Energy Security Curriculum at USNA [video]

Abstract

This seminar will describe an interdisciplinary course in Energy Security at the United States Naval Academy. The objective of the course is to educate upper-level midshipmen with a high-level view of energy analysis, policy, and security, and in particular, how energy affects critical missions of the U.S. military and U.S. national security. The class would involve topics such as (1) underlying energy science, (2) best estimates of energy supplies and current usage profiles, (3) current energy policy in different sectors and policy trends, including salient factors that drive policy such as environmental science and political movements, (4) current technology for energy feedstock harvesting, fuel development, and likely near/middle/long-term technology developments, (5) economics of energy development and usage. Underlying all these topics is the omnipresent question: How do innovation, policy, technology, and economics of energy affect the ability of the U.S. military to successfully and efficiently succeed in its various missions? The goal of the course is to engage a wide scope of midshipmen so that, as future leaders and policy makers, they can lead the military in heading off energy challenges prior to them becoming crises. Faculty from four disciplines (Mechanical Engineering, Oceanography, Economics and Political Science) are participating in the class. The course is currently in its fourth offering with tremendous interest from midshipmen.