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*** sent out on behalf of Prof. Jim Linnemann *****
The Physics-Astronomy Colloquium on Thursday December 1 will be given by Laura Grego of the Union of Concerned Scientists. The abstract is given below.
Dr. Grego will also be holding two special meetings during the day:
Thinking about a Career in Public Policy?
Noon to 1pm BPS room 4270:
Dr. Grego transitioned her career from astrophysics to public policy. She will explain career options if you are interested in applying your scientific expertise to public policy, as well as programs and
sources of information that might help, including those available from the Union of Concerned Scientists.
How you can be a Citizen-Scientist
1-2pm BPS room 1400
Dr. Grego will offer a session for scientists who are interested in affecting public policy. You have important knowledge that you can offer to others, even if most of your time is spent on basic research.
She will explain options for interested scientists who wish to advance scientifically-informed policy discussion, by interacting with Congress, writing op-ed pieces, or getting on the mailing list or joining the Union of Concerned Scientists and/or its Science
Network. UCSUSA http://www.ucsusa.org/about-us#.WDynk_krJaR provides widely-respected science-informed policy input on a
range of issues, particularly Clean Energy, Clean Vehicles, Food & Agriculture, Nuclear Power, and Nuclear Weapons.
Abstract for P-A Colloquium:
Strategic Missile Defense: Understanding its Limits
4:10 pm BPS 1415
The United States has pursued defenses against nuclear-armed long-range ballistic missiles since at least the 1950s. The current incarnation, the Ground-based Midcourse
Defense (GMD) system, has its technological origins in the 1990s; the system is designed to launch interceptors from Alaska or California toward incoming warheads, destroying them with the force of impact. The program was accelerated in 2002 by President George
W. Bush, who directed the Pentagon to field the GMD system on an extremely aggressive schedule, nominally to respond to potential threats from North Korea and Iran.
Today, nearly 15 years later, the GMD program’s price tag is $40 billion and counting. Its test record is poor and it has no demonstrated ability to stop an incoming
missile under real-world conditions. No credible strategy is in place to solve the issue of decoys and other countermeasures that an adversary could deploy to confuse the defense. Despite the system’s struggles, Congress is pushing to expand the system to
a new site, potentially in Michigan.
In this talk, I will take a look at how the GMD system is working and what its prospects are to contribute meaningfully to U.S. security, as well as how this balances
against the risks inherent in pursuing strategic missile defense.
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Dr. Grego will be meeting with individual members of Physics-Astronomy on Thursday; Professor Linnemann will be arranging her schedule. If you are interested in meeting with Dr. Grego, please send him an
email ([log in to unmask]) along with feasible times. If you are interested in dining with Dr. Grego, please mention that as well.
Kim Crosslan
Graduate Secretary
Dept. Physics and Astronomy
567 Wilson Rd, room 1312
East Lansing, MI 48824
(517) 884-5531