POSSE Emerging Technologies and Strategic Stability Workshop

Posted July 6, 2016

On June 2-4, 2016, the Program on Strategic Stability Evaluation (POSSE) hosted a workshop in Washington, D.C. that brought together promising academics from across the globe to analyze alternative theoretical frameworks and methodologies appropriate to advancing POSSE’s shift towards understanding the strategic implications of emerging technologies against the shadow of lingering but variable nuclear salience across different regions of the globe. Topics discussed during the two day workshop included Cyber, Survivability, Escalation, Arms Control, and Signaling.

In addition to these round table discussions, participants had the unique opportunity to discuss strategic stability issues with Admiral (ret.) James “Sandy” Winnefeld, distinguished professor at the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs and former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Dr. James N. Miller, senior fellow at the Belfer Center and former under secretary of defense for policy. Following this discussion, participants engaged with Dr. William Roper, director, Strategic Capabilities Office, Department of Defense; Office of the Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, Mr. Bruce Turner, deputy assistant secretary for European Security, Technology, and Implementation, and Mr. Gregory J. Weaver, deputy director for Strategic Stability, Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate (J-5), the Joint Staff.

The purpose of POSSE is to reinvigorate inter-disciplinary, international scholarship on issues of strategic stability in a post-nuclear weapons era. An important component of this effort entails stimulating not only new policy-relevant scholarship but nurturing dialogue among the next generation of international scholars on nuclear disarmament and risk reduction issues—with a particular focus on the United States, the Russian Federation, and the People’s Republic of China.