jk Dean s Weekly Significant Activities Report 7 September 2016

Transcription

1 jk Dean s Weekly Significant Activities Report 7 September 2016 The Dean s Weekly Significant Activities Report is an internal report on all activities conducted within the Departments, Centers & Staff. The Report is provided to the Dean for situation awareness, throughout the organization for shared situation awareness, and to select external organizations for outreach and communication. Portions of the Dean s Weekly Significant Activities Report are further staffed in a report to the Superintendent. POC for the report is MS Lesley Beckstrom at Follow WP_Scientist on Twitter Picture of the Week jj DFL--- CDTs and CPT Sessions at a temple in Taiwan, July

2 Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership Completed Events Follow BS&L on Facebook: Behavioral-Sciences-Leadership/ Graduate Michael Barlow publishes his senior thesis: Addressing Shortcomings in Afro-Pessimism Congratulations to 2LT Michael Barlow (USMA '16, BS&L/Sociology) for his publication, "Addressing Shortcomings in Afro-Pessimism," from his thesis in the latest issue of Inquiries, 8(9):1-2. Find it at: 2LT Barlow is the 2016 recipient of the Dr. Charles Hunter Coates Award for Excellence in Sociology. Cadet Barlow worked on his senior thesis with Professor Morten Ender during the academic year. Department of English and Philosophy Philosophy Forum Hosts Dr. Achille Varzi from Columbia University On Tuesday, August 30th, Dr. Achille Varzi addressed the Philosophy Forum on Surviving Change: The Problem of Change and Identity through Time. Dr. Varzi introduced the audience to one of the oldest questions in philosophy: how can things change through time yet remain the same? How, for instance, can I be so different from the form I took 10 years ago, yet still be the same person? Dr. Varzi discussed the possibility that the problem can be dissolved by reconsidering the nature of objects. Instead of thinking of things as having only three spatial dimension height, width, and depth we can instead conceive of things as having a fourth temporal dimension what we might call temporal extension. Reconceiving things as four dimensional seems to show that it is quite simple how one object can change through time. Dr. Varzi is Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University and is a beloved instructor of a number of current and former USMA faculty. The talk was well attended and the discussion that followed was very lively. POC is MAJ Scott Parsons, DEP (David.Parsons@usma.edu). 2

3 MAJ David (Scott) Parsons introduces Dr. Achille Varzi to the Philosophy Forum. Dr. Varzi answers a question from the audience. The discussion with interested cadets and faculty went on well after the scheduled end of the event. 3

4 UPCOMING EVENTS: September 9-10: Vassar Initiative September 23-24: States of the Book Conference Department of History Nine cadets on the Army Sailing Team, along with Prof. Lee Harrell from the Physics Department and LTC Sean Sculley from the History Department, competed against 100 big boat sailing teams from around the world in a 238-mile race from Stamford, CT to Martha s Vineyard. With Hurricane Hermine approaching New York during the race, winds climbed to 25 knots and helped the team complete the race in an amazing 40 hours. The team's strategic planning accounted for both the forecasted weather and tidal changes that allowed them to make several key tactical decisions that resulted in their success. The team scored second in its class of six boats, sixth overall against 100 boats, and won the intercollegiate Corinthian Cup awarded to boats raced by sailors under the age of 25, beating teams from King's Point, SUNY Maritime, and the defending champions from the American Yacht Club. First established in 1932, this race attracts some of the finest oceanic sailing teams and is one of the more difficult and intricate of its kind. This was only the second time Army Sailing has competed in this race since receiving its sailing warhorse, the Invincible, from the US Naval Academy and these are its first trophies. The Invincible is now back home on the Hudson as the team practices for the big boat Service and Maritime competitions, as well as the Collegiate National Championship held this fall in Annapolis. 4

