The overarching question imparting urgency to this exploration is: Can U.S.-Russian contention in cyberspace cause the two nuclear superpowers to stumble into war? In considering this question we were constantly reminded of recent comments by a prominent U.S. arms control expert: At least as dangerous as the risk of an actual cyberattack, he observed, is cyber operations’ “blurring of the line between peace and war.” Or, as Nye wrote, “in the cyber realm, the difference between a weapon and a non-weapon may come down to a single line of code, or simply the intent of a computer program’s user.”
Note: This event has been cancelled due to an unforseen conflict.
Dr. Kelly Sims Gallagher is Director of the Energy Technology Innovation Project (ETIP) of the Science, Technology, and Public Policy (STPP) Program at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University. She has a M.A.L.D. and Ph.D. in International Affairs from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Her research interests include energy technology innovation, international energy cooperation, energy policy, climate change, international environmental policy, and technology transfer. Her dissertation was on the topic of technology transfer through foreign direct investment in the Chinese automobile industry. Formerly, she was the Science Policy Director of Ozone Action in Washington, DC. She participated in more than a dozen rounds of international negotiations on global climate change and ozone depletion, and was an advisor to CNN in Kyoto and Buenos Aires for the climate negotiations. She was previously a Truman Scholar in the Office of Vice President Gore and also worked in strategic planning at the international engineering and construction firm, Fluor Daniel. She has an AB in international affairs and environmental studies from Occidental College. She speaks Spanish and basic Mandarin Chinese.
Dr. Ambuj Sagar is a Research Associate in the Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program and the lead researcher for the India component of the Energy Technology Innovation Project. Dr. Sagar's interests lie in technology policy and environmental policy as well as issues that are at the nexus of these two areas. While his current research focuses mainly on energy technology innovation and the environment in India, he also studies, more broadly, various facets of technology innovation and global environmental issues. Dr. Sagar holds a Ph.D. and an M.S. in Materials Science, as well as an M.S. in Technology and Policy, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His recent papers have focused on energy R&D in India, energy innovation policy, climate change, and capacity development for the environment. He was also a contributing author for the IPCC Third Assessment Report.
Ms. Diane Segal is an MPA/ID student at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.