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WEBINAR: How to Pay for the War in Ukraine
On Wednesday, December 04, 2024, at 12:00 PM (EST) the Global Policy Institute (GPI) and Bay Atlantic University (BAU), in collaboration with the Institute of Democracy and Development “PolitA” will hold an event titled "How to Pay for the War in Ukraine" via Zoom and in-person at BAU, 8th floor conference room. Wars often lead to deficit financing, as taxes alone typically cannot provide sufficient funds to support military efforts. The Russia-Ukraine war is no exception. In this discussion, Dr. Gergun will explore two distinct models of deficit financing for military expenditures in contemporary Russia and Ukraine. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each model? How have Western-led sanctions impacted the Russian economy and financial system? And what can be done to enhance Ukraine's economic resilience? Interestingly, answers to these questions might come from unexpected sources, such as Singapore’s adoption of Keynesian concepts like deferred consumption and limited convertibility of domestic currency from Keynes's essay “How to Pay for the War” (1940).
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Accurate Tests from One Drop of blood?
By Paolo von Schirach - November 25, 2024 - Some may remember the story of Elizabeth Holmes, the very young American entrepreneur, Stanford University dropout, who founded Theranos, a company that supposedly was able to manufacture blood test equipment that allowed to perform scores of blood tests utilizing only a drop of blood. Imagine that. Suddenly, the typical patient would not need to go to a medical facility where a significant amount of blood would be drawn to perform a limited number of tests. None of that. Anybody could go to any pharmacy or drug store. Once there, a simple and painless prick on a finger. A drop of blood would be collected, and then the Theranos futuristic machines would do all the tests, “while you wait”. Just like getting new heels on your shoes. A simple, painless, mundane task.
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Modern Web Application Security Threats and Countermeasure Techniques
On Friday, November 22, 2024, at 5:30 PM (EST) the Global Policy Institute (GPI) and Bay Atlantic University (BAU) will hold a talk titled " Modern Web Application Security Threats and Countermeasure Techniques" via Zoom and in-person at BAU. Speaker: Leveraging over a decade of experience, Mr. Peter Paccione brings a wealth of expertise in cybersecurity, specializing in penetration testing and network defense. Peter’s career spans a wide range of impactful roles, including working with defense agencies and currently serving at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). From conducting in-depth vulnerability assessments for mission-critical systems to leading technical teams through high-stakes projects, Peter’s innovative problem-solving and meticulous attention to detail have earned him recognition across the cybersecurity industry. Peter’s ability to navigate the complexities of national security environments has positioned him as a trusted leader in safeguarding some of the most sensitive networks in the nation. His passion for empowering others is evident in his talent for educating end users, fostering collaboration, and developing comprehensive security protocols. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Peter is dedicated to staying at the forefront of emerging network technologies. He holds multiple industry certifications and thrives in environments that demand both strategic leadership and hands-on technical expertise. Peter’s commitment to excellence ensures the systems he protects are resilient against the evolving landscape of cyber threats.
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Aircraft Carrier Delayed by Budgeteers (From CBS Radio “Eye on the World”)
By Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D. - November 18, 2024 - Will Congress or the new Trump team fix the Biden administration’s shock decision to halt procurement of aircraft carrier CVN-82? Stopping for two years could be catastrophic. As I told CBS Radio, about 2,000 companies contribute to building an aircraft carrier, and “some of those long-lead suppliers may go out of business if there is a big gap.” In a few years, we may not have enough aircraft carriers to cover all the hotspots in the world. “The other shocking thing to me is, the Biden administration has used aircraft carriers,” I told hosts John Batchelor and Gordon Chang. “They had five different carriers rotating just through the Red Sea and North Arabian Gulf station this year to take care of the Houthis and keep a lid on Iran. So, the demand signals are very, very high for carriers. It’s a perplexing, strategic mistake, I think, by the Biden team to try to put off buying the next one.”
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Can AI Help in Improving U.S. Military Logistics?
By Paolo von Schirach - November 14, 2024 - The Wall Street Journal recently published an article highlighting what may be one of the biggest challenges that the U.S. military will face in case of a prolonged conflict in faraway regions: grossly inadequate logistics. Logistics? How could that be so important? We all thought that victory would be secured by futuristic, high-tech weapons expertly managed by scientists-soldiers sitting in the next generation vehicles designed as command centers. The term logistics conjures up images of trucks delivering food or blankets to the front lines. Routine missions about low tech, boring stuff. Well, not so. General Omar Bradley, undoubtedly one of the top US commanders in WW II, famously said that “Amateurs study strategy, professionals study logistics.”