5 On Sunday 4 September 2016, West Point paused to recognize the contributions of the members of the elements from the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments who served at West Point from 1907 until LTG Caslen provided remarks as the guest speaker. LTC Rick Black from the Department of History served as the master of ceremonies for the event. Several other local military and civilian dignitaries attended the event, along with representatives from the Buffalo Soldiers Association of West Point, and various chapters of the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club. From August, Department of History Instructors LTC Dave Siry, Dr. John Stapleton, MAJ Ben Brands, MAJ Brendan Griswold, MAJ Mark Askew, CPT Garrett Gatzemeyer, CPT James Villanueva, CPT Tom Herman, and CPT Mike Kiser supported the USCC Leadership Staff Ride at Gettysburg National Battlefield Park, conducted in conjunction with the BTD and Simon Center for the Professional Military Ethic. Over a hundred cadets, Company Command teams and above, spent the weekend touring the battlefield, building their teams, and setting goals for the semester. History Instructors, led by LTC Dave Siry, provided historical context and facilitated small group discussions at 5

6 eleven different locations around the battlefield, highlighting key moments of the fight such as Buford s defense on the first day and the struggle for Little Round Top. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science EECS Department Hosts First Systers Luncheon of the Academic Year EECS held its 7 th EECS Systers Luncheon on Wednesday, 31-Aug that included 24 female cadets and 6 faculty. The event, organized by Dr. Suzanne J. Matthews, was designed to bring female students and faculty in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Information Technology together in a casual, relaxing environment. Cadets and faculty alike enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with each other and make new friends. EECS Systers elections were held, and we discussed a number of potential activities for the coming academic year. Our new officers are: CDT Jennifer Niemann ( 16) for Chair, CDT Tianna Johnson ( 19) for Vice Chair, and CDT Emily Guevara ( 19) for treasurer. We plan to hold a similar luncheon later this semester. EECS Systers is USMA s chapter of the Association of Computing Machinery s Council on Women in Computing. POC is Dr. Suzanne J. Matthews. 6

7 Department of Law Department of Law Names first Francis Lieber Distinguished Scholar The Department of Law has appointed Professor Michael N. Schmitt as the first Francis Lieber Distinguished Scholar with the Lieber Institute for Law and Land Warfare. Professor Schmitt is a leading scholar in the field of Cyber Law and International Humanitarian Law. Professor Schmitt is the Chair of the Stockton Center for the Study of International Law with the U.S. Naval War College and also serves as a Fellow at Harvard Law School s Program in International Law and Armed Conflict and Senior Fellow at the NATO Cyber Defence Center of Excellence. This partnership will be instrumental in furthering the Department s scholarship in the field of International Humanitarian Law. Professor Michael Schmitt 7

8 Department of Law Civil Rights Staff Ride Highlights Civil Rights Staff Riders Visit the Other Side of the Tracks in Greenwood, MS. Cadets were invited to a program in the Greenwood, Mississippi city council chamber. Joining community members were veterans excited to meet the uniformed cadets. The program was hosted by two of the area s leading African- American elected officials, State Sen David L. Jordan and State Representative Willie J. Perkins Sr. The first speaker was the legendary civil rights leader Charles McLaurin who came to Mississippi to register black voters. Greenwood was a significant battlefield in the civil rights movement, but declaring any sort of victory remains very elusive. As we drove south through Greenwood would confirm the existence of an entirely different world. Less than two miles to the south and across a set of railroad tracks lies Baptist Town. It was home to Morgan Freeman, and legendary bluesman Robert Johnson who died there at age 27. Legend has it that Johnson made a deal with the devil, selling his soul for his unparalleled skill on the guitar. Baptist Town is mostly black and poor, with high rates of drug addiction and low rates of employment, it is not unique among the cities and towns that we visited throughout our trip. Each has another side of the tracks, and each has similar problems. Famed Freedom Rider Meets with 2016 Civil Rights Staff Ride Cadets. Hank Thomas lives in Atlanta, Georgia and for the second time invited the Staff Ride to visit with him and his wife, Yvonne Johnson Thomas. Both were civil rights activists and both are gracious hosts. Thomas like to point out that among the freedom riders on that fateful day were whites, many of whom were Jewish. As the bus burned with the passengers still inside he thought they would die, but there was a small explosion, perhaps the gas tank, which allowed them to all get out. Lying on the ground someone came over to him, and asked if he was alright, then struck Thomas in the head with a baseball bat. The cadets also met with Hollywood screenwriters who are working on a movie about Mr. Thomas and the Freedom Riders. 8

