In March, the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station’s (TEES) Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives, joined with the TEES Institute of Nuclear-Security and Cyber-Security Education and Research, the Bush School of Government and Public Service, and the Texas A&M University student chapter of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management to present a panel discussion on 21st Century Deterrence and the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review.
The event, which was open to the public, was moderated by Dr. Marvin Adams, HTRI professor of nuclear engineering at Texas A&M and associate director of INSCER. The panelists included Rebecca Hersman, director of the Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) and senior advisor of the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic International Studies, Dr. Robert Webster, principal associate director for the weapons program at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Dr. Jasen Castillo, associate professor at the Bush School, and Dr. Matthew Fuhrmann, professor of political science at Texas A&M.
The discussion centered on the latest Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), which reviews U.S. nuclear weapons policy and describes strategies for the coming years. Given the evolving global threats present in the current geopolitical environment, the the question of how the U.S. can maintain effective deterrence has become especially critical. Panelists addressed how this newest NPR differs from previous versions and what those changes—and similarities—mean for U.S. weapons strategies and its role in extending nuclear security guarantees to allies in Europe and Asia. The group also answered many questions from the audience.