The second Vanderbilt Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats on May 4–5, 2023, convened internationally recognized leaders and experts in the military and intelligence community to examine the most critical topics across cyber conflict, artificial intelligence, peer competition and emerging threats.
DAY 1
On May 4, the summit began with opening remarks from Chancellor Daniel Diermeier, followed by an opening keynote address from Gen. Tod Wolters (Ret.), supreme allied commander, Europe, and commander, U.S. European Command.
He discussed the current Russia-Ukraine war and what it could mean for the West:
This is a conflict of values, which means losing is not an option for the West. Our value system from a U.S. perspective and from a NATO perspective and from a Western democratic values perspective is at war. Losing cannot be an option. And as we look at the gravitas of what we do, when we do it and where we’re headed if this is not taken into account, we may wind up putting ourselves into a premature position that more mirrors World War III as opposed to an isolated conflict, unfortunately causing loss of life in the beautiful country of Ukraine. I contend that this thing called “value system” is strategically as important as fossil fuels, as important as any one of the major subjects that transcend the globe with respect to 21st-century success. And if it’s not protected, we’re in trouble.
David Marlowe, Central Intelligence Agency deputy director of operations, participated in a discussion with Thomas Schwartz, distinguished professor of history and professor of political science and European studies. Marlowe’s visit is only his second such visit to an academic institution in his capacity at the CIA. The discussion centered around the intelligence community’s engagement with academia and the importance of academic research in shaping the deployment of nascent technology.
The day included four panel discussions:
Russia and the Shifting Security Landscape of Eurasia
Chaired by Roya Talibova, incoming assistant professor (starting fall 2023) in the Department of Political Science and at the Data Science Institute, the discussion covered the roles of the U.S. and Europe in the Russia-Ukraine war, including cyberspace operations that are yet to come.
“Cyberspace operations are a great tool when you want to have a strategic impact outside of an armed conflict … The thing to remember is that most cyberspace capabilities are bespoke tools that are expensive and difficult to develop,” said panelist Lt. Col. Kurt Sanger, USMC (Ret.), a director at Integrated Cybersecurity Partners LLC .
- Session Chair: Roya Talibova, postdoctoral research associate, Department of Political Science, DevLab@Penn, University of Pennsylvania; assistant professor (starting fall 2023), Department of Political Science and Data Science Institute, Vanderbilt University
- Panelist: Jonathan “Jon” Darby, former director of operations, National Security Agency
- Panelist: Ambassador Kristjan Prikk, Estonian ambassador to the United States
- Panelist: Eugene Rumer, director and senior fellow, Russia and Eurasia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Panelist: Col. Kurt Sanger, USMC (Ret.), director, Integrated Cybersecurity Partners LLC
- Panelist: Konstantin Sonin, John Dewey Distinguished Service Professor, Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago
Global Competition, China and Security in East Asia
This discussion spanned topics ranging from the importance of international technology transfer and capacity building to the open questions related to North Korea’s nuclear program. Session chair Brett Benson, associate professor of political science and Asian studies, posed the question of whether a political or economic conflict is a viable substitute for an armed conflict. Both Charles Hutzler, senior news editor for The Wall Street Journal, and Adm. Michael S. Rogers (Ret.), U.S. Cyber Command former commander and National Security Agency director, discussed the likelihood of a China-Taiwan conflict.
- Session Chair: Brett Benson, associate professor of political science and Asian studies, Vanderbilt University
- Panelist: The Hon. Christopher Ford, visiting fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University; visiting professor, Graduate Department of Defense and Strategic Studies, Missouri State University
- Panelist: Charles Hutzler, senior news editor, Washington Bureau, The Wall Street Journal
- Panelist: Yeonmi Park, North Korean defector and human rights activist
- Panelist: Michael S. Rogers (Ret.), former commander, U.S. Cyber Command and director, National Security Agency
The Vanderbilt Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats took place on May 4 and 5, 2023. It included remarks from international experts and industry leaders on the nature of modern conflict and emerging threats the intelligence, technology and academic disciplines must consider in this era. Day 1 featured keynote speakers Gen. Tod Wolters and Maj. Gen. Lorna Mahlock and included four panel discussions.
Is Misinformation the New Malware?
In the past six months, the disintegration of social media platforms, the spread of digital echo chambers and the introduction of generative AI technologies have converged to create a misinformation “hellscape,” according to panelist Chris Krebs, Krebs Stamos Group founding partner. What offers hope to panelist Samar S. Ali, research professor of political science and law and founding president and CEO of Millions of Conversations, is that the discussion is being had.
“This is something that we really haven’t been doing until recently,” she said. “Americans … America is really good when we know we have a problem and we’re on the same page that we have a problem. We’re good at solving problems. Making it our patriotic duty and mission to solve this problem … is the pillar of democracy.”
- Session Chair: Niloofar Razi Howe, senior operating partner, Energy Impact Partners
- Panelist: Samar S. Ali, research professor of political science and law, Vanderbilt University; founding president and CEO, Millions of Conversations
- Panelist: Chris Krebs, founding partner, Krebs Stamos Group
- Panelist: Gen. Charlie “Tuna” Moore (Ret.), distinguished visiting professor, Vanderbilt University; former deputy commander, U.S. Cyber Command
Future of Cybersecurity Education in Higher Education
Representatives from the U.S. Army War College, the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy joined Douglas Adams, vice dean of engineering, associate provost and Daniel F. Flowers Professor of Engineering, distinguished professor of civil and environmental engineering and professor of mechanical engineering, for this discussion. Topics included the use of ChatGPT as a tool and education as an opportunity for learning, training, making and using. The panelists all agree on the importance of the human element in keeping systems secure.
