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Marshall Center’s Faculty Roundtable Addresses Today’s Security Trends, Threats
By Christine June
Public Affairs Office
George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies
GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany – The Faculty Roundtable is one of the ways that the College of International and Security Studies at the George C. Marshall European Center here is able to address today’s security trends and threats facing our citizens and those of our allies.
“The Faculty Roundtable offers an opportunity for our professors to share their current research with other faculty and staff across the Marshall Center,” said Dr. Andrew A. Mictha, Marshall Center’s dean. “I encourage the presenters to focus on policy-relevant topics, where they can apply their unique expertise to issues that are important to our mission.”
He added, “This format helps to generate ideas that can then be applied to our resident courses, our outreach programming and our strategic initiatives.”
The most recent roundtable was held May 2. Dr. Graeme P. Herd, Marshall Center’s Research and Policy Analysis Department chair and professor of transnational security studies, presented on “Putin, Putinism and Operation Successor 2024.” During his presentation, he outlined different scenarios for power transfer in 2024, identifying their assumptions, what might be indicators and teasing out the implications.
“This seminar series provides faculty the opportunity to showcase and road test new research, teaching or dialogue activities,” Herd said. “It provides valuable feedback on new ideas before they are presented publically. Constructive feedback from a friendly and informed group of peers helps improve the quality and refine the product so it’s fit for public consumption.”
He added that he will show an updated version of this presentation for 25 students from the National Defense University Carol I of Romania during the special seminar in regional security being held here this week.
The Faculty Roundtable started at the Marshall Center in 2017 with U.S. Army Lt. Col. Christopher A Kreiler, Marshall Center’s deputy director of the Countering Transnational Organized Crime, planning these discussions, about two a month.
“Some of the roundtable sessions are where faculty members can see how their ideas are received by colleagues and perhaps, respond to questions on their research or methodology that they might not have expected,” Kreiler said. “This affords them the opportunity to refine ideas before publishing an article, book chapter or presenting in a course or outreach event.”
Past faculty sessions include Dr. Pál Dunay, Marshall Center’s professor of NATO and European security issues, talking about backtracking on democracy in Hungary and its international repercussions, and Dr. Igor Zevelev, Marshall Center’s professor of national security studies, sharing some preliminary findings and research from a book he is writing on Russian national identity and foreign policy.
Another example is when retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. James Howcroft, Marshall Center’s Program on Terrorism and Security Studies program director, and First Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Ivan Rusnak teamed up for a presentation on the PTSS curriculum development.
Kreiler said that other sessions have been targets of opportunity when subject matter experts visit the Marshall Center, such as Defense Security Cooperation Agency Director U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Charles Hooper and The American Interest Editor Dr. Adam Garfinkle.
Fellows and interns attending the Marshall Center’s U.S. Senior Fellows Program, Master of Arts Program in International Security Studies or an Internship Program financed by German Government have also presented during the discussions. For example, U.S. Army Col. Ryan Roseberry presented on Russia’s use of natural gas as a tool or weapon of influence over Europe, and U.S. Army Col. Ryan Worthan presented on” Russia as a Hybrid State: Implications for Deterrence.”
The next roundtable session will be Dr. Suzanne Loftus, Marshall Center’s professor on national security studies, who will speak on “70 years of NATO Transatlantic Community at a Standstill” May 29.