Kosal Gives Invited Talk at US Air Force Academy

Nunn School Assistant Professor Margaret E. Kosal spoke at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs on 20 April. Selected to be the 2012 Dining Out speaker, she was the featured guest speaker as the Academy’s Chemistry Department bid farewell to their First-class (graduating) cadet chemistry majors. She was selected based on her blend of international affairs experience with a chemistry background, which was highlighted as relevant and important for what awaits these future officers.

Kosal spoke on the topic of “From Chemistry to National Security,” highlighting her work at the intersection of science, technology, and national security. In the changing post-Cold War national security environment, technology is no longer perceived as sole security guarantee. Globalization and the information revolution are technology drivers that enable the spread and accessibility of dual-use science and technology. The changing nature of warfare, increase in asymmetric warfare, interest in unconventional weapons, and potential innovation in disruptive technologies are changing the relationship between science and security. Kosal highlighted examples in the areas of nanotechnology, biotechnology, and the cognitive neurosciences.

In addition to speaking to the cadets, Kosal met with faculty from both the Chemistry Department and the Political Science Departments at the Academy, bridging the social and physical sciences.

US Air Force Academy

Prof Margaret E. Kosal