9 2016 Civil Rights Staff Ride Cadets Visit the Site of the Orangeburg Massacre. In 1968, four years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 had prohibited segregation in public accommodations, South Carolina State University (SCSU) students undertook a protest to desegregate the All Star Triangle Bowl, a bowling alley just across the tracks from their campus. Initially disbursed by police, as many as 400 students returned the following day and were confronted by as many as 100 law enforcement officers who pushed them back to the campus. On the third day of the battle, at a bonfire lit by students on campus, police inexplicably fired into the crowd, killing three and wounding 27. No students were armed. The Orangeburg Massacre, February 8, 1968 would not receive the press coverage garnered by the shooting of students at Ohio s Kent State University in 1970, and although there is a memorial to the students on the SCSU campus, the bowling alley, which is now unoccupied and decrepit, has no marker or plaque to identify it and the role it played in the massacre. And, it is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Institute for Innovation and Development Center for Faculty Excellence The Master teacher Program (MTP) resumed the week of 5-9 September and is in full swing. Participants complete a reading monthly, write a reflection, and meet in small groups to discuss. 123 new participants signed up for Year 1, and 92 participants returned for Year 2, to make 215 total participants in the program. New participant count by department or center are: ACI-1, BSL-7, CAPE-1, CLS-3, CME-4, DEP-2, DFL-9, DMI-16, DPE-8, EECS-8,GENE-6, HIST-10, LAW-5, MATH-13, PNE-7, PREP-1, SE-8, SOC-12, SCPME-1, TAC-1. For more information, contact Dr Mark Evans, Dr Steve Finn, or go to Center for Faculty Excellence, 9

10 Dr. Steve Finn, Assistant Director of the Center for Faculty Excellence, leading discussion with MTP participants Department of Foreign Languages Current Week HIGHLIGHTS: Persian: On Thursday, 1 Sep 2016, USMA Cadet Seamus Matlack, currently studying Persian for a semester in Tajikistan, started his volunteer work at an orphanage outside of the Tajik capital of Dushanbe. In addition to volunteering at the orphanage, Seamus teaches the children English as part of an effort to enroll them in a program run by the US Department of State titled Future Leaders Exchange where the students will study at an American high school during their senior year. 10

11 Cadet Seamus Matlack in Tajikistan Orphanage teaching English to the Orphans. Chinese: Over the summer four groups of Cadets, a total 18 Cadets, studied in China and Taiwan for three weeks. One group of five students studied at Fujen Catholic University, one group of five students studied at Xi An Normal University, and two groups of four students studied at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. In addition to 45 hours of classroom Chinese each group had opportunities to study Chinese Culture first hand. The students studying in Xi An also taught preventative medicine, English, and sports to elementary school children in the countryside. 11

12 Cadet Gavin Hoffman Teaches local students to play basketball. Cadet Carsten Bahl teaches local students preventative medicine. 12

13 Cadets Jonathon Ng and Eva Gould taking a water tour in Shanghai, China Arabic: Summer AIAD Kingdom of Saudi Arabia At the special request of the US Ambassador, Joseph W. Westphal, and for the first time in a number of years a cadet from the United States Military Academy conducted an AIAD to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Cadet Rokas Dubinas, Company G3, Class of 2018, spent three weeks in the kingdom. From 24 July to 2 August, Cadet Dubinas visited with military attachés and other officials of the US Embassy in Riyadh, accompanied visits to the King Abdulaziz Military Academy, the Royal Saudi Land Forces headquarters, and multiple Royal Saudi National Guard bases. He demonstrated his proficiency in Arabic during a meeting between representatives of the US Embassy and King Abdulaziz Military Academy as they coordinated for their visit to West Point, NY in early September 2016 (6-8 SEP). Cadet Dubinas was also able to practice the Arabic language and experience Saudi culture while on this AIAD, furthering his Arabic proficiency and preparing him for a semester abroad in another Arabic-speaking country. 13

