NSFA Forums
National Security and Foreign Affairs Forums
In the 2024 – 2025 Foreign Affairs series, experts from across the UT campus and Oak Ridge National Laboratory will discuss their research findings on disinformation and propaganda. Understanding the use of these tools is crucial to U.S. national security, as it empowers individuals and institutions to recognize and combat deceptive narratives that undermine democratic processes and societal stability.
Upcoming Forums
Past Forums
U.S. Companies Operating in China and the Debate about ‘Friendshoring’
Professor Thomas Goldsby, the Dee and Jimmy Haslam Chair of Logistics and co-executive director for the Global Supply Chain Institute at UTK’s Haslam College of Business, discusses what actions U.S. companies are taking to contend with the uncertainties surrounding supply chains due to geopolitics and conflicts.
Rare Earth Minerals and U.S. Dependence on Foreign Sources
This presentation by Dr. Deborah Penchoff, associate director of the Innovative Computing Laboratory at UT’s Department of Nuclear Engineering, will discuss the critical role that Rare Earth Elements (REEs) play in national security and everyday needs and how the United States’ reliance on foreign sources presents strategic vulnerabilities.
China’s Nuclear Weapons Buildup
Dr. Wonjae Hwang, a professor in UTK’s Department of Political Science, discusses the impact of trade and investment restrictions on U.S. allies and explains the economic consequences from the U.S.-China rivalry for the U.S. and its allies.
The Impact of U.S. Restrictions on High-Tech Trade with China on U.S. Allies
Dr. Wonjae Hwang, a professor in UTK’s Department of Political Science, discusses the impact of trade and investment restrictions on U.S. allies and explains the economic consequences from the U.S.-China rivalry for the U.S. and its allies.
Impacts of Limitations of Workforce Development in Machining on U.S. National Security
Dr. Tony Schmitz, professor in the UTK Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering, discusses the challenges the U.S. is facing in preparing the workforce to counter supply chain problems, dependency on China, and national security concerns.