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.”
Much of the effort and budget for energy technology innovation goes towards pushing new technology into the market, where it has to pass through private firms. The Department of Energy supports and enables private sector innovation in a number of ways. We look at these mechanisms, especially those that result in a partnership between public and private (and perhaps academic and non-profit) sectors, with the goal of improving the effectiveness of the government’s investment.
Please join us! Coffee and tea will be served.