NATO Field School - Simon Fraser University
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NATO Field School
December 2021 Newsletter
BY HANNAH CHRISTENSEN AND DR. ELIS VLLASI ISSUE 1
Newsletter
DIRECTOR'S FOREWORD
By Dr. Alexander Moens
Highlights
A Message from NATO
Field School Director,
Dr. Alexander Moens
Nothing in my career has been as rewarding as the NATO Field
School and Simulation Program (NFS). It is a one-semester bridge
between the university and the workplace that runs each Summer.
A Successful
We have educated 150 students from 20 Canadian universities and Pandemic Field School
a growing number from the USA and Europe. The NFS is placing Experience
interns and many of our alumni are in careers or pursuing higher
degrees in defence and security. Our ambition in 2022 is to add
more European MA students. We are exploring partnerships such as Speaker Highlight:
with the University of Latvia. BGen Carla Harding
The NATO Field School is a team effort with Hannah, Alexandra, and
Elis joining me in all the hard work it takes to be in 3 or 4 NATO NATO 2030 Policy
countries with 45 students, have scores of experts and officials brief Hackathon
us, and experienced NATO Defense College Mentors guide us in
complex simulations.
NATO Field School
COVID is an extra puzzle for 2022, but we have contingency plans to Champion Scholarship
Winners
change locations if need be. We are set to spend more time in the
Baltic Region and in Italy as well as maintain our week in Brussels
with NATO, SHAPE, and the EU, plus add a day at the NATO and US Air
Base in Ramstein, Germany. 2021 NATO COE
Director's Conference
Keeping costs under control for students is a top priority. Thanks to
Simon Fraser University, the NATO Public Diplomacy Division, the
Canadian Security and Defence Network, and the NATO Defense Looking Forward: The
College for their financial and in-kind support. We are reaching out 2022 NATO Field
to stakeholders in Canada and abroad to become Champions of
School
the NATO Field School in the form of donations that target
scholarships for student enrolled in the program.
PAGE 1
DECEMBER 2021 ISSUE 1
A SUCCESSFUL PANDEMIC FIELD
SCHOOL EXPERIENCE
In the Summer of 2021, we conducted our fourth successful NATO
Field School and Simulation Program, attracting students from 20
different Canadian universities. Given the ongoing COVID-19
pandemic, this year's program looked much different than our
previous iterations. After having to cancel our 2020 Field School, we
were so pleased to be able to redevelop and deliver a successful
Virtual NATO Field School experience for our 2021 students. We were
equally thrilled to see, thanks to research done by Assistant NATO
Field School Director Alexandra Richards, that the Virtual NFS was
able to deliver the same outcomes for the students as previous
programs, such as increased understanding of the role of NATO in
Canada's security and key skill developments.
Student Skill Development, Before and After the NATO Field School
5
4
3
2
1
0
Public Speaking Negotiation Critical Thinking Leadership Research
We found that the Virtual NATO Field School afforded us new
opportunities and challenges different to all our previous iterations of
the NATO Field School. There were some unexpected positives from
this experience which we hope to carry forward to future programs.
PAGE 2
DECEMBER 2021 ISSUE 1
We had students join our program this year who may not
have been able to join our Field School in its in-person
version, for reasons such as family obligations, physical
impairments, and financial means. Travelling virtually also
allowed us to visit and speak to experts from around the
world we otherwise would never have had access to.
Running a virtual program, of course, also comes with
unique challenges. Our goal was to create a program as
immersive as possible given the constraints we faced.
We are very thankful for all the speakers and mentors who joined us this year to make this
program possible. We'd like to give a special thanks to Damien Arnaud, from the NATO Public
Diplomacy Division, who took the time to create and guide our students through a personalized,
virtual tour of NATO Headquarters.
Thanks to everyone, from students to speakers, for their hard work, patience, and generosity in
making the 2021 Virtual NATO Field School an amazing learning experience!
SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT: BGEN
CARLA HARDING
In our first speaker spotlight, we'd like to feature the excellent work done
by Brigadier-General Carla Harding. BGen Harding spoke to the
students of the 2021 NATO Field School, giving them a comprehensive
and clear understanding of the work and mandate of the Canadian
Joint Operations Command (CJOC), and how they fit into Canada's
overall military apparatus. Our students praised her for her honest and
frank manner, the illuminating discussion, and the wealth of expertise
she brought to our program.
Having spoken to the NATO Field School this summer in her capacity as
Director General Support at CJOC, BGen Harding now moves to Belgium
where she will serve as the J4 at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers
Europe (SHAPE). We wish her all the best in her new role!