“We can build really good, secure technical solutions and we’ll find a way as humans to screw it up … Air gaps exist on systems and yet viruses and malware can still get to them because of the human,” said Cmdr. Ike R. Stutts, USN, permanent military professor and chair of the Cyber Science Department, U.S. Naval Academy.
- Session Chair: Douglas Adams, vice dean of engineering, associate provost, Daniel F. Flowers Professor of Engineering, distinguished professor of civil and environmental engineering, and professor of mechanical engineering, Vanderbilt University
- Panelist: Chad Bates, associate professor in the Center for Strategic Leadership, U.S. Army War College
- Panelist: Jean R. S. Blair, EECS Distinguished Professor for Innovation and professor of computer science, U.S. Military Academy
- Panelist: Joseph Benin, USCG, professor of electrical engineering and cyber systems, U.S. Coast Guard Academy
- Panelist: Judson C. Dressler, permanent professor and head of the Department of Computer and Cyber Sciences, U.S. Air Force Academy
- Panelist: Ike R. Stutts, USN, permanent military professor and chair of the Cyber Science Department, U.S. Naval Academy
The day concluded with the keynote, “Fighting with Bad Math, Implications for Cybersecurity at the Tactical Edge” from the National Security Agency Cybersecurity Directorate’s Deputy Director for Combat Support Maj. Gen. Lorna Mahlock.
DAY 2
After the summit’s second day opening remarks from Diermeier, Jen Easterly, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency director, began the day with an opening keynote address and a fireside chat with Niloofar Razi Howe, Energy Impact Partners senior operating partner.
The day included two panel discussions:
Taking on Tomorrow’s Threats Today
Jules White, associate dean of strategic learning programs in the School of Engineering and associate professor of computer science, articulated the importance of closing the gap between research and education around emerging technologies that are quickly entering the workforce like prompt engineering. Michelle Rozo, In-Q-Tel vice president of technology, discussed biotechnology’s role in our economy, from drugs and crops to industrial products. Projections suggest that biotechnology could be $4 trillion of economic activity annually within the next two decades. Kiersten Todt, chief of staff at CISA, noted the importance of forging international relationships, as “cybersecurity doesn’t respect geographical boundaries, yet our policies and our approaches are very national state, nation, focused.”
- Session Chair: Michael Sulmeyer, principal cyber advisor to the secretary of the army and army chief of staff, U.S. Army
- Panelist: Rob Bair, executive director at Team Cymru
- Panelist: Kelly Fletcher, chief information officer, U.S. Department of State
- Panelist: Michelle Rozo, vice president, technology, In-Q-Tel
- Panelist: Kiersten Todt, chief of staff, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
- Panelist: Jules White, associate dean of strategic learning programs in the School of Engineering and associate professor of computer science, Vanderbilt University
Watch the full discussion.
The Vanderbilt Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats took place on May 4 and 5, 2023. It included remarks from international experts and industry leaders on the nature of modern conflict and emerging threats the intelligence, technology and academic disciplines must consider in this era. Day 2 included keynote speakers Jen Easterly and Gen. Paul Nakasone and included two panel discussions.
AI and the Future of National Security
The discussion, chaired by White, included industry experts, including Sarah Shoker, OpenAI research scientist, Thomas A. Campbell, LEAP Manufacturing co-director and FutureGrasp founder and CEO, Eric Chewning, HII executive vice president of strategy and development, and Charles Clancy, MITRE Labs senior vice president, general manager and chief futurist. The experts explored the security and international competition around AI, challenges to regulating technology, and its most innovative applications.
- Session Chair: Jules White, associate dean of strategic learning programs in the School of Engineering and associate professor of computer science, Vanderbilt University
- Panelist: Thomas A. Campbell, co-director, LEAP Manufacturing; founder and CEO, FutureGrasp
- Panelist: Eric Chewning, executive vice president of strategy and development, HII
- Panelist: Charles Clancy, senior vice president, general manager, MITRE Labs, chief futurist
- Panelist: Sarah Shoker, research scientist, OpenAI
A keynote address titled “Modern Conflict and the Future of Research,” given by Gil Herrera, National Security Agency director of research, drew on historical and modern-day examples demonstrating the importance of collaboration with academia.
The summit’s closing keynote was delivered by Gen. Paul Nakasone, U.S. Army, commander, U.S. Cyber Command, director, National Security Agency/chief, Central Security Service. Nakasone said:
Rapid changes in innovation and technology have turned modern conflict into a far-reaching global problem in ways we could have never imagined just a few years ago. If you take nothing else away from my talk today, it is this: Some may argue the character of warfare is about to fundamentally change. My perspective is that it already has changed.
The changes are exhibited in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the advancement of commercial technologies like generative artificial intelligence, the target of infrastructure and the wide variety of actors. As a result, we must be deliberate in challenging our existing approaches and recognize that the way we previously looked to gain advantage in competition and address crisis and conflict may not be suited for the future. At U.S. Cyber Command, our response is the new character of warfare centers on improving agility, recognizing the power of information, intelligence and influence, and enhancing the skills of our leaders.
Final closing remarks were given by Special Advisor to the Chancellor Brett Goldstein, who thanked all participants and encouraged the conversations initiated at the summit to continue. More information about the Vanderbilt Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats is available online.