Center on National Security and the Law
Bringing 360° innovation to complex national security challenges.
Anchored by the strongest and most diverse national security faculty in the country, the Center is at the forefront of the national security conversation.
The Center operates with a “National Security 360” perspective: a holistic and multi-disciplinary approach to identifying and addressing some of the most pressing concerns in national security law and policy. The Center’s work is organized around three pillars:
(1) Next Gen Program for J.D. and LL.M students;
(2) the launch of our new 360 Innovation Incubator, a problem solving lab for complex real-world security problems; and
(3) deepening the national security conversation through public engagement.
Announcements and Events
BREAKING: Georgetown Law’s Center on National Security Awarded Major Grant to Support Social Media Governance Project
November 9, 2020
Georgetown Law’s Center on National Security & the Law was today awarded a Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN) Challenge grant to further support the critical new field of public interest technology. The Center was awarded funding to pursue a project dedicated to developing holistic governance models to address the risks social media poses to our democratic society, communities, and individuals.
“We are delighted to announce the launch of the NatSec 360 Tech Incubator and grateful to the PIT-UN project for their support,” Professor Laura K. Donohue noted. Georgetown Law joined 25 other colleges and universities across the country who received funding to continue their pathfinding work in the creation of this new field.
“This grant will allow us to creatively tackle the risks and challenges posed by social media. Our goal is to balance innovation, security, and governance to promote the common good,” says Anna Cave, Executive Director of the Center on National Security & the Law.
As the country continues to face unprecedented challenges to our public health, democratic institutions, social norms and economic well being, we have a critical choice to make. Will we use technology to develop a strong, unified response to COVID-19 and future crises, make our economy and democracy more accessible and equitable and create a country and systems that work for us all? Or will we use technology to perpetuate and even expand unequal and unjust policies. The work done at Georgetown Law and partner institutions across the network is advancing the use of technology for public benefit.
The Public Interest Technology University Network is a partnership of colleges and universities convened by New America, the Ford Foundation, and the Hewlett Foundation. The network is dedicated to building the nascent field of public interest technology through curriculum development, faculty research opportunities, and experiential learning programs, in order to inspire a new generation of civic-minded technologists and policy leaders.
Avril Danica Haines (JD '01) is the Director of National Intelligence for the Biden-Harris administration. She is the first woman to serve in the country’s most senior intelligence position. Ms. Haines previously served in the Obama Administration as the first female Deputy National Security Advisor and the first female Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Prior to her appointment to the CIA, she served as Deputy Counsel to the President for National Security Affairs in the Office of White House Counsel.