Hands-On Unconventional Tech

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

Can a terrorist build a biological weapon? How is additive manufacturing likely to impact the logistics chain? What does a chemical threat mean for military operations? Answering these and other related questions requires an investigation of the underlying technologies in addition to their security implications, but for non-scientists, there are few opportunities to experiment with unconventional technologies that do not require years of training. This course will provide an opportunity for hands-on experience geared towards analysts, strategists, and policymakers with no technical training. The course begins by investigating how we think about technology, what makes technologies ‘unconventional,’ the ramifications of categorizing these technologies separately, and how to approach the analysis of technologies in their operational context. The core of the course is comprised of unconventional technology modules, focusing on nuclear & radiological weapons, chemical weapons, biotechnology & biological weapons, and additive manufacturing. In addition to the traditional ‘unconventional weapons’ technologies, the course includes additive manufacturing because it has the potential to impact national security outside of traditional defense investment, procurement, and capability pipelines. Each module combines 1-2 lectures on the characteristics, history, and security implications of the technology or application area with a ‘hands-on’ class period spent experimenting with relevant science and technology (pending availability of resources). In 2014, we successfully conducted three lab experiences out of the four areas, with a goal of all four in 2015. The course finishes with an examination of how we can assess the future development and impact of unconventional technologies. This course has been purposefully designed so that no prior scientific or technical training is required to succeed, but participants will be expected to engage wholeheartedly with the concepts presented in the course.