IC Center for Academic Excellence
MSC 06 3840
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131
Physical Location:
Mesa Vista Hall 3019
Phone: (505) 277-3223
Fax: (505) 277-2182
jdarrens@unm.edu
Former Ambassadors Edward Romero and Willam Itoh honored NSSP students leaving for summer internships with the U.S. State Department at a reception held in the UNM SUB. The reception was hosted by UNM State Department Diplomat in Residence Anne Callaghan and Vice President for Student Affairs Eliseo 'Cheo' Torres.
UNM Provost Chaouki Abdallah and NSSP Director Frank Gilfeather welcomed keynote speaker Gregory Treverton, Chairman of the United States National Intelligence Council, to the National Security Studies Symposium “Security Trends in the Next Decade: Challenges, Issues and Opportunities” held April 1-3 at the University of New Mexico.
The symposium kicked off Wednesday April 1st with a full day of events at the UNM School of Law, Anderson School of Management, and at the Science and Math Learning Center, including a presentation by Peter Highnam, Director of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Anderson School of Management Assistant Professor and NSSP Co-PI Manuel Montoya introduced Walt Cooper, Iraqi Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) Board Chair, on April 1st as part of the symposium special events. The student group International Business Students Global (IBSG) participated in the discussion focused on humanitarian assistance. Topics for the three-day event included cyber security, Guantanamo Bay detainees, the Ukrainian crisis and other military, legal and political global issues.
Panel discussions included national security legal and policy dilemas; cybersecurity threats to the U.S. and U.S. business; social and political obligations related to foreign national security activities; and strategic career opportunities. Students also had an opportunity to meet one-on-one with panel member John Bortner, who is a senior member of the Cyber Mission Management, Directorate of Analysis, for the Defense Intelligence Agency.
On Wednesday February 4th, NSSP scholars participated in an exercise in analytics techniques organized by UNM graduate Patti Bolton, now Deputy Director of Resource Management and Investment at the ODNI National Counterproliferation Center. UNM's Diplomat in Residence Anne Callaghan helped facilitate the exercise which was held in the UNM Student Union Building. Scholars were challenged to organize information both critically and creatively through a series of activities designed to stimulate analytical thinking.
Ambassador William Itoh spoke at the first scholars meeting of the semester on January 21, 2015. An expert on Asia and Australia & New Zealand, Itoh had a distinguished career in public sevice with the Department of State, serving as US Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand. Prior to his appointment to Bangkok, he was Executive Secretary of the National Security Council at the White House. Ambassador Itoh described his experiences as a Foreign Service Officer and informed scholars about State Department careers and internship opportunities.
The Albuquerque Committee on Foreign Relations hosted a dinner lecture with Michael Kofman of the Wilson Center speaking on “Understanding Russia's Foreign Policy” at Tanoan Country Club on Monday January 19, 2015. A group of NSSP scholars and NSSP Advisory Committee member Professor Erika Monahan attended the event as part of the collaborative relationship NSSP has with the committee.