Events Calendar

On Wednesday, October 1, the Strauss Center will host Susan Moore, President of the Austin Council on Foreign Affairs, John Robinson, founder of the John L. Robinson Educational Fund, and Dilawar Syed, Associate Professor & Senior Economic Policy Advisor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs for a discussion on, “The Business of Diplomacy: International Operations, Defense Contractors, and Today’s U.S. Foreign Service.” This event will be moderated by Ambassador (Ret.) Larry André, Professor of Practice at the LBJ School of Public Affairs.

This conversation will first set the scene by explaining the role of commercial and business diplomacy in U.S. foreign policy, then will dive into the subject’s complexities and implementation across embassies and consulates around the world. Panelists will share their expertise and anecdotes on key initiatives in this field from across U.S. administrations, the role of the U.S. Department of State and defense contractors in this form of international diplomacy, and how defense offsets have been – and can be – used to achieve diplomacy goals on some of foreign policy’s most complex issues. The panelists will also discuss the evolving nature of the U.S. Foreign Service and opportunities for students to get involved in this type of work after graduation on the Forty Acres.

This event is free and open to the public, welcoming UT Austin students, faculty and staff, and members of the local community. Garage parking is available for a fee at Manor Garage and San Jacinto Garage, and parking will not be validated. Lunch will be provided for attendees.

For any questions about this event, contact info@strausscenter.org.