News | May 17, 2016

PEL Summer Immersion

By Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction

National Defense University (NDU) Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction will welcome the ninth class of the Program for Emerging Leaders (PEL) to the introductory Summer Immersion Course on 6-10 June, 2016. This event is by invitation only.

The Program for Emerging Leaders (PEL) is an initiative of National Defense University’s Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). Its goal is to create a community of rising U.S. government leaders with the awareness and skill-set to respond to the dangers of WMD. PEL brings together select individuals from across government to enhance awareness of the variety of WMD threats and the full range of means, processes, and organizations for addressing them. Its members are early- to mid-career national security professionals. Through periodic membership activities, PEL provides a forum for building an interagency network of next generation leaders with a better understanding of the role of WMD in U.S. national security.

Summer Immersion is the first meeting of the incoming PEL class.  It is a week-long introduction to weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and WMD-related policy issues.  During the one-week course, we will visit and hear from policymakers who work on WMD issues, including those at the State Department, Pentagon, National Nuclear Security Administration and National Security Staff.  We will also have a one-day tour of the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC). All members of an incoming PEL class attend the Summer Immersion.  In addition PEL Senior Mentors join the new members throughout the week.  They are on hand to answer questions and impart wisdom based on their years of government service related to WMD.

At the end of the week, PEL members will have a sense of the breadth of issues related to WMD and the offices and departments which address them.  PEL members will also have participated in social and interactive activities to begin connecting with other PEL members.