Emerging Voices Series: Strategy, Security & Defence at Arizona State University
Security & Defence PLuS will launch the Emerging Voices Series: Strategy, Security & Defence at Arizona State University (ASU) on Monday 2 March, 2026. This one-day conference will bring together established leaders and recognised experts with rising and underrepresented voices to explore the future of strategy, security, and defence.
Date / Time:
Monday 2 March 2026: 0830-1630 (MST)
Location:
The Lincoln Room, Fulton Center, ASU Tempe Campus, 300 E. University Dr. Tempe, Arizona
Building on the success of the Athena Series: Women in Strategy Conferences, the Emerging Voices Series pairs senior expertise with new ideas and talent, creating space for intergenerational dialogue and forward-looking debate. The series connects scholars and practitioners from across academia, government, industry, and the military, drawing on the strengths of Arizona State University, the PLuS Alliance, and the wider policy and defence community.
The conference themes will reflect ASU’s distinctive research strengths and regional priorities. Discussions will explore leadership and innovation, critical infrastructure protection, alliance dynamics and regional security, and future-facing issues such as space, AI and defence technology.
Speakers include:
- Congressman Greg Stanton, US Representative, Arizona’s 4th District
- US Air Force Lieutenant General (Ret.) Jennifer M. Short
- Paul Rennie OBE, British Consul General in Los Angeles
- Dr Chris Howard, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Arizona State University
- Dr Laurie Leshin, University Professor for Space Futures; Former Director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Abraham Denmark, Partner, Asia Group; Former Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Defense
- Dr Kristin Lord, Vice President, Global Strategy & Engagement, Arizona State University
- Lynndy Smith, President & CEO, Arizona Defense & Industry Coalition
- Ali Torabi, CEO, Lawrence Semiconductors
- Jim Carouso, CSIS Senior Adviser & Senior US Diplomat
- Dr John Blaxland, Professor of International Security & Intelligence Studies & Director of the North America Liaison Office, Australian National University
- Brigadier (Ret.) Dr Ian Langford, Executive Director, Security & Defence PLuS
- Dr Nadya Bliss, Executive Director, Advanced Capabilities for National Security Institute, Arizona State University
- Dr Ryan Shaw, Managing Director of Strategic Initiatives & Senior University Advisor to the President, Office of University Affairs, Arizona State University
- Dr Lily McElwee, President & CEO, Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations (PCFR)
- Josh Lane VP, Business Development, Utility Engineering
- Dr Alicia Ellis, Director, Master of Arts in Global Security Program, School of Politics & Global Studies, Arizona State University
- Hannah Kerner, Assistant Professor, School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, Arizona State University
- Noelle Troutman, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Northern Iowa; Former S&D+ Postdoctoral Fellow
- Dr Deniz Berfin Karakoc, Assistant Professor, School of Computing & Augmented Intelligence, Arizona State University
- Ryan Leavitt, PhD Candidate in Political Science, Arizona State University & Lieutenant Colonel, US Air Force
- Mariam Kvaratskhelia, Research Associate, Future Security Scenarios Lab, New America
- Peggy-Jean Allin, Research Analyst, Advanced Capabilities for National Security Institute, Arizona State University
- Wanting Lee, PhD Candidate in Political Science, Arizona State University
- Myke C. Cohen, PhD Candidate in Human Systems Engineering, Arizona State University & Associate Scientist, Aptima, Inc.
- Chris (Chih-Hua) Tseng, Non-Resident Fellow, Research Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technology (DSET)
This event will mark the first instalment of the Emerging Voices Series, with further conferences planned later in the year at King’s College London and UNSW.
We encourage in-person attendance where possible, however, live-streamed participation will be available for those unable to attend in person. Please register for both in-person and online attendance.
WHAT IS SECURITY & DEFENCE PLUS?
Security & Defence PLuS is the flagship program of the PLuS Alliance, a global partnership which combines the strengths of three leading research universities on three continents – Arizona State University, King’s College London, and the University of New South Wales – to solve global challenges.
Security & Defence PLuS deepens this partnership, advancing research, education, and policy to support statecraft in the spirit of the 2021 AUKUS trilateral agreement between the governments of Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
