Patterson Perspectives

On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Dr. Robert Farley interviews Ryan Quarles, Commissioner of Agriculture for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.  Farley and Quarles discuss the intersections between foreign policy and agriculture, specifically with respect to farm and food policy in Kentucky. They further discuss how agriculture in Kentucky weathered the pandemic, and the long term changes and challenges that have resulted from COVID.

On this episode of Patterson Perspective, Dr. Robert Farley interviews Austin Anderson, a graduate of the Patterson School who now works in the cyber security industry.  Farley and Anderson discuss the existing cyber-security environment, talk about the problem of ransomware, and contemplate the elements of a modern cyber-security education.

On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Ambassador Carey Cavanaugh speaks with Patterson School graduate John T. Ice, Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State.  Cavanaugh and Ice discuss the elements of a successful career in the Foreign Service, and especially of the role of education at the beginning of that career.

On the latest Patterson Perspectives, two students discuss the most recent developments in the Myanmar situation, and provide context on the conditions under which the coup was undertaken.

On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Dr. Robert Farley speaks with Larissa Caton about her work on Operation Warp Speed.  Ms. Caton's work began shifting from traditional defense security work to Operation Warp Speed in June, when she began to focus on creating a secure environment for companies to work with government on developing and distributing vaccines.

Dr. Farley speaks with Erin Petrey, the cocktail editor of Bourbonbanter.com, about how the trade war and the pandemic have affected the distilled spirits industry in the United States and Europe. Distilled spirits have become wrapped up in broader economic questions, to the effect that consumers may soon see rapidly increasing prices.  This could have a significant economic impact in areas where distilled spirits make up an important component of export goods, such as Kentucky.

Dr. Farley interviews Dana Lea, and alumna of the program who has worked in refugee policy for several years.  Farley and Lea discuss the impact of the pandemic, the changes wrought during the Trump presidency, and the current state of refugee and asylum claims at the US-Mexico border. The episode concludes with a look into a possible future for US refugee policy.

On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Dr. Farley interview Matthew Wallace, Fall 2012 graduate of the Patterson School, about the situation in Myanmar.  Mr. Wallace has worked in Myanmar for several years, giving him a unique perspective on the developing situation.

In this episode of Patterson Perspectives, Ambassador Cavanaugh, Dr. Hall, and Dr. Farley consider how nuclear weapons have affected global history since World War II.  They discuss the history of the nuclear enterprise, the impact of nuclear weapons on strategic planning, and the partially-accomplished hopes of arms control.

Dr. Farley speaks with 2012 Patterson graduate Lieutenant Colonel Andew Betson, US Army, about the challenges of leading a Reserve Office Training Corps program during COVID-19.  Stationed in St. Louis, MO, LTC Betson helped craft the response of St. Louis-area ROTC programs to the onset of the pandemic last spring, developing new, innovative tools for training and evaluation.  Foremost among these tools was a system of virtual wargaming that enabled the program to test cadets on knowledge and leadership while also keeping the group as safe as possible from the coronavirus.