RSIS Seminar by Dr Cung Vu, RSIS Visiting Senior Fellow, Former Associate Director, Office of Naval Research Global (Singapore), United States Department of the Navy

Lecture Abstract:

More than two-thirds of the world is covered by water, connected via oceans, seas, bays, coastal areas, and rivers. These waters, shore infrastructures, and the people, cargo, and conveyances that transit through them, are collectively part of an immense Maritime Domain that is vital to the welfare, security, and prosperity of countries, people, and economies. 90% of the world’s commerce moves by sea. 49% of the world’s oil travels through 7 major sea chokepoints. 96% of international communications travels via undersea cables. The Maritime Domain security environment is characterized by a variety of dynamic threats and challenges. These originate from criminal behavior, terrorism, nation-state activities, weapons proliferation, narcotics trafficking, illegal fishing, violations of environmental law, and other illicit activities using or threatening maritime persons, cargo, vessels, and/or infrastructure. Developing and maintaining Domain Awareness ensures continuous information support to decision-makers at all levels, allowing them to make timely, risk-informed decisions critical to security of the homeland. This seminar discusses the role of S&T to support maritime domain awareness including surveillance, information sharing to cargo and port security.

About the Speaker:

Dr Cung Vu is a chemical engineer with over 30 years of experience in industries, academia and government, and was listed in Who’s Who in Science and Engineering. Dr. Vu served as Associate Director at the Office of Naval Research Global in Singapore to link the Office of Naval Research to the international scientific community. Previously, Dr. Vu served as Chief Science and Technology Advisor at the National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office (NMIO) where he advised the Director of NMIO on the implications of new and emerging technologies in the maritime domain. He fostered engagement and information sharing amongst the NMIO stakeholders (Federal, State, Local US Government, Academia, Private sector, Foreign Partners, etc.). He also led a community of interest on Emerging and Disruptive Technologies under the charter of the Global Futures Forum, coordinated by the National Intelligence Council. He was Branch Chief, Advanced Technologies of the Defense Warning Office overseeing strategic assessments on emerging technologies with the intent of precluding technological surprise.