Politics for Good
When: September 24th, 4:00 p.m. EST
Where: Heritage Hall
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Join Nobel Peace Prize Winner Dr. James Muller of Harvard University and Politics alum Ken Myers III, who will discuss politics as a vocation to serve the common good and their respective work to prevent nuclear war and safeguard against nuclear weapons. Politics students will be blessed in the annual Politics Commissioning ceremony…
Itinerary:
National Anthem
Introduction
Speaker Introductions
Interview-Style Discussion
Questions
Blessing and Commissioning of Students
Light Reception
Jason Guerrero
Dean Jacqueline Leary-Warsaw
Annie Tolson, William Shandlay, and Mattieu Hüging(Politics students)
Facilitated by Dr. Maryann Cusimano Love, Politics Department
Dr. James Muller
Ken A. Myers III
Politics students
Fr. Bernard Knapke, O.P.
Dr. Maryann Cusimano Love
Department of Politics
Dr. James E. Muller is a pioneering cardiologist and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for his work co-founding the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW). Dr. Muller is a member of the faculty of Harvard Medical School, where he has served for over 25 years. His research on the triggers of coronary artery plaque rupture and sudden cardiac death brought him to work with Russian doctors and researchers during the height of the Cold War. Dr. Muller coined the term “vulnerable plaque” for the concept of plaques most likely to rupture and cause heart attacks. He was recognized for his contributions in cardiology with the American College of Cardiology’s honor of Distinguished Scientist. He studied Russian at Notre Dame University and earned his MD from the Johns Hopkins University. At a time of US-Soviet conflict, he reached out to Russian and international doctors and scientists to work together to prevent nuclear war and mobilize public support for nuclear arms control and disarmament policies. These civil society efforts helped bring about the end of explosive nuclear weapons “testing,” and reductions in nuclear arsenals from over 60,000 to 13,000 nuclear weapons today.
Kenneth A. Myers III serves as Vice Chair on the Board of CRDF Global. Previously, he was the longest-serving Director of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. DTRA implemented the Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) program. For over 20 years, the US worked with Russia to make the world safer from nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The programs deactivated over 7,600 nuclear warheads, destroyed over 2,500 missiles, eliminated thousands of intercontinental ballistic missiles and sub-launched ballistic missiles, WMD delivery systems and nuclear weapons testing facilities, destroyed more than 4700 tons of chemical weapons agents, and worked with over 30 countries to reduce threats of biological weapons. Under Mr. Myers leadership, DTRA was awarded with two Joint Meritorious Unit Awards. Previously, Mr. Myers served on the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations as a senior professional staff member. Mr. Myers earned his MA from the Catholic University of America.
Fr. Bernard Knapke, OP grew up in Saint Henry, Ohio and completed his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and M.B.A. at the University of Cincinnati, and a degree in philosophy from St. Xavier University in Chicago. He joined the Order of Friars Preachers in 2016. After completing his License in Sacred Theology at the Dominican House of Studies in 2023, he received his current assignment as a university chaplain at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.
Dean Jacqueline Leary-Warsaw
College of Arts & Sciences
Interim Provost Christ Evans
Catholic University of America