CUSA co-sponsored a conference on "Charting a Course for Homeland Security Strategic Studies," at the United States Coast Guard Academy, November 16-18, 2004. This conference brought together government, academic and private sector participants to discuss the creation of curricula for Homeland Security Strategic Studies. Read the conference welcome letter by Secretary Tom Ridge.

CUSA co-sponsored a meeting on “Beyond Zoonoses: One World, One Health, The Threat of Emerging Diseases to Human Security and Conservation, and the Implications for Public Policy,” on November 15, 2004 at the Ministry of Public Health, Thailand in Bangkok, Thailand. This meeting included presentations by CUSA Director Richard Matthew on “Security in the 21st Century: the Challenge of Transnational Threat Systems,” and Experts Board member Lance L. Simpson on “Linkages among Health Policy, and Security.”

How much has our American lifestyle changed in the post 9-11 years? And how much will it continue to change? On the next Cox Forum program the guest will be Dr. Richard Matthew, Director of the Center for Unconventional Security Affairs at UCI. He will share the findings of recent research into the effects of terrorism on society. Tune in live on Friday, September 10th at 7:00 p.m on Cox channel 3.

As part of ongoing four nation study with IUCN on “Sustainable Livelihoods, Environmental Security and Conflict Mitigation” Richard Matthew participated in a workshop in Kathmandu hosted by IUCN Nepal in August 2004. Richard Matthew is a senior member of the Resource Team for this IUCN project funded by USAID.

Urban Security course tours LA/Long Beach Port

Members of a new course on Urban Security toured the LA/Long Beach Port on June 9, 2004. Following a  presentation by the Coast Guard on port security challenges, class members were treated to a water's eye view of the port and were able to interact with port based law enforcement agents.

CUSA co-sponsored a conference on "Agroterrorism: Network, Expert Systems, Risk Communication and Fast Track Diagnostics in Response" on June 8, 2004. This conference was held at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Irvine Facility.

"Obstacles to Developing Rational Countermeasures to Bioterrorism" by Lance Simpson was presented at 3:30 pm Monday, June 7th, 2004 MPAA Building 408. Lance Simpson, PhD, is Professor of Medicine and Chief, Division of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Medicine, Jefferson Medical College.
 

Dr. Susan Wright presented, "The Biosciences Under the Bush Counterbioterrorism Regime: Moving Towards Militarization?", May 28, 2004 at 12:00 noon in SSPA 2112. Dr. Susan Wright is a Research Scientist in the History of Science and Science Policy at the Institute for Research on Women and Gender located at the University of Michigan.

CUSA presented "Terrorism and Counter Terrorism: A Southern California Perspective," with John Miller, Commanding Officer Counter-Terrorism Bureau, Los Angeles Police Department. Monday, May 24th, 2004 at 7:30 pm in Physical Sciences Lecture Hall 100. This event is free and open to the public.

The next talk in our series on Biological Weapons will be: Dr. Luis Villarreal, "An Agile System to Respond to Biological Threats: UCI Based Whole Proteome Technology", Friday April 30, 2004, 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m., SSPA 2112. Dr. Luis Villarreal is Professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at the University of California, Irvine.

CUSA would like to thank Heather Mills McCartney for her visit to UCI. We are also grateful to all of those who helped make her visit possible. To learn more about "Clearing a Path to a Safer World," by Heather Mills McCartney, click here. This event announced and celebrated the establishment of the Heather Mills McCartney Graduate Fellowship in Human Security.

The Center for Unconventional Security Affairs presents a workshop on "Landmines and Human Security." Wednesday, April 28, 2004 from 10:30 am – 2:00 pm at the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center, University of California Irvine.

CUSA presented "Landmines: Challenges and Progress," a presentation by Donald F. “Pat” Patierno, Executive Director, Bureau of Public Affairs, U.S. Department of State. Tuesday, April 27, 2004, 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm, Social Science Plaza A (SSPA) 1100.

CUSA and CGPACS presented a pair of speakers on Responding to Threats from Biological Weapons on March 26, 2004. Speakers included Mike Sage from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Robert Coullahan from Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). For more information visit the page for our series on Biological and Chemical Weapons.

The UCI Division of CAL-(IT)2 and The Center For Unconventional Security Affairs, presented Dr. H. Felix Wu, "New Challenges in Homeland Security: Advanced Materials and Smart Structures," Thursday, March 18, 2004. Dr. Wu is Advanced Technology Program Manager, National Institute of Standards and Technology.

CUSA co-sponsored "The Costs of "Homeland Security:" The USA Patriot Act, Immigration and Civil Liberties," a lecture by Dr. Natsu Sato on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 at the University Club on the UCI Campus. This lecture was part of the "Changing Face of Orange County," series presented by the Community Outreach Partnership Center.

Dr. Ray Zilinskas, a Professor at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, "The Anti-Plague System of the Former Soviet Union: Assessing Proliferation Risks and Potential for Disease Monitoring in Central Asia and the Caucasus." February 23, 2004, Emerald Bay C, UCI Student Center. This talk was the first in a series on Biological and Chemical Weapons presented jointly by CUSA/CGPACS.

Landmines and Human Security

CUSA presented “Landmines and Human Security". Dr. Kenneth Rutherford is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Southwest Missouri State University and co-Founder of the Landmine Survivors Network, a member of the coordinating committee of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize co-recipient. He lost both his legs to a landmine while conducting humanitarian work in Somalia.

Nils Petter Gleditsch, presented "A Resource Curse? Scarcity and Abundance as Causes of Conflict." Thursday, January 22, 2004, 10:00 am - 11:00am, 408 MPAA Building. Gleditsch is a Research Professor at the International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO) and editor of the Journal of Peace Research.

CUSA and the School of Social Ecology hosted a UCIthink.community forum on "School Safety: Are Schools as Safe as They Should Be?". Speakers inlcuded Orange County Sheriff Michael S. Carona and Orange County Superintendent of Schools William M. Habermehl. For more information visit the UCIthink webpage or read news coverage of the event.

On January 7, 2004 CUSA Director Richard Matthew presented on "New Transnational Threat Networks: Implications for Business in 2004" to the Newport Beach Business Forum. This presentation was given at the Newport Center Club.

Richard Matthew presented on "The Security Implications of Climate Change" at the UCI Newkirk Center for Science and Society's October 30th program on Climate Change.

CUSA hosted An Evening with John Miller, Commanding Officer LAPD Counterterrorism Bureau, October 27, 2003. Mr. Miller discussed trends in global terrorism and his recent book The Cell: Inside the 9/11 Plot, And Why the FBI and CIA Failed to Stop It

As part of ongoing research on Livelihood Security in Southeast Asia, Richard Matthew participated in a 2-day workshop in Kathmandu hosted by IUCN Nepal on July 11-12, 2003. Richard Matthew is a senior member of the Resource Team for this IUCN project funded by USAID. Visit the IUCN project webiste.
 

Richard Matthew speaks at a Conference on Development, Democracy, and the Islamic World held at UCI on March 7, 2003. This event was sponsored by the Center for the Study of Democracy and the Center for Global Peace and Conflict Studies.
 

On April 5th 2002, CUSA hosted a conference on "Global Change and Terrorism: New World, New Threats." The event featured a number of high profile academics, think tank researchers and government officials.

Dr. Richard Matthew participated in a Dialogue on Environmental Resources and Social Conflict, as part of Environment and Security Day sponsored by IUCN's Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP), at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development.

Listen to presentations given by Project Director Richard Matthew on the links between conservation, conflict and vulnerability to disaster delivered at  IUCN's Second World Conservation Congress in Amman, Jordan.