A new seven-week Executive Program in Global Space and Defense at USC aims to bring disciplines together for a safer world.
While once futuristic, the age of space travel and exploration is now on the horizon. Along with the excitement comes vital practical matters regarding missile defense, safety and bridging gaps between policy and new innovations. The University of Southern California’s Viterbi School of Engineering and Sol Price School of Public Policy partnered with Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA) to help build the leaders of the future.
In early 2021, Riki Ellison, a former NFL linebacker and MDAA founder and board chair, met with Yannis Yorstos, dean of USC Viterbi, to create a one-of-a-kind certificate program. The idea behind the program was to form an interdisciplinary learning and growth opportunity for military personnel and civilians in defense-related roles. Within a few months, the Executive Program in Global Space and Defense was developed.
“This program fosters a much-needed conversation between policymakers and the engineers that innovate and create the technologies used in global space and defense,” said Candace House Teixeira, USC Viterbi associate dean of corporate engagement and programs. “It will fundamentally alter how our engineering impacts the globe and enables us to imagine a safer, more peaceful world for all.”
The seven-week program, according to USC, is designed to “educate aspiring senior leaders from the military, government and innovation communities about the intersection of public policy and engineering, which are too often separate within the complex and growing field of defense security.”
While missile defense and strategy may take center stage, the rapid development of technologies and having leaders ready to develop policies with those innovations will be part of the challenge.
“Space is an unknown frontier in terms of policy,” said Frank Zerunyan, USC Price professor of the practice of governance, director of executive education programs and director and university liaison to ROTC programs. “Specifically, there is no American policy in place about how to react to flying a hypersonic missile around the world.”
Each month, program participants come together, either virtually or onsite, to listen to faculty lectures and guest lectures. The online sessions are live, allowing for questions to be asked and opportunities for social networking. The first onsite session was November 18-20, 2021. Tours were held of USC on Nov. 19 and of Vandenberg Space Force Base on Nov. 20. During this session, participants broke off into research groups to develop a capstone project to be presented at the close of the program, April 28-30, 2022.
With the goal of meshing theoretical learning and real-life experiences, the program aims to give professionals further insights into their careers and how different disciplines work together for common goals.
“We literally do rocket science,” said Barbara Baker, Los Angeles Air Force Base engineer. “At my job, military and civilians work together every day to face ‘The Threat’ — whatever the most dangerous thing to American safety might be that day. It’s the common denominator that helps bring policy people and engineers together.”
For professionals looking to expand their knowledge and gain a better grasp of the bigger picture, this program has been designed to provide just that. Faculty lecturers run the gamut, including discussing contemporary challenges in decision making, the engineering life cycle, engineering risks policy analysis, team-building, artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, and ensuring contractors are doing a good job. Guest speakers from the military also provide insight on missile defense and governance.
After completing the program, participants will receive a USC Continuing Education Certificate.
Program details are available at USC Viterbi.