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Addressing Russian Disinformation: Insights from the Coalition Against Disinformation Conference
On October 29th, the Global Policy Institute (GPI) participated in the Russian Disinformation: Tactics, Influence, and Threats to National Security conference, held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. This event convened experts across media, politics, security, human rights, and religious communities to examine the evolving threat of Russian disinformation on national and international stability. The conference was organized by the Coalition Against Disinformation, a network of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) united by a commitment to countering disinformation and upholding information integrity and democratic values. As a contributing coalition member, GPI—an independent think tank based in Washington, D.C.—supports evidence-based strategies and policy solutions for pressing global issues, focusing on international relations, economics, and security. GPI collaborates with Bay Atlantic University to foster research and discussion, engaging scholars, practitioners, and students to address complex political and economic challenges. Led by Paolo von Schirach, Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Bay Atlantic University (BAU), in Washington DC., and an expert in U.S. politics, international security, NATO, U.S.-China relations, and global energy issues, GPI emphasizes multidisciplinary approaches, recognizing the need for cross-sector insights to inform effective policymaking. Paolo von Schirach is also the founder and editor of The Schirach Report, an online publication addressing current political and economic challenges.
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Finally, a Breakthrough in Battery Technology?
By Paolo von Schirach - November 11, 2024 - Form Energy, a relatively unknown U.S. firm, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, and now also by many high-profile private sector investors, including Bill Gates, claims that it has created a new type of battery that will –finally– make renewable energy truly cost effective. We all know that the world would like to move away from carbon-based energy at the same time embracing renewables, as soon as possible. It is also well known that the weak spot of wind and solar electricity generation is that it is not constant. All is well when the sun shines and the wind blows at the desired speed. But at night, or when the wind does not blow, there is no electricity generation. Hence the need to add back-up systems to renewable energy plants, usually gas fired plants that will kick in when there is no renewable energy generation. This makes the renewables-based systems more complicated and more expensive.
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GPI-BAU Talk Series – Elevate your Pitch: Mastering the Art of Securing Capital
On Monday, November 11, 2024, at 6:00 PM (EST) the Global Policy Institute (GPI) and Bay Atlantic University (BAU) will hold a talk titled " Elevate your Pitch: Mastering the Art of Securing Capital" via Zoom and in-person at BAU. Focus will be on providing insights and best practices to MBA students and the public on how to give compelling business pitches to VCs, "shark tank" style. Speakers include Angela Petras who is a former Accenture organization change management consultant and a Certified Professional Co-active leadership/professional development coach and has spent 15+ years serving the higher education space at four reputable schools of business, including American University (AU), George Washington University (GWU), Georgetown University and UC Berkeley. Most recently, she served as Assistant Dean of Experiential Learning at American University. She is an intrapreneur who thrives working with creative minds and ideas. While at GWU and AU, she created groundbreaking experiential learning and development programs for university students pursuing careers in consulting and other industries. Her signature programs included communities of practice and pro bono consulting projects, where hundreds of students served as real consultants solving complex problems for 80+ clients around the world, across all industries.
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Will Nuclear Power Fuel AI Centers in America?
By Paolo von Schirach - November 6, 2024 - AI revolution is gaining momentum in America. NVIDIA, maker of the coveted chips which constitute AI’s key components (85% of global supply), from nowhere reached a market capitalization of about $ 3.4 trillion, becoming overnight the second most valuable company in the world –higher valuation than Microsoft or Saudi Aramco. Having taken notice of the unfolding revolution, all the major tech companies have jumped into the AI space hoping to reap incredible profits. That said, the AI revolution has created an unforeseen major problem for tech companies. AI data centers consume massive amounts of electricity. To date, America simply does not produce enough electricity to power the numerous AI data centers the tech companies want to develop as soon as possible. Big tech already consumes 4% of all electricity in the U.S. Soon enough it will be 9%. Where will all this additional electricity come from?
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Innovation Ecosystems
By Paolo von Schirach - October 30, 2024 - What is the magic formula for successful technological innovation? In broad terms, we know. You need a country with a sizable market that can absorb commercially viable innovations, state of the art infrastructure, some great research universities that breed top notch scientists and managers with great new ideas, robust capital markets, availability of risk capital and venture capitalists that can harness it, rule of law and independent courts, zero corruption, enforceable patent laws. We all know that these are the necessary ingredients. However, in practice, nobody really knows what the right mix should be. Let me explain with an example. Everyone knows about Silicon Valley, a world-famous tech hub located in Northern California. Erroneously, many believe that Silicon Valley is the fruit of a great strategic plan. They assume that brilliant minds gathered near San Francisco and conceived the Big Idea of creating the world’s most important tech hub by attracting skilled talent and new companies.
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