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This morning on Capitol Hill, The American Security Project, along with the American Geophysical Union, co-hosted an event entitled Science Supporting National Security. The event was made possible with the support of House members Rush Holt (D-NJ) and Judy Biggert (R-IL).

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Panelists included former military commanders and representatives from the defense industrial/research base. Lt. General John Castellaw, USMC (Ret.) addressed how military innovation has led to technological advances in civilian society. Dr. Wendy Roberta Cieslak, Principal Program Director for Nuclear Weapons Science & Technology at Sandia National Laboratories, discussed increasing nuclear weapon reliability and safety through a stockpile stewardship program. Mike Dudzick, Vice President of Science and Technology at Lockheed Martin spoke about the need for industry to use research and development to anticipate and deliver innovative products for national security missions. Finally, Brigadier General John Adams, USA (Ret.) discussed the importance of an aligned strategy between public and private partners to address emerging threats stemming from globalization.

Topics of discussion included nuclear weapons upgrades, fusion energy, public/private partnerships, STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education programs, the current budgetary environment, and the continued importance of R&D for national security. Despite their diverse backgrounds, the panelists agreed that the country must sustain a commitment to science and technology in order to maintain America’s capabilities advantage over potential adversaries and fuel a robust economy.

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