Convening the National Security Community
The Clements Center brings together scholars, policymakers, military leaders, journalists, and students to examine the most pressing challenges facing American foreign policy and national security. Through lectures, conferences, workshops, and special programs, we create opportunities for informed discussion grounded in history, strategy, and statecraft.
Why We Convene
The most important questions in national security cannot be answered from a single discipline or perspective. They require rigorous scholarship, practical experience, and thoughtful debate.
Since its founding in 2013, the Clements Center has hosted hundreds of public lectures, conferences, seminars, and workshops that connect academic research with real-world policymaking. Our events bring students face-to-face with senior government officials, military leaders, diplomats, journalists, and leading scholars while creating opportunities for meaningful dialogue across the University and beyond.
Whether examining historical lessons, emerging threats, or today's geopolitical challenges, every event is designed to strengthen understanding of the complex issues shaping American statecraft.
Want to Keep Up to Date on Future Events?
Sign up to receive updates on upcoming events, lectures, and programs from the Clements Center. From policy discussions to expert panels, you'll be the first to know about opportunities to engage with our community of scholars, practitioners, and students.
Signature Events
The Clements Center's Signature Events represent our premier public programming, designed to bring together distinguished leaders, scholars, and practitioners to examine the issues shaping American foreign policy and national security. These are the lectures, conferences, and special events we conceive, develop, and lead to advance thoughtful discussion on the most pressing issues in American foreign policy and national security.
From major keynote addresses featuring senior government officials and military leaders to conferences that bring together leading scholars and practitioners, our Signature Events foster rigorous dialogue grounded in history, strategy, and statecraft. While many are presented in collaboration with partner organizations, the Clements Center serves as the lead convener, shaping each program from concept to execution.
These events reflect our commitment to creating forums where ideas are challenged, perspectives are broadened, and today's most consequential national security issues are examined with intellectual rigor.
Partnership Events
Collaboration has always been central to the Clements Center's mission.
Each year, we partner with academic centers, departments, institutes, and organizations across The University of Texas at Austin and beyond to present programs that broaden perspectives and expand the national security conversation. These partnerships allow us to reach new audiences, introduce diverse expertise, and create interdisciplinary discussions that would not be possible alone.
Whether co-hosting a public lecture, symposium, or conference, our Partner Events reflect a shared commitment to thoughtful engagement on the most pressing issues facing the United States and the world.
Event Archive
Since 2013, the Clements Center has welcomed hundreds of distinguished speakers and hosted conversations on diplomacy, defense, intelligence, history, economics, technology, and statecraft.
Explore our archive to revisit past events, discover previous speakers, and trace the evolution of the national security issues that continue to shape today's world.
