Space Weather as a Global Challenge 2019

Recorded in Washington, DC on September 26, 2019.

Since 2016, Secure World Foundation (SWF) has partnered with the U.S. Department of State to host multiple Space Weather as a Global Challenge events to facilitate discussions on the impacts of space weather across the globe, and plans to collaborate in observation, modeling, prediction, and mitigation of harmful effects. This year’s Space Weather as a Global Challenge will be held in coordination with the Next Step Benchmarks Town Hall, an event that supports the U.S. National Space Weather Strategy and Action Plan, on September 26, 2019.

The Next Step Benchmarks is an effort funded by NSF and NASA, and led by the IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI), that has gathered 32 of the world’s leading space weather scientists to develop recommendations for improving the characterization of extreme space weather events. Initial characterizations of 1-in-100-year and theoretical maximum events for five space weather phenomena were described in the Space Weather Phase 1 Benchmarks report, released by the White House’s National Science and Technology Council in 2018. The Next Step Benchmarks team is developing a public report that will provide recommendations to improve the estimates found in the Phase 1 report. The Town Hall will be an opportunity for the space weather community to provide feedback on proposed recommendations and priorities for studies, data acquisition, and long-term research that would improve the characterization of extreme space weather events.

Following the Town Hall, SWF and the U.S. Department of State hosted an evening panel discussion and networking reception to share the general outcomes of the Town Hall and other U.S. and international space weather initiatives.

• Jean-Luc Bald, First Secretary, Space Global Issues & Innovation Section, Delegation of the European Union to the United States of America
• Mark Harvey, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Resilience Policy, National Security Council Staff
• Jeff O'Neil, Legislative Director, Office of Congressman Ed Perlmutter (CO-07)
• Geoffrey Reeves, Research Fellow, Los Alamos National Lab
• Moderator: Josh Wolny, Project Manager, Secure World Foundation

More details, including transcripts, can be found at the event page on the SWF website.