No images? Click here September 2022Welcome Ambassador Kennedy, Miah Hammond-ErreyOn 1 September, the United States Studies Centre (USSC) had the pleasure of welcoming US Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy for a roundtable discussion with some of our experts. For me, personally, it was a bit of a full-circle moment as our connection was first formed during her tenure as Ambassador to Japan and now we are both working on alliances, here in Australia. The lessons from her time in Japan are especially significant for Australia at this time, as Director of Research Jared Mondschein detailed in his recent analysis. As we look at both challenges and opportunities for the US-Australia alliance and other regional alliances, certain themes consistently come to the fore. Chief among these? The threats and solutions posed by rapidly evolving technology. With this in mind, I am delighted to share that we are launching a new research program focused on Emerging Technology, with Dr Miah Hammond-Errey as its inaugural director. Her vision for the program is iterative and expansive. Dr Hammond-Errey shared, "Through the new USSC Emerging Technology program I want us to be a leading voice on technology in multilateral initiatives like AUKUS, the opportunities and threats for broader society and, critically, how we leverage technology to build and strengthen alliances." As I write this, alliances are front of mind with the US midterms, now less than six weeks away. We have received new polling data on sentiment toward alliances, US foreign policy, trade and a view of the most critical issues facing the next Congress. This will be the focus of our upcoming report US Midterms 2022: The stakes for Australia and the alliance. We will be launching this publicly at the end of October and will share at a launch event featuring the New York Times' Jane Coaston and ABC's Annabel Crabb. If you'd like to request a copy of the report when it's available, please let us know at ussc.media@sydney.edu.au and to make sure you get the invitation to our upcoming Midterms event, please subscribe to event invitations here. We look forward to a busy October and November and hope to see you at one or more of our upcoming webinars and events. Sincerely NEWS 365 days of AUKUSThis month, USSC marked one-year of the breakthrough AUKUS partnership with an updated explainer by Research Fellow Dr Peter K. Lee and Program Associate Alice Nason and an op-ed published in the Australian Financial Review. The first year saw both breakthroughs and challenges, with a lot of key questions regarding key deliverables to be addressed at the end of the 18-month scoping period in March 2023. In the interim, the explainer notes "Keeping the public regularly informed will be necessary to counter disinformation and avoid turning AUKUS into an initiative that polarises the public along party lines, as early public opinion polling suggests is already occurring." US Midterms 2022In October, USSC will launch our midterms 2022 program of publications and events. We will release a number of explainers on different aspects of the US midterms and what they mean for Australia. On 26 October, we will launch our major report US Midterms 2022: The stakes for Australia and the alliance featuring polling conducted across the United States, Australia and Japan on everything from AUKUS and Taiwan to the biggest perceived challenges to democracy in the United States at the moment. As part of our midterms program of work, the USSC is pleased to welcome Jane Coasten from the New York Times as a Visiting Fellow in October for key events around the midterms. Now hiring: multiple rolesThe USSC is currently expanding our team to deliver an ambitious program of work in 2023 and beyond. We are seeking motivated, collaborative team members to join us across a range of teams including:
The Centre is open to flexible working arrangements, providing a work-life balance and the ability to meet personal needs. If you or someone you know would be a good fit, please let us know. Learn more about current vacancies here. Student awards night 2022With a night of networking, food and drinks, and giveaways, we successfully wrapped the 2021-2022 USSC Student Prizes Dinner, where we honoured our highest achieving American Studies major students. The prizes were given out by the Academic Lead and the Lecturer in American Studies, Dr Aaron Nyerges. This year's winners are Mateo Baskaran, Annabel Bendavid, Alexis Mia Bundt, Zoe Coles, Poppy Mae Duwenbeck, Ava Louise, Olivia Lam, Imogen Nevell, Elizabeth Mary Perrignon and Sophie Shead. Each student received a prize along with their award. Special guests included CEO Dr Michael Green, USSC alumni as well as various members of the academic and research teams. USSC perspectivesUSSC experts reflected on the one-year anniversary of the AUKUS (Australia, United Kingdom, United States) partnership and if Australia will see nuclear-powered submarines in service, and a call to action for US trade.
In the newsWhilst the one-year anniversary of AUKUS was a major focus in September, but a continued focus on shifts in the region - especially related to Taiwan - and US domestic politics around former President Trump continued to draw media attention in Australia. Why the US will need Australia’s north more than ever MAGA Republicans are a danger to American democracy Biden calls out Trump-led extremism War in Ukraine is not progressing how Putin 'would've liked' Did the Morrison government change the relationship between religion and politics in Australia? IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Event replaysThe latest videos from our webinars and events are available on our YouTube channel. Catch up on these events through the USSC Live podcast and on YouTube. Here are the latest replays:
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