USSC Briefing Room

United States Studies Centre
  • 0.0 (0)
  • NEWS COMMENTARY
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY
USSC Briefing Room

The USSC Briefing Room is a podcast from the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. It gives you a seat at the table for a briefing on the latest US news and foreign policy. Co-hosts Mari Koeck, Jared Mondschein and Victoria Cooper talk to experts to cover what you need to know and what's beneath the surface of the news.

  1. The power of Australia-India port development

    JAN 6

    The power of Australia-India port development

    India has accelerated port infrastructure projects to counter China’s Belt and Road initiative and enhanced connectivity and trade facilitation could boost GDP from 0.4% to 10.6% in South Asia. In an era of heightened competition, improved port infrastructure is one of the most effective ways to diversify and de-risk supply chains, yet Australia has been notably absent from Indian Ocean infrastructure projects. What are the risks if China has a monopoly on port improvements in the Indian Ocean? What difference could Australia’s expertise make for port development? How would improved ports help Australia, America and other allies and partners? Maitri Fellow Riya Sinha sat down with Director of Research Jared Mondschein to discuss these issues and her new report: Building bridges across the Indian Ocean: Australia-India cooperation for port development. Sinha’s Maitri Fellowship was supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.   Produced by: Elliott Brennan Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

    33 min
  2. The significance of the AUKUS tech transfer

    12/17/2024

    The significance of the AUKUS tech transfer

    When talking about AUKUS, a majority of Australians think it is a good idea for Australia to have nuclear-powered submarines, but much of the public debate is around the cost and whether it is worth the money. One of the most significant aspects of AUKUS is the fact that the United States is agreeing to share some of its most sensitive nuclear technology with Australia, but this requires not just a strong foundation of trust between the two countries, but a regulatory and industrial ecosystem to support it. What do Australia, the UK and the United States get out of the technology transfer in AUKUS? What changes are needed in the defence industrial base to support this? What are the biggest challenges facing defence industrial cooperation and integration between the US and Australia? To discuss these questions, we welcomed director of the Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group and a senior fellow in the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Cynthia Cook to the USSC Briefing Room. Cynthia is director of the Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group and a senior fellow in the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). She has widely published on defence acquisition policy and technology development. She recently visited Australia to participate in USSC’s “Next Generation Leaders in the Australia-US Alliance initiative" and was supported by funding from the US State Department. Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.   Produced by: Elliott Brennan Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

    38 min
  3. What the new Congress means for the Indo-Pacific

    12/03/2024

    What the new Congress means for the Indo-Pacific

    Republicans have secured control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Congress authorises the budget, they have exclusive power to declare war and regulate foreign commerce and they authorise important foreign policy appointees. Even before the next Congress is sworn in, we are seeing Congress flex their power in considering President-elect Trump’s Cabinet nominees. What will be the Indo-Pacific priorities for the next Congress? Where might Congress diverge from the White House? Are critical initiatives like AUKUS  at risk of losing congressional support? Director of Research Jared Mondschein sat down with Research Fellow Tom Corben and Senior Research Associate Alice Nason in mid-November to analyse the new Congress and what it means for the Indo-Pacific. Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.   Produced by: Elliott Brennan Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

    40 min
  4. DC insiders on Trump’s victory and next steps

    11/18/2024

    DC insiders on Trump’s victory and next steps

    After months of speculation and one of the most tumultuous campaigns in history, we now know that we will have a second Trump term, beginning on 20 January 2025. How did what looked like a coin-toss election lead to such a resounding outcome? What can we expect to see in a Trump 2.0 administration? What should allies and partners do now to prepare? To discuss these issues, on Monday of last week we welcomed two DC insiders on the podcast. USSC CEO Dr Michael Green is a former White House official and Non-Resident Senior Fellow Lester Munson held several positions on the Hill. They give their breakdown on the election results and what to expect based on their conversations with people close with the Trump administration.   Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.   Produced by: Elliott Brennan Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

    41 min
  5. Former Trump admin official on technology, energy and competition with China

    11/03/2024

    Former Trump admin official on technology, energy and competition with China

    AI, energy security, critical minerals and supply chain issues are all inextricably linked with each other and with US competition with China. Erik Jacobs held several roles in the Trump administration including as policy coordinator for the US Department of Energy’s Office of Strategic Planning and Policy and as a policy advisor in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s National Security and International Affairs team. How can governments maintain energy security as AI developments drive far greater demand on the grid? Does competition with China help or hurt US innovation? How should the next administration approach these emerging challenges? Back in September, Erik Jacobs joined USSC Director of Research Jared Mondschein on the USSC Briefing Room podcast to discuss these issues. This podcast is part of the United States Studies Centre's "Next Generation Leaders in the Australia-US Alliance initiative," which is supported by funding from the US State Department. Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Produced by: Elliott Brennan Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

    20 min
  6. AI, disinformation and the US presidential election

    10/22/2024

    AI, disinformation and the US presidential election

    From Iran’s hack of the Trump campaign to Taylor Swift deepfakes, technology is posing a more overt threat to the US presidential election. At the same time, it is unlocking new opportunities for innovation, economic growth and even record-breaking campaign strategies.   How have we seen technology affect the US presidential election this year? Where are the Trump and Harris campaigns on technology adoption and policy? How could AI and disinformation impact the period between election day an inauguration?   USSC Non-Resident Fellow Helen Zhang joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck to discuss these issues.   Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.   Produced by: Elliott Brennan Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

    38 min
  7. What Australians think about the US alliance

    10/09/2024

    What Australians think about the US alliance

    In September, the United States Studies Centre released its annual public opinion polling report, Allies and partners poll 2024: Australia the United States and Japan converge on alliance and China despite US election uncertainties. The report surveyed Australian, American and Japanese public opinion on everything from AUKUS and industry policy to regulating AI and fighting disinformation. How much do Australians want to abandon their US alliance if Donald Trump is reelected? Three years into AUKUS, what do Australians think about the trilateral partnership? How do views of Taiwan differ between the three countries? USSC Director of Research Jared Mondschein and Research Associate Samuel Garrett joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck to discuss the results of the Allies and partners poll 2024. Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

    34 min
  8. Energy security and the US-Australia alliance

    10/02/2024

    Energy security and the US-Australia alliance

    Matters of national security are increasingly stretching beyond hard power and into areas of economics, technology and energy. Critical minerals and the clean energy transition are now a core aspect of the US-Australia alliance and they are also playing a larger role in US-China competition, domestic politics and geopolitics around the globe.   How do critical minerals and the clean energy transition relate to national security? How could the US presidential election impact the clean energy transition? What can allies and partners do to work together on these issues?   Jane Nakano, Senior Fellow in the Energy Security and Climate Change Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) joined USSC Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck on the podcast to discuss these questions.   You may also be interested in: Event replay | Climate transition heating up: The race for the clean energy transition in the Indo-Pacific with Jane Nakano, Australian Ambassador for Climate Change Kristin Tilley, USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellow Meg McDonald and USSC Director of Economic Security here.   Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.   Produced by: Elliott Brennan Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

    25 min
See All (63)

About

The USSC Briefing Room is a podcast from the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. It gives you a seat at the table for a briefing on the latest US news and foreign policy. Co-hosts Mari Koeck, Jared Mondschein and Victoria Cooper talk to experts to cover what you need to know and what's beneath the surface of the news.

Information

  • Creator
    United States Studies Centre
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    63
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © United States Studies Centre
  • Show Website
    USSC Briefing Room

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada