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Detailed schedule for 2022 program coming soon.

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2021 Agenda

Monday, November 1
9:00-9:45 am	"Welcoming Remarks and Introduction to the Program" Ms. Mary Lynn Schnurr Chair of School of Public and International Affairs Advisory Board & Dr. Mehrzad Boroujerdi Director of the School of Public and International Affairs, Virginia Tech
10:00-1:00 pm	"Introduction to National Security and Grand Strategy" Dr. Sonya Finley Professor of Strategy, National War College; and Retired U.S. Army Colonel
1:00-2:00 pm	Lunch Break
2:00 – 3:15 pm	"The National Security Framework" Dr. Patrick Roberts Associate Professor of Public Administration and Policy, School of Public and International Affairs, Virginia Tech
3:30-5:00 pm	"National Security Research at Virginia Tech" Dr. Laura Freeman Director of Intelligent Systems Lab, National Security Institute, Virginia Tech Associate Professor of Research, Department of Statistics, Virginia Tech
Tuesday, November 2
9:00-10:00 am	"Distinguished Keynote Speaker, National Security Leadership" Sean O’Keefe Former U.S. Secretary of the Navy; Former Administrator of NASA; CEO of EADS North America / Airbus Group North American; and University Professor and the Howard G. and S. Louise Phanstiel Chair in Strategic Management and Leadership, Syracuse University Mr. O’Keefe will be introduced by Dr. Eric Paterson (executive director of the Virginia Tech National Security Institute).
10:00-12:00 pm	"Legal Foundations of National Security" Heather Trew Assistant General Counsel for Enforcement and Intelligence, U.S. Department of the Treasury
12:00-1:00 pm	Lunch Break
1:00-2:45 pm	"Health Security and Bio-Terrorism" Dr. Ryan Burnette Vice President, Life Sciences at Merrick and Company
3:00-5:00 pm	"Climate Change Presents a National Security Threat to Emerging Economies" Ambassador Joel Danies Former U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Gabon and São Tomé and Príncipe
Wednesday, November 3
9:00-10:45 am	"Thinking Theoretically about National Security" Dr. Mehrzad Boroujerdi Director of the School of Public and International Affairs, Virginia Tech
11:00-1:00 pm	"Resourcing National Security: Budget and Appropriations Process" Todd Harrison Director, Defense Budget Analysis, Director, Aerospace Security Project and Senior Fellow, International Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
1:00-2:00 pm	Lunch
2:00-3:15 pm	"Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence" Dr. Margarita Konaev Research Fellow, Center for Security and Emerging Technology, Georgetown University
3:30-5:00 pm	"Congress, Lobbying, and National Security" Congressman Jim Moran Former United States Representative, 8th District of Virginia
Thursday, November 4
9:00-10:45 am	"Drones and National Security: Policy Issues" Dr. Jonathan Black Professor of Aerospace & Ocean Engineering, and Director of the Aerospace and Ocean Systems Division of the National Security Institute, Virginia Tech
11:00-1:00 pm	"Order and Disorder in the Middle East" Dr. Ariel Ahram Professor of Government and International Affairs, School of Public and International Affairs, Virginia Tech
1:00-2:00 pm	Lunch
2:00-3:45 pm	"Cybersecurity and Emerging Technology" Dr. Sezaneh Seymour Senior Advisor to the Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology on the National Security Council
4:00-5:00 pm	"Simulation Preview" Dr. Ed McGrady Adjunct Senior Fellow, Defense Program at Center for a New American Security; Principal, MonksHood Media LLC
Friday, November 5
9:00-12:00 pm	"National Security Cyber Simulation" sponsored by the Ridenour Faculty Fellowship Dr. Ed McGrady Adjunct Senior Fellow, Defense Program at Center for a New American Security; Principal, MonksHood Media LLC
12:00-1:00 pm	Lunch
1:00-3:30 pm	"Simulation, continued" Dr. Ed McGrady Adjunct Senior Fellow, Defense Program at Center for a New American Security; Principal, MonksHood Media LLC
3:45-4:30 pm	"Course Wrap Up" Dr. Mehrzad Boroujerdi Director, School of Public and International Affairs, Virginia Tech