14 lll Photo: Cadet Dubinas, Co. G3, 18 with COL Hassan al Malki, Dean/Director of Education for King Abdulaziz Military Academy Center for Language, Culture, and Regional Studies (CLCRS): This summer, CLCRS sent CDT Matthew Benjamin to Aberdeen Proving Grounds to work with Army Research Lab's Human Research and Engineering Director and support the Megacities/Dense Urban collaborative work between CLCRS and ARL-HRED. CDT Benjamin analyzed megacities data in an effort to develop a model of urban dynamics, conducted field work and looked into the relevance of Geographic Information Systems in urban modeling. Additionally, DFL and CLCRS sent five cadets on an AIAD from June-July 2016 focused on Chinese language and cultural immersion as well as researching the socio-cultural aspects of Taipei, Taiwan as a mega-city. LTC Gregory spent three weeks this summer conducting discourse analysis on the Socialist Rule of Law with Chinese Characteristics in Hong Kong and China, using a grant provided by DoD s Minerva Initiative for CLCRS research. Dr. Richard Wolfel represented CLCRS and USMA at the Dense Urban Modeling of Socio-Cultural Data Workshop hosted by Arizona State University and the US Army 14

15 Intelligence Center of Excellence this summer. The conference looked at best practices for modeling sociocultural data and how to make models relevant to the Civil Affairs community, the Intelligence Community and to commanders as a decision making tool. Dr. Adam Kalkstein researched the impact of weather on suicide rates across regions this summer for CLCRS. CPT J.R. Sessions analyzed the effectiveness of USMA Chinese language programs in Taiwan for CLCRS, as well as increasing his language proficiency in a native Chinese environment, from May to July Left: LTC Gregory with renowned China law expert, Albert Chen, July Right: CDT Benjamin with the ARL-HRED at Aberdeen Proving Grounds CDTs and CPT Sessions at a temple in Taiwan, July

16 Upcoming HIGHLIGHTS Next two weeks: CLCRS: LTC Gregory will discuss his research on the Socialist Rule of Law with Chinese Characteristics in Washington D.C. at the DoD s Minerva Initiative Meeting on September Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering Department Hail Picnic at Round Pond: To start off Academic Year 2017, the Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering gathered at Round Pond for the annual Hail Picnic to welcome new faculty to the family. Nine new officers and their families arrived from top-tier institutions from America and Germany. Eco scavenger hunt, reusable dishes and recycling at the event contributed to resource sustainability. POC is CPT Charles Ouellette at charles.ouellette@usma.edu. Above: Dr. John Brockhaus hails Mr. Armin Stermberg, his wife, Stephanie and their children. Mr. Stermberg is a visiting Senior Civil Servant from the German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment and will teach in the GIS Program this year. 16

17 Above: MAJ Richard Rogers III leads the department singing Happy Birthday to his wife, MAJ Laurel Miller. Engineers & Scientists for a Sustainable World Annual BBQ On 24 August, Engineers & Scientists for a Sustainable World (ESSW) hosted its annual BBQ on Clinton Field. Cadets majoring in Environmental Science and Environmental Engineering came out and enjoyed burgers, hot dogs and camaraderie as the Environmental Program kicked off Term Cadets in both environmental majors enjoyed reconnecting with their classmates and their instructors. All environmental majors are club members, but cadets from any other discipline are encouraged to participate in ESSW s outreach efforts to assist in the implementation of environmentally sustainable solutions for surrounding communities and West Point. Interested cadets can contact the ESSW CIC, Cadet Megan Blaney (B-4) or A/CIC, Theresa Konecni (G-1), for information on how to become a contributing member of ESSW. POC is CPT Charles Ouellette at Charles.ouellette@usma.edu. 17

