31 March 2026

The month of March concluded with the United States Studies Centre (USSC) hosting a panel discussion on the war in Iran, including the US strategic objectives as well as the implications for the Iranian people, Australia and the Indo-Pacific more broadly. CEO Michael Green joined AUSIRAN’s Dr Rana Dadpour and National Assembly of Iranian Jurists Barrister Faraz Maghami for a wide-ranging discussion that reflected the urgency of a rapidly shifting geopolitical moment. More USSC analysis and media commentary on this topic — including a USSC podcast, multiple opinion pieces and media interviews as well as a webinar — is available on our website. 

The event was the capstone to another active month at the Centre that included an Indo-Pacific Nuclear Futures tabletop exercise, a Track 1.5 Australia-Japan Technology Uplift Workshop supported by Microsoft, a joint USSC-Chatham House round table in London on economic security, the first Women in the Alliance workshop of 2026 and multiple visits of senior delegations from around the world. 

This month also saw the Centre publish new research, including outcomes reports from our Australia-ROK and Economic Security Dialogue series, a grey-zone simulation report with the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, and new analysis and podcast episodes on nuclear risk and the future of the World Trade Organization. USSC CEO Michael Green also published a new piece in Foreign Affairs on Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and what allies and partners can learn from Japan. 

Finally, USSC has a number of unique academic opportunities, including two new equity scholarships for American Studies students at the University of Sydney, our US Midterms Study Tour, the UCLA Study Abroad Program and a book launch on Errol Flynn.

News

WITA workshop with April Palmerlee, Dr Helen Mitchell and Elizabeth Broderick AO 

March saw the USSC hold the first workshop for the 2026 Women in the Alliance (WITA) Network. On 5 March, the Centre hosted April Palmerlee (CEO, AmCham Australia), Dr Helen Mitchell (former Sir Roland Wilson Scholar, Australian National University) and Elizabeth Broderick AO (Founder and Principal, EB&Co.) for a series of roundtable discussions focused on how geopolitical shifts are impacting economic security.  

The discussions were wide-ranging and solutions-oriented, spanning themes including: 

• How businesses adjust to current geopolitical uncertainties through resiliency, adaptability and policy awareness. 
• How governments can leverage economic statecraft to stay competitive in a contested international system. 
• The power of human storytelling as a vehicle for change. 

Track 1.5 Australia-UK Agenda for Economic Security workshop

Last week, USSC convened a Track 1.5 dialogue on Australia-UK economic security cooperation in London in partnership with Chatham House. Established following the AUKMIN Ministers' meeting in July 2025, this dialogue brought together representatives from the UK and Australian governments, private sector, and experts from academia and think tanks. Discussions focused on key areas for cooperation on economic security, building a shared understanding of risk with government and industry, and finding the balance between national security and economic growth.

In addition, the Australian High Commission in London hosted a reception for participants, with High Commissioner Jay Weatherill AO welcoming guests and underscoring the importance of Australia-UK coordination on economic security.

The Track 1.5 dialogue was supported by Chatham House. 

China Maritime Studies Institute roundtable

Earlier this month, the Centre convened a roundtable discussion with experts from the China Maritime Studies Institute (CMSI) of the US Naval War College. The session focused on China’s maritime-military behaviour, including its posture in the Western Pacific and beyond.  

Track 1.5 Australia-Japan Technology Uplift workshop

This month, the Strategic Technologies team hosted a Track 1.5 Australia-Japan Technology Uplift Workshop, convening policymakers, industry representatives and subject matter experts from Australia and Japan to discuss defence industrial collaboration, interoperability, and the management of sensitive intellectual property across the two nation’s technology ecosystems.  

Over the course of the day, experts discussed: 

• Australia-Japan defence industry technology cooperation. 
• Current and emerging barriers to defence production and technology integration. 
• Priority areas and solutions for deeper Australia-Japan technology uplift. 

This dialogue was supported by Microsoft.  

