Arms treaty expert to discuss Sputnik, other technological innovations

The Honorable Ronald F. Lehman II, former director of the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, will speak on "Technological Surprise: When Science Alters Society, Security and Strategy," at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 30 in Beering Hall, Room 2290.

The presentation, which is free and open to the public, is part of the Discovery Park Distinguished Lecture Series. The Department of Political Science is a co-sponsor.

Next year is the 60th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik I, the first manmade satellite. Placed in orbit by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957, Sputnik I was largely a technology demonstration. Nevertheless, many scholars and national security experts maintain that the “Sputnik Crisis” humiliated a superpower, catalyzed humanity’s greatest national security technology competition, encouraged risky geo-strategic behavior, and transformed the world.

Lehman believes that few technological surprises match the influence of Sputnik, the first manmade satellite and, like Sputnik itself, few are totally unanticipated -- but, he adds, the consequences are often unexpected. He will outline these arguments in his presentation.

Lehman was director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency from 1989 to 1993, when START I, START II, the Chemical Weapons Convention and Conventional Forces in Europe were concluded. Previously, he served in the U.S. Department of Defense as assistant secretary for international security policy, in the State Department as ambassador and U.S. chief negotiator on Strategic Offensive Arms (START I), and in the White House as deputy assistant to the president for national security affairs.

For more information on Lehman’s presentation, visit the Discovery Park Distinguished Lecture Series website at www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/dls, or contact Maria Longoria-Littleton, Discovery Park engagement operations manager, at mlongori@purdue.edu.