai Ports controversy. As elections approach, join Joe Trippi and Lee Rainie for a discussion on how the Internet has changed the public’s role in policymaking, and how current trends may impact the future.
6:00 - 6:30 p.m. Reception
6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Meeting
**You are welcome to bring a guest to this event.**
Transcript: The Nexus Of Science, Technology, And Foreign Policy: Plugging In And Speaking Out: The Internet, The Public, And Policymaking [Rush Transcript; Federal News Service]
Audio: The Nexus Of Science, Technology, And Foreign Policy: Plugging In And Speaking Out: The Internet, The Public, And Policymaking (Audio)
This meeting is on the record.
The Digital Spy: How Technology is Changing the Intelligence Community
Related Project: Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Speakers: | Bryan Cunningham, Principal, Morgan & Cunningham LLC |
|---|---|
| Jeff Jonas, Distinguished Engineer and Chief Scientist, IBM Entity Analytics | |
| Presider: | Daniel B. Prieto, Director and Senior Fellow, Homeland Security Center, The Reform Institute; former executive at America Online |
Intelligence analysis in support of national and homeland security has always been shaped by the practical challenge of discovering pertinent intelligence amidst a sea of information. The immediacy and growing difficulty of this challenge has been highlighted by 9/11 and events since then. Join Bryan Cunningham and Jeff Jonas as they discuss the implications of emerging technologies on the modern intelligence community.
8:00 - 8:30 a.m. Breakfast Reception
8:30 - 9:30 a.m. Meeting
Transcript: The Digital Spy: How Technology is Changing the Intelligence Community [Rush Transcript; Federal News Service, Inc.]
Audio: The Digital Spy: How Technology is Changing the Intelligence Community (audio)
The Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy Series: A Conversation with Shri Kapil Sibal
Related Project: Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Speaker: | Shri Kapil Sibal, Honorable Union Minister of Science & Technology and Ocean Development, Government of India |
|---|---|
| Presider: | Daniel F. Burton, Senior Vice President, Global Public Policy, Salesforce.com |
3:45-4:00 pm Reception
4:00-5:00 pm Meeting
Transcript: The Nexus of Science, Technology and Foreign Policy [Rush Transcript; Federal News Service, Inc.]
Audio: The Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy Series: A Conversation with Shri Kapil Sibal (audio)
This meeting is on the record.
Terrorists and the Internet
Related Project: Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Speakers: | Aimee Ibrahim David, Principal, DFI International |
|---|---|
| Evan Kohlman, International Terrorism Consultant; Analyst, MSNBC | |
| Presider: | Susan B. Glasser, Assistant Managing Editor, Outlook Section, The Washington Post; former Terrorism Reporter, The Washington Post |
In an increasingly wired world, terrorists around the globe have found a home online. Whether as an efficient propaganda tool or successful coordination hub, the Internet has proven invaluable in advancing terrorist causes. Are the rest of us keeping up? Join Evan Kohlman and Aimee Ibrahim David as they discuss the Internet’s pivotal role in the War on Terror.
12:00-12:30 p.m. Lunch Reception
12:30-1:30 p.m. Meeting
High-Tech China: Challenges and Opportunities
Related Project: Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Speakers: | William T Archey, President & CEO, American Electronics Association |
|---|---|
| Adam Segal, Maurice R. Greenberg Senior Fellow in China Studies, Council on Foreign Relations | |
| Presider: | Anne G.K. Solomon, Senior Adviser, Technology Policy, Center for Strategic and International Studies |
12:00-12:30 p.m. Lunch Reception
12:30-1:30 p.m. Meeting
Transcript: High-Tech China: Challenges and Opportunities [Rush Transcript; Federal News Service, Inc.]
China-U.S. Energy Policies: A Choice of Cooperation or Collision
Related Project: Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Speaker: | Joseph Lieberman, Member, U.S. Senate (D-CT) |
|---|---|
| Presider: | William F. Martin, Chairman, Washington Policy and Analysis, Inc., and former Deputy Secretary of Energy |
8:30-9:00 a.m. Breakfast Reception
9:00-10:00 a.m. Meeting
Transcript: China-U.S. Energy Policies: A Choice of Cooperation or Collision—Remarks by Senator Joseph I. Lieberman [Rush Transcript; Federal News Service, Inc.]
Audio: China-U.S. Energy Policies: A Choice of Cooperation or Collision—Remarks by Senator Joseph I. Lieberman (audio)
This meeting is on the record.
The Nexus of Science and Foreign Policy: U.S. Biotechnology and Global Competitiveness
Related Project: Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Speakers: | James C. Greenwood, President & CEO, Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) |
|---|---|
| Irving L. Weissman, Director, Stem Cell Institute, and Virginia & D.K. Ludwig Professor for Clinical Investigation in Cancer Research, Stanford University School of Medicine |
8:00-8:30 a.m. Buffet Reception
8:30-9:30 a.m. Meeting
Transcript: The Nexus of Science and Foreign Policy: U.S. Biotechnology and Global Competitiveness [Rush Transcript; Federal News Service, Inc.]
Audio: The Nexus of Science and Foreign Policy: U.S. Biotechnology and Global Competitiveness (audio)
A Wired World: The Internet and International Relations
Related Project: Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Speakers: | Andrew McLaughlin, Head of Global Policy, Google, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Craig Calhoun, President, Social Science Research Council | |
| Presider: | Daniel F. Burton, Vice President for Government Affairs, Entrust, Inc. |
6:00-6:15 PM Reception
6:15-6:30 PM Special cfr.org preview and demonstration
6:30-7:30 PM Meeting
7:30-8:00 PM Cocktail reception
*Note: This is a special guest event for the relaunch of cfr.org. We encourage you to invite high-school and college-aged guests.