FES roundtable: Future of US-China relations and consequences for Australia 

On 20 March, the Centre hosted a Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) delegation of German think tank researchers and academics for a roundtable discussion on expectations regarding the future of US-China relations and consequences for Australia and the region, with a particular focus on de-risking.  

Indo-Pacific Nuclear Futures roundtable   

Between 16–17 March, the Centre hosted the Indo-Pacific Nuclear Futures roundtable led by the Foreign Policy and Defence program. The two-day tabletop exercise brought together experts in nuclear deterrence, alliance politics and nuclear non-proliferation from Australia, Japan, South Korea and the United States to examine how the Indo-Pacific nuclear weapons environment is likely to develop in response to evolving regional strategic dynamics.  

Recent content from us

In conversation: What the Iran war means for the Middle East — and the world 

Concluding a busy month, on 26 March, the Centre hosted an in-conversation event examining the profound global and regional consequences of the war in Iran. The panel featured USSC CEO Dr Michael Green, Founding Director of Australian United Solidarity for Iran Dr Rana Dadpour, and Barrister and member of the National Assembly of Iranian Jurists Faraz Maghami, moderated by USSC Director of Research Jared Mondschein.  

Key questions discussed at the event included: 

• What does this mean for the Iranian people? 

• What are the key US objectives and how may this end? 

• What are the implications for Australia and the Indo-Pacific? 

In case you missed securing tickets to the event, a recording is available here. 

Student opportunities and awards

New scholarships support American Studies 

To help reduce barriers to study through financial support grounded in equity and inclusion, the USSC is offering two new scholarships for students undertaking American Studies at the University of Sydney in 2026. 

The USSC Undergraduate Equity Scholarship in American Studies supports a student majoring in American Studies who is experiencing financial hardship, while the USSC Undergraduate Indigenous Scholarship supports an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student undertaking American Studies. Each scholarship is valued at $5,000. 

Applications close 6 April. 

Join our US Midterms Study Tour 

University of Sydney students have the opportunity to experience the US midterm elections firsthand as they unfold in Washington, DC and Philadelphia this November. 

Across two weeks of academic sessions, policy‑focused site visits and on‑the‑ground engagement, students taking part in the US Midterms Study Tour will explore how US elections influence government, public policy, media, diplomacy, democracy and America’s role in the world. Open to undergraduate and postgraduate students from all faculties, the tour offers academic credit upon successful completion. Scholarships are available, and eligible students may also access OS‑HELP loans. 

Swap the Sydney winter for the LA summer 

Open to undergraduate University of Sydney students from all faculties, this six‑week program lets you spend your winter break studying at UCLA and living on campus in the heart of Los Angeles. Earn University of Sydney credit by completing two UCLA courses, while soaking up iconic LA culture as the city gears up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Scholarships are available, along with OS-HELP loans for eligible students. Applications close soon, with places strictly limited. 

Upcoming event

Errol Flynn: The true story of Australia's Hollywood icon

It’s still not too late to register for tonight's Errol Flynn: The true story of Australia's Hollywood icon book launch.  

Errol Flynn was the first Australian to become a Hollywood icon. His portrayal of Robin Hood in 1938 is one of the most legendary performances on the silver screen. The US Library of Congress selected The Adventures of Robin Hood for preservation in the National Film Registry. Flynn faced trial in 1943 for statutory rape charges and, while acquitted, the trial revealed the sexual trafficking of underage girls in Hollywood on a grand scale. 

In her new book, Errol Flynn: The true story of Australia’s Hollywood icon, author Patricia O’Brien examines Flynn’s larger-than-life persona and reveals the story behind the well-cultivated Hollywood myths. 

Who was Errol Flynn behind the silver screen? How did he pave the way for other Australians in Hollywood? How should we think about his legacy? 

To discuss these questions, we are delighted to host a special book launch event featuring Dr Patricia O’Brien, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University, in discussion with United States Studies Centre Senior Lecturer in American Studies Dr Aaron Nyerges. 

The panel discussion will be followed by a networking reception. 
Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event. 

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