18 Cadets and D/GENE from Engineers and Scientists for a Sustainable Future gathered to reconnect following a busy summer to kick off the new academic year. Ecological Research: On September 1 st, 2016, Ecology cadets (EV471) traveled to Wilkins Pond, USMA reservation to take ecological samples as part of their term project research. On this trip section, the cadets evaluated ecological change, human impacts on the environment, and presented this information to an audience. Students collected samples from organisms, soils, water, herbs, shrubs, saplings, and trees in wetland and upland ecosystems. Using statistics and the scientific method, students compare an assigned ecological area to a control ecological area. The POC is LTC Mark Smith, mark.smith@usma.edu. 18

19 (above)from left: Cadets Vinny Bartram, Alison Darby, Tyler Sniffen, and Lars Robinson, survey birds and animals for their EV471 Ecology term project. Left: Cadet Andrew Fargo uses a sole probe to sample and identify wetland soils. Right: Cadet Allison Darby identifies animals during their EV471 Ecology term project. Department of Systems Engineering Canada - US Army Operations Research Symposium The Canadian and US delegations pose for a picture inside the historic Fort Frontenac, Kingston, Ontario. 19

20 LTC Matthew Dabkowski, Director of the Operations Research Center of Excellence, represented the United States Military Academy at the 21st Annual Canada - US Army Operations Research Symposium, held between 30 August and 1 September 2016 in Kingston, Ontario. The US Delegation was led by Ms. Pamela Blechinger (SES), Director of the US Army Training and Doctrine Command s Analysis Center (TRAC), and all three of the Army s major analytical organizations (TRAC, the Center for Army Analysis (CAA), and the Army Materiel Systems Analysis Activity (AMSAA)) were represented. This year s symposium focused on wargaming and sustainable readiness, and LTC Dabkowski presented his work on exact exploratory blockmodeling (a social network analysis technique) and its application to understanding complex operational environments. The POC for this report is LTC Dabkowski at matthew.dabkowski@usma.edu. Department of Social Sciences XH407 Writing Retreat Twenty-seven cadets spent the holiday weekend polishing and finalizing their scholarship application essays during the XH407 Writing Retreat in Fishs Eddy, NY. Cadets spent most of the weekend working independently on their scholarship applications and essays; however, Major Steven Kreeger and Dr. Molly Hildebrand also conducted information sessions for the major scholarships and provided individual assistance to each of the cadets. Although the cadets spent most of the holiday weekend preparing their scholarship applications, they took a break from writing to watch the Army victory over Temple! This fall, over 30 cadets will apply for the Rhodes, Marshall, Mitchell, Gates-Cambridge, Churchill, Fulbright, Yenching, Schwarzman, East-West, and Churchill Scholarships and the Soros Fellowship for New Americans. 20

21 Cambridge University Press releases Dr. Hugh Liebert s Plutarch s Politics Cambridge University Press released Dr. Hugh Liebert's book, Plutarch's Politics, which shows how the political form of the city can satisfy an individual's desire for honor, even under the horizon of empire. Plutarch's argument turns on the difference between Sparta and Rome. Both cities stimulated their citizens' desire for honor, but Sparta remained a city by linking honor to what could be seen first-hand, whereas Rome became an empire by liberating honor from the shackles of the visible. Even under the rule of a distant power, however, allegiances and political actions tied to the visible world of the city remained. By resurrecting statesmen who thrived in autonomous cities, Plutarch hoped to rekindle some sense of the city's enduring appeal. Combating Terrorism Center 21