Transcript: A Wired World: The Internet and International Relations [Rush transcript; Federal News Service, Inc.]
Audio: A Wired World: The Internet and International Relations (audio)
The Threat of Global Pandemics
Related Project: Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Presider: | James F. Hoge Jr., Peter G. Peterson Chair, Editor, Foreign Affairs |
|---|---|
| Speakers: | Anthony S. Fauci, Director, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health |
| Rita Colwell, Chair, Royal Institution World Science Assembly's Pandemic Preparedness Project | |
| Michael Osterholm, Director, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, University of Minnesota; Associate Director, National Center for Food Protection, Department of Homeland Security; Professor, University of Minnesota School of Public Health | |
| Laurie A. Garrett, Senior Fellow for Global Health, Council on Foreign Relations |
International health officials are warning that a deadly avian influenza virus may soon spread rapidly, overwhelming unprepared health systems in rich and poor countries alike. As a call to action, the July/August issue of Foreign Affairs includes a special set of articles on the threat of global pandemics. In collaboration with Nature magazine, Foreign Affairs has provided this coverage to assist the efforts of the Royal Institution World Science Assembly.
Transcript: The Threat of Global Pandemics
Audio: The Threat of Global Pandemics (audio)
Prospects for the International Hydrogen Economy
Related Project: Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Presider: | Vijay Vaitheeswaran, Global Environment and Energy Correspondent, The Economist |
|---|---|
| Speakers: | Paula J. Dobriansky, Under Secretary of State for Global Affiars, U.S. Department of State |
| David Garman, Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy |
*Special Location
The Weaponization of Space: Implications for U.S. National Security
Related Project: Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Presider: | Bruce M. DeBlois, Director of Systems Analysis, Center for Transformation, BAE Systems |
|---|---|
| Speakers: | Randall Correll, Senior Scientist, Integrated Resource Strategies Operation, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) |
| Theresa Hitchens, Vice President, Center for Defense Information |
Transcript: The Weaponization of Space: Implications for U.S. National Security
Audio: The Weaponization of Space: Implications for U.S. National Security (audio)
The Foreign Policy Implications of Nanotechnology
Related Project: Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Presider: | Ivan Amato, Associate Editor, Science News |
|---|---|
| Speakers: | George Atkinson, Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary of State, Department of State |
| Mark Modzelewski, Managing Director, Lux Research Inc.; CoFounder of NanoBusiness Alliance |
Transcript: The Foreign Policy Implications of Nanotechnology
A Conversation with Spencer Abraham on Nuclear Nonproliferation
Related Project: Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Presider: | Lisa Gordon-Hagerty, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, USEC, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Speaker: | Spencer Abraham, Secretary of Energy, Department of Energy |
Transcript: A Conversation with Spencer Abraham on Nuclear Nonproliferation
Health and Security: Why It Should Top The Agenda
Related Project: Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Presider: | Susan Dentzer, Health Correspondent and Head of the Health Policy Unit, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer |
|---|---|
| Speaker: | Laurie A. Garrett, Senior Fellow for Global Health, Council on Foreign Relations |
Transcript: Health and Security: Why It Should Top the Agenda
Challenges to American Scientific Leadership: Global Innovators and U.S. Policy
Related Project: Nexus of Science, Technology, and Foreign Policy
| Presider: | Julia A. Moore, Senior Advisor, Office of International Science and Engineering, National Science Foundation |
|---|---|
| Speakers: | Shirley Jackson, President, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; President, American Association for the Advancement of Science |
| Benjamin Wu, Deputy Under Secretary for Technology, Technology Administration, Department of Commerce |
**This meeting is on the record.
Transcript: Challenges to American Scientific Leadership: Global Innovators and U.S. Policy
Explore the international finance regime with a new interactive from CFR's program on International Institutions and Global Governance.
Identifying international threats and acting on them may be the most difficult job for U.S. policymakers. This report
provides an actionable road map for managing international threats before they erupt into crises and makes a strong case that preventive action is not a luxury but a necessity.
For more than a decade, the United States has mostly watched from the sidelines as Asian countries organize themselves into an alphabet soup of new multilateral groups. In this report, the authors review the relationship between pan-Asian and trans-Pacific institutions and suggest policy guidelines for a new U.S. approach to this new Asian landscape.
Complete list of Council Special Reports
Start-Up Nation addresses the trillion-dollar question: How is it that Israel—a country of 7.1 million, only sixty years old, surrounded by enemies— produces more start-up companies than large, peaceful, and stable nations like Japan, China, India, Korea, Canada, and the UK? With the insights of geopolitical experts and investors, the authors examine this nation’s adversity-driven culture to answer this question and offer prescriptions for a global economy on the rebound.
In Forces of Fortune, Vali Nasr presents a paradigm-changing revelation that will transform the understanding of the Muslim world at large. He reveals that there is a vital but unseen rising force in the Islamic world—a new business-minded middle class—that is building a vibrant new Muslim world economy and that holds the key to winning the cold war against Iran and extremists.
In Cuba: What Everyone Needs to Know, Julia E. Sweig presents a remarkably accessible portrait of Cuba's unique place on the world stage over the past fifty years, including its internal politics, its often fraught relationship with the United States, and its shifting relationship with the global community.
Complete list of CFR Books
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jlindsay@cfr.org
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