PAGE 3
DECEMBER 2021 ISSUE 1
Photo: (top left to bottom right) Graeme Hopkins, Hannah Christensen, Harleen Atwal, Sam Thiak, Emma Curtis,
Samantha Friedland, Alexandra Richards, Joseph Waugh, Cornel Turdeanu, and Luke Faulks
NATO FIELD SCHOOL TEAM TIES WITH
HARVARD AT FIRST NATO POLICY
HACKATHON
Solutions to how countries can mitigate the security risks of climate
change earned the NATO Field School team international recognition
at the inaugural NATO 2030 Policy Hackathon.
Teams from universities including Johns Hopkins University, Harvard
University, Sciences Po, King's College London, Freie Universität Berlin,
and many more, took on the week-long event in February 2021 to
create new and innovative policies to solve NATO's most pressing
problems.
During the challenge, the NATO Field School team was tasked with
how to build NATO's resilience against the security implications of
climate change. They responded by generating inventive and novel
policy suggestions, ranging from new methods of environmental
data collection, including a crowdsourced early warning disaster
response system to Augmented Reality (AR) disaster response
training. The team's experience in the NATO Field School was a major
asset, giving them an excellent understanding of NATO's
organizational structure and mandate which shined in the
competition, and certainly helped their overall performance.
The competition concluded at the New Ideas for NATO event on
February 4th, where the university teams presented their ideas to an
expert jury panel. Ultimately, the panel awarded the team the win in
their category, Reducing Military Carbon Emissions, and second
place in the overall competition, tied with Harvard University.
PAGE 4
DECEMBER 2021 ISSUE 1
Photos: (Left to right) Dr. Andrea Charron, Col. Dr. Ian Hope, Dr. Alan Okros, Dr. Brooke Smith-Windsor, and Dr. Christian Leuprecht
NATO FIELD SCHOOL CHAMPION SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
"Being the recipient of this award was an unexpected reinforcement that I have
made the right decision by going back to school, and even applying for a program
that I didn't think I could get into...While we were told repeatedly by many
accounts that the Virtual NATO Field School was not the same as being in person,
the very fact that it was online made it affordable, thus accessible for me. I would
not change a thing!"
In 2021, our virtual NATO Field School brought in over 60 guest experts from around the world to speak
on various issues and topics concerning NATO. While the virtual format did allow us to connect with
many new people and places, it also allowed us to stay in touch with many who have supported our
program for the past several years. This year, with the generous support of our NATO Field School
Champions (pictured above), and the Canadian Defence and Security Network (CDSN), we were able
to offer several scholarships in amounts ranging from $500 to $1000 to outstanding students in our
virtual program. In a show of thanks, several of our student recipients wrote thank you letters to show
their appreciation of this kind support.
Thank you again to Dr. Andrea Charron, Col. Dr. Ian Hope, Dr. Alan Okros, Dr. Brooke Smith-Windsor, Dr.
Christian Leuprecht, and of course, the Canadian Defence and Security Network!
"Thank you for your generosity and support in helping further my academic journey. I
promise that your investment into my academic development was the right choice...[the
award] will help further my desire to eventually give back to others through public service
work with an aim to help keep Canadians safe and make a meaningful contribution to the
defence and security sector"
PAGE 5
DECEMBER 2021 ISSUE 1
YOUNG DISRUPTORS AT THE 2O21
NATO COE DIRECTOR'S
CONFERENCE
In October 2021, the annual NATO Centre of Excellence (COE)
Directors' Conference was held in Vicenza, Italy. Chaired by the NATO
Stability Policing COE, the theme of the conference this year was
"Evolving to Stay Fit for Purpose". The conference attendees worked in
syndicates to find ways in which the COE Programme as a whole, as
well as individual COEs could best support their sponsor nations and
NATO into the future. In keeping with the spirit of evolution,
conference chair Colonel Giuseppe de Magistris (IT), decided to run
things a little differently.
Working with the Atlantic Forum, the Stability Policing COE invited four
"Young Disruptors" to join the conference proceedings. The moniker
of "Young Disruptor" was a unique one, implying a much more active
role in the conference proceedings than that of a 'young
professional' or 'youth ambassador'. It was in this capacity that our
NATO Field School Program Coordinator, Hannah Christensen, was
invited to participate.
During our time in Vicenza, we were instructed to disrupt the status
quo of proceedings and challenge conventional ways of thinking.
Some conference attendees were initially put off by the idea, asking
if this suggestion implied they were "old people with old ideas".
Despite this initial mindset, the conference attendees took to the
Young Disruptors very well, keeping us involved in the syndicate work
and taking our suggestions on board. In the end, four syndicates,
each with their own "Young Disruptor", produced a SWOT analysis
(Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) on the COE
Programme, helping inform the conference's key takeaways and
action points.
PAGE 6
DECEMBER 2021 ISSUE 1
LOOKING FORWARD: THE 2022
NATO FIELD SCHOOL!
