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Walter Christman
Dr. Walter Christman has joined the Middlebury Institute’s Cyber Initiative as senior global engagement fellow.

Dr. Walter Christman has joined the Middlebury Institute’s Cyber Initiative as Senior Global Engagement Fellow. Dr. Christman has had a distinguished 30-year career in the U.S. government, including service at the White House, Department of State, Department of Defense and Congress, on issues related to peace, security, global engagement and education. He is perhaps best known for conceiving and founding the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, which has educated tens of thousands of participants in defense and security topics over the past 20 years. For this effort, he was awarded the U.S. Secretary of Defense Meritorious Service Medal.

“The MIIS Cyber program explores the leading edge of the knowledge revolution,” says Dr. Christman, adding that it “poses the questions the few ask, recognizing that the integration of people, technology, processes and organizations is constantly changing and adapting, thereby creating new possibilities for both creativity and chaos.” He goes on to say that “We can be a positive force on a global basis… in support of more free and open society everywhere.” Dr. Itamara Lochard, director of the MIIS Cyber Initiative, says she is “delighted” to welcome him to the Initiative, where he will assist with expanding its global network, help develop education modules on global politics as it relates to information and technology, security and peace efforts, publish research, and provide input to students, staff and faculty. “I believe he will be a great asset to our community and partners,” says Lochard.

Dr. Christman hopes to add to the program’s ability to ask the right questions, helping it to move from challenges to opportunities to solutions. For him, two initial questions come to mind: “How can we promote an innovative systems approach that can help cultivate and sustain more effective security partnerships around the globe? And what are the key challenges and collectively owned opportunities that a global network of people, ideas and processes must confront to enable smart decision making everywhere by tomorrow’s agile, resilient, and effective leaders?” Dr. Christman and his colleagues at the Middlebury Institute will consider possible answers in the years ahead.

For More Information

Jason Warburg
jwarburg@middlebury.edu
831.647.3156

Eva Gudbergsdottir
eva@middlebury.edu
831.647.6606