Johns Hopkins SAIS to host “The National Defense Strategy at Year Two,” with U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper, February 6, in Washington, DC
MEDIA ADVISORY
Johns Hopkins SAIS will host U.S. Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper on February 6 for a discussion titled, “The National Defense Strategy at Year Two.” The event is presented by the school’s Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies.
Dr. Mara Karlin, Director of Strategic Studies and the Merrill Center, will moderate the discussion with Secretary Esper.
Speaker
Mark T. Esper
Secretary of Defense, U.S. Department of Defense
Moderator
Mara Karlin
Associate Professor of the Practice
Director, Strategic Studies and Merrill Center for Strategic Studies, Johns Hopkins SAIS
Time and Date
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Location
Johns Hopkins SAIS
Kenney Herter Auditorium
1740 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20036
Media access
For media granted access, pre-authorized camera setup will only be permitted from 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. The event will be livestreamed on the Johns Hopkins SAIS Events YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOFbAToYAKM&feature=youtu.be
Media Contact
Jason Lucas
Communications Manager
Johns Hopkins SAIS
+1 (202) 663-5620 office
+1 (202) 422-2652 mobile
[email protected]
About the Speaker
Dr. Mark T. Esper was sworn in as the 27th Secretary of Defense on July 23, 2019. Previously, he served as Acting Secretary of Defense and Secretary of the Army within the Trump administration. During the George W. Bush administration, he served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Negotiations Policy at the Pentagon.
A 1986 United States Military Academy graduate, Esper received his commission in the Infantry. Upon completion of Ranger and Pathfinder training, he served in the 101st Airborne Division and participated in the Gulf War with the “Screaming Eagles.” He later commanded a rifle company in the 3-325 Airborne Battalion Combat Team in Vicenza, Italy. He retired from the U.S. Army in 2007 after spending 10 years on active duty and 11 years in the National Guard and Army Reserve.
Esper was a recipient of the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service. His many military awards and decorations also include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal-Saudi Arabia, and Combat Infantryman Badge.
About the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies
The Philip Merrill Center explores the relationship between politics and the many kinds of military power, aiming to promote dialogue and innovative research on pressing national security issues. The Merrill Center develops educational materials and provides opportunities for university and professional teachers to develop skills in this field. As a center for strategic thought, it focuses on the relationship between history and policy, bringing together practitioners, scholars, and journalists to explore issues of intellectual substance and practical consequence.
The Merrill Center sponsors conferences and small seminars discussing contemporary security issues and strategic thinking on the broad challenges the U.S. faces today and will face in the future. In addition, the Merrill Center brings outside speakers to the Johns Hopkins SAIS community.
For more information, visit merrillcenter.sais-jhu.edu, @SAISStrat (Twitter) or @SAISStrategicStudies (Facebook).
About Johns Hopkins SAIS
A division of Johns Hopkins University, the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) is a global institution that offers students an international perspective on today's critical issues. For 75 years, Johns Hopkins SAIS has produced great leaders, thinkers, and practitioners of international relations. Public leaders and private sector executives alike seek the counsel of the faculty, whose ideas and research inform and shape policy. Johns Hopkins SAIS offers a global perspective across three campus locations: Bologna, Italy; Nanjing, China; and Washington, D.C. The school's interdisciplinary curriculum is strongly rooted in the study of international economics, international relations, and regional studies, preparing students to address multifaceted challenges in the world today.
For more information, visit sais.jhu.edu or on Twitter @SAISHopkins
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