22 Last week, CTC Associate Seth Loertscher traveled to Colorado Springs to work with the team at the social media analysis company PATHAR. The CTC will use PATHAR s software, DUNAMI, to examine Islamic State media producers and distributors. Loertscher s trip to meet with PATHAR s Director of Service Solutions helped identify some of the unique challenges associated with tracking and analyzing the actions of illicit actors on social media. CTC Sentinel editor in chief Paul Cruickshank recently contributed to a CNN report on Islamic State s attack planning. Cruickshank also discussed the encryption capabilities of radical groups, a topic analyzed in detail by Robert Graham in a highly popular June CTC Sentinel article entitled How Terrorists Use Encryption. Graham s article is available online at ctc.usma.edu. A recent article on Huffington Post (via TomDispatch.com) focusing on Special Operations missions in Africa quoted an interview by BG Donald Bolduc from the CTC Sentinel. In the May 2016 piece, A View from the CT Foxhole: Brigadier General Donald C. Bolduc, Commander, Special Operations Command Africa, BG Bolduc spoke about operating in the Gray Zone and how SOCAFRICA works with its regional partners to achieve its mission. The full CTC Sentinel interview is available at ctc.usma.edu. 22

23 Department of Physics and Nuclear Engineering Completed Events BTO Brief: On 31 August, COL Brian Reed presented a briefing to the D/PaNE on the mission, roles, and responsibilities of the BTD. NSERC Colloquium Series: On 2 September, MAJ Nick Duncan, Defense Intelligence Agency, presented a classified SECRET briefing discussing the DIA, ongoing research there, and FA52 assignments within the agency. Triathlon Team: LTC Ken Allen traveled with the Army West Point Triathlon Team to Lake George, NY to compete in the Lake George Olympic Triathlon on 3 September. The team posted great results winning the collegiate division beating out teams from Northeastern, UConn, Syracuse, Bentley, Penn State to name a few. This was the 23

24 team s second Northeast Collegiate Triathlon Conference race of the season and a qualifying event for the USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championships in the spring. The team is leading the conference in point totals and looking good to secure the conference championship with two more races in the season. Individual results included First Place Collegiate Female, Teresa Groton 18 and Third Place Collegiate Male, Nick Chatel 18. LTC Allen also competed and finished 4 th in his division and 20 th overall out of approximately 500 competitors. The team stayed in Lake George for the remainder of the weekend to conduct training and team-building exercises to include open-water swims and long group rides in the Adirondack Mountains. Sailing Team: Over Labor Day Weekend, Dr. Lee Harrell, LTC Sean Sculley, and volunteer Jack Biddle coached the Army West Point Sailing Team aboard our Navy 44 Invincible in completion against over 100 racing yachts in the 82 nd Stamford Vineyard Race from Stamford, Connecticut to Martha's Vineyard and back. During the race, winds built to 25 knots, helping the team complete the course in only 40 hours. The team placed 2nd in Class, and 4th in Division. In addition, Army West Point Sailing placed 1st in the Corinthian division as the top performing boat raced with 2/3 of the crew under the age of

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26 Current Events Bartlett Hall Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: On 7 September, D/PaNE will conduct a Ribbon Cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of construction on the newly-renovated Bartlett Hall Science Center. Future Events NSERC Colloquium Series: On 9 September, LTC(P) Jeff Spear from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) will discuss his experiences as an FA52 officer in DTRA, NATO and SOF, and FA52 assignment opportunities. LTC(P) Spear's presentation will be classified SECRET with Formerly Restricted Data (FRD). Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering 1. Civil Engineers conduct reconnaissance for Bannerman Bridge on Pollepel Island. Civil engineering majors (two teams of four and one team of three) are designing a bridge to span a 40 foot wide ravine near the Bannerman residence on Pollepel Island, which is located about four miles north of West Point on the Hudson River. A wooden pedestrian bridge existed on the island in the early 1900s, but is no longer present. The cadets conducted a reconnaissance of the site on 31 August 2016, where they took measurements of the area and met with members of the Bannerman Castle Trust, Inc., an organization that is conducting restoration activities on the island. Each team will develop a unique solution and present their recommendation to the Bannerman Castle Trust, Inc., which will select the design that will be built by the cadets. POC is LTC(P) Brad Wambeke at brad.wambeke@usma.edu. View of the pedestrian bridge from the Bannerman residence (early 1900s) 26 Cadets Anne Reidenger (left) and Mikaila Wiitanen

27 Civil Engineering majors, along with Bannerman Castle Trust, Inc. members (31 AUG 2016) 27