NATO, through the NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG) under the Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD), routinely uses senior representatives from defense and other industries to inform and advise NATO command on key topics and issues of strategic importance for defense investment. Rice University’s Baker Institute was invited to participate in NIAG SG-274, which focused on critical materials supply chain resilience. Michelle Michot Foss, fellow in energy, minerals and materials at the Center for Energy Studies, serves as a principal investigator and lead for Rice’s participation, with support from CES fellows Anna Mikulska and Gabriel Collins. The group is providing expertise to SG-274 across their areas of expertise in minerals and materials industries, Europe and global security, armaments and U.S. energy, and materials and defense policies.
The NIAG SG-274 held its third plenary at the Baker Institute on November 8-10. The plenary included high-level remarks from the Baker Institute's director, Ambassador David Satterfield, who captured world views and NATO’s role and challenges. Michot Foss provided input on U.S. critical materials policies and issues across the U.S. and global minerals and materials industries. Collins offered insights on weapons systems requirements, incorporating information from the current conflict in Ukraine and on Asia-Pacific security. Fellow Steven W. Lewis presented in-depth detail on domestic politics in China, a major priority for the agenda. Mikulska contributed information on potential materials supply chains in central and eastern European locations, in particular Poland and Ukraine. During an afternoon session devoted to U.S. government policies, Nathan Cook, Rice's director of government relations, helped to coordinate a U.S. industry panel on semiconductors and electronics, with a robust discussion of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. Participating were Tony Essalih and Anthony “Lazer” Lazarski of Cornerstone Government Affairs; Doyle Edwards of Brewer Science (Brewer Science helped to found the American Materials Technology Partnership, of which Rice is a member); Dak Hardwick of the Aerospace Industries Association; and Stewart Barber of the Semiconductors Industry Association.
A lively dialogue with Rice research and development (R&D) faculty on the future of advanced materials rounded out the plenary. Ramamoorthy Ramesh, Rice's vice president of research, professor of materials science and nanoengineering and professor of physics and astronomy, led the conversation. The faculty panel included Matteo Pasquali, the A.J. Hartsook Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Chemistry, and Materials Science & NanoEngineering, and director, Carbon Hub; Ming Tang, associate professor of materials science and nano engineering for the Mesoscale Materials Science Group; and Raúl Hernández Sánchez, assistant professor, Hernández Sánchez Research Group. The discussion opened with a review of U.S. science and R&D policies and funding for energy and defense. Specific advances were highlighted as they apply to the specific SG-274 charge in carbon materials (carbon nanotube, CNT, materials that can displace metals and provide numerous benefits such as strength, flexibility and thermal and electrical conductivity); batteries and battery metals and materials; and nanoscale materials for water purification and remediation of toxic and hazardous materials. Previous NATO NIAG efforts on emerging and disruptive technologies (EDT) were touched on. Forward steps to build closer collaboration and cooperation between the U.S. and Europe and among NATO member countries encompassed a number of ideas and concepts, including action items for Rice University and Baker Institute centers, programs and fellow going forward.
The SG-274 will complete work in May 2023. CES research support for the effort is being incorporated into Baker Institute publications and upcoming events on the major themes.