We are looking forward to welcoming a brand new
cohort of NATO Field School in 2022! Applications are
open to senior undergraduate and graduate students
from any NATO nation interested in security, defence,
and diplomacy. Check out our website below to find
out more!
PAGE 7
About the Team
Dr. Alexander Moens founded the NATO Field School and
Simulation Program in 2017. He is the Chair of Political
Science at Simon Fraser University and a Senior Fellow at
the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. He was the Eisenhower
Fellow at the NATO Defense College in Rome in 2015. In
1992, Moens served in the Policy Planning Staff of Canada's
Foreign Affairs Department and in the spring of 1999 he
was a visiting fellow at the National Defense University in
Dr. Alexander Moens Washington, D.C.
NATO Field School
Director His current research interests include Canadian, American,
and European security and defence policy, Great Power
Politics, and NATO.
Alexandra Richards is currently completing a PhD in
Political Science at SFU. Her primary research interests are
generational theory, public opinion on security and
defence issues, international relations, and strategic
culture. Her research examines how different generations
(Baby Boomers, Millennials, etc.) view security and defence
issues in the future. Her research also examines the ways in
which culture (generational or strategic) can constrain
and shape decision makers' perceptions and decisions on
Alexandra Richards
security and defence issues.
Assistant NATO Field
School Director
Through her work as Assistant Field School Director on the
NATO Field School program since 2018, she has also
developed an interest in pedagogy, more specifically, how
simulations, experiential learning, and field study can
impact and enrich student learning.
About the Team
Dr. Elis Vllasi joined the NATO Field School for the 2021
edition, conducting several lectures on Russia's Hybrid
Warfare, NATO's missions in the Western Balkans, and NATO
cooperation with UN. Further, he served as an academic
mentor to student teams during various simulation
exercises.
Dr. Elis Vllasi Elis is a limited term lecturer in the Political Science
NATO Field School Department at Simon Fraser University where he teaches
Faculty courses on international security.
His current research interests include grey zone warfare,
particularly Russian and Chinese influence operations in
the West.
Hannah Christensen joined the NATO Field School team in
December 2020 to coordinate the redevelopment of the
2021 Virtual NATO Field School. She has since been hired on
to serve as Program Coordinator for the 2022 program.
She is looking forward to meeting the 2022 NFS cohort, as
well as working on new NFS projects, such as the Newsletter
(and more to come!)
Hannah Christensen
NATO Field School
Program Coordinator
Thank you! THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN TO OUR AMAZING 2021 VIRTUAL NATO FIELD SCHOOL SPEAKERS AND CONTRIBUTORS, WITHOUT WHOM THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. Fl Lt Miriam Aicheler Graeme Hamilton BGen Darlene Quinn Amb Vera Alexander Conor Hannigan Dr. Luca Ratti LGen Frances Allen BGen Carla Harding Dr. Iveta Reinholde James Appathurai Dr. Col. Ian Hope Manfred Reudenbach Damien Arnaud Capt John Jacobs Amb Kevin Rex LCol Imer Avdiu LCol Don Jamont Maj Matthew Reynolds LCol Konstantin Bellini Dr. Joseph Jockel Emma Richardson James Bezan LCol Enno Kerckhoff Zdenek Rod LCol Ross Bonnell LCol Vincent Kirstein Giovanni Romani Cristian Bota Amb Andra Kos Dr. Toms Rostoks Dr. Andrea Charron LCol Marius Kugauda LGen Michael Rouleau LCol Victoria Chiriloiu Col Eric Laforest BGen Jörg Rütter Cdr Landon Creasy LCol Melanie Lake Diego Ruiz Palmer Ryan Cross Dr. Christian Leuprecht Dr. Steve Saideman LCdr David Dallin Erin Loney Dr. Jamie Shea Yves Desbiens Gen John Maier Chelsey Slack Dr. Balkan Devlen LCol David McCleod Dr. Stanley Sloan CPO1 Carl Dixon Dr. Mohan Malik Dr. Brooke Smith-Windsor Dr. Walter Dorn Nevena Manojlovic Dr. Joel Sokolsky Graham Ericson LGen Al Meinzinger Lt (N) Liz Steele LCol Martin Essl Jazlyn Melnychuk RAdm Angus Topshee Ilay Ferrier Cmdr Daniel "Tomcat" Moise Cornel Turdeanu Cheryl Gallant Arnout Molenaar Col Frank Van Boxmeer Randall Garrison LCol R. Moore Tom Van Vynckt LGen Jo Godderij David Nelson Dr. Mark Webber Sqn Cdr Stuart Grady Dr. Alan Okros Lukas Werner Alexandra Green Maj B. Ouellet Brett Witthoeft CWO John Hall Olivier Poulin Dr. Katarzyna Zysk
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