Assessing U.S.-China Technology Competition in Africa
Speaker: Sam Howell (Center for a New American Security (CNAS)) Date: 4 April 2023 Speaker Session Summary SMA hosted a speaker session with Ms. Sam Howell (Technology and National Security Program, Center for a New American Security) as part of its SMA Anticipating the Future Operational Environment (AFOE) Speaker Series. China is using technology exports to […]
Continue ReadingList of Upcoming SMA Speaker Sessions
(Updated 3 June 2025) For general speaker series inquiries and information on how to join an event, please contact Mariah Yager (mariah.c.yager.ctr@mail.mil). Wednesday June 4 1100 EDT Tuesday June 24 1100 EDT Tuesday July 1 1000 EDT Thursday July 24 (Time TBD)
Continue ReadingThe Dilemmas Posed by the Great Power Competition on Political Transitions and the Security Landscape in the Sahel
Speaker: Dr. Joseph Sany (US Institute of Peace) Date: 30 March 2023 Speaker Session Summary SMA hosted a speaker session with Dr. Joseph Sany (United States Institute for Peace [USIP]) as part of its SMA “Anticipating the Future Operational Environment” (AFOE) Speaker Series. The US, China, and Russia are locked in a global struggle for geopolitical […]
Continue ReadingThe Belt and Road Initiative at 10 Years Old and the Future of China-Africa Relations
Speaker: Dr. Lina Benabdallah (Assistant Professor of Politics and International Affairs, Wake Forest University) Date: 22 March 2023 Speaker Session Summary SMA hosted a speaker session with Dr. Lina Benabdallah (Assistant Professor of Politics and International Affairs, Wake Forest University) as part of its SMA “Anticipating the Future Operational Environment” (AFOE) Speaker Series. China’s Belt and […]
Continue ReadingHow Kenyans Are Responding to China’s Belt and Road Initiative: Adding Nuance with Hyperlocal Data
Speakers: Erica Turner (Senior Data Analyst & Project Manager, Fraym) and Elijah Santiago (Senior Manager for Growth, Fraym) Date: 7 March 2023 Speaker Session Summary SMA hosted a speaker session with Ms. Erica Turner (Senior Data Analyst & Project Manager, Fraym) and Mr. Elijah Santiago (Senior Manager for Growth, Fraym) as part of its SMA “Anticipating […]
Continue ReadingClimate-linked Mobility in Africa: Opportunities and Threats
Speaker: Dr. Aimee-Noël Mbiyozo (Senior Migration Researcher, Institute for Security Studies, Africa) Date: 15 February 2023 Speaker Session Summary SMA hosted a speaker session with Dr. Aimée-Noël Mbiyozo (Institute for Security Studies, Africa) as part of its SMA “Anticipating the Future Operational Environment” (AFOE) Speaker Series. Climate change is forcing Africans from their communities as local resources […]
Continue ReadingWhy Extremist Insurgencies Spread: Insights from the Sahel
Speaker: Dr. Anouar Boukhars (Africa Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University; McDaniel College) Date: 10 January 2023 Speaker Session Summary SMA hosted a speaker session with Dr. Anouar Boukhars (Professor of Countering Violent Extremism and Counterterrorism, Africa Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University; Associate Professor of Political Science, McDaniel College) as part of […]
Continue ReadingUS-China Technological “Decoupling”: Strategy, Policy, and Military Implications
Speaker: Jon Bateman (Senior Fellow, Technology and International Affairs Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) Date: 20 December 2022 Speaker Session Summary SMA hosted a speaker session with Mr. Jon Bateman (Senior Fellow, Technology and International Affairs Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) as part of its SMA “Anticipating the Future Operational Environment” (AFOE) Speaker Series. The […]
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Modeling Exploitable Conditions in the 21st Century Strategic Environment
SMA Anticipating the Future Operational Environment (AFOE) Computational Modeling Update Speaker: Dr. Lawrence Kuznar (Chief Cultural Sciences Officer, NSI) Date: 30 November 2022 Speaker Session Summary SMA hosted a speaker session with Dr. Lawrence A. Kuznar (NSI) as part of its SMA “Anticipating the Future Operational Environment” (AFOE) Speaker Series. The creation of a computational model that […]
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Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace
Speaker: Dr. Christopher Blattman (Ramalee E. Pearson Professor of Global Conflict Studies, Pearson Institute and Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago) Date: 18 October 2022 Speaker Session Summary SMA hosted a speaker session with Dr. Christopher Blattman (Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago) as part of its SMA “Anticipating the Future Operational Environment” (AFOE) Speaker […]
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