This year’s theme was “Growing Insecurity: The Risks of Access, Openness & Freedom.” The conference aimed to address the shifting dynamics of security – or lack of security - in a rapidly changing world from the perspective of the individual and institutions and up to the national and global levels. This Conference provided an opportunity for emerging leaders and professionals to learn about the importance of geo-politics & policy in the 21st century and how to apply that knowledge in their daily professions, learn from seasoned global leaders who are regular guests of the Council, share the voice of ‘young leaders’ with the senior leadership and decision makers in the community, disseminate the senior leadership discussions down to the next generation of leaders, gain practical insights on how to do business internationally, and network and connect with fellow experts and professionals from a variety of fields and industries.

The World Affairs Council of Atlanta Young Leaders (YL) Program provides opportunities to facilitate the development of future young and innovative global leaders who are fully informed, socially responsible, and culturally aware. The YL mission is to provide a platform for current global thinking, knowledge sharing and skill-building on international affairs and global issues among emerging leaders and professionals of metro Atlanta.

Working at the intersection of science and security, Dr. Margaret Kosal is among the foremost experts on the weapons of mass destruction and the national security implications of emerging and dual-use technologies; such as nanotechnology, biotechnology, and the cognitive neurosciences. She earned a doctoral degree in Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and has served previously in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), and as an advisor to the Chief of Staff of the US Army as part of his Strategic Studies Group (SSG). Her book Nanotechnology for Chemical and Biological Defense(Springer Academic Publishers, 2009) explores scenarios and strategies regarding the benefits and potential proliferation threats of nanotechnology and other emerging sciences for national security.