Indo-Pacific Security Forum: Enhancing Stability Through Deterrence, Defence & Diplomacy

Join us for the inaugural Security & Defence PLuS Indo-Pacific Security Forum on 12 May 2025 at the Prince Waikiki in Honolulu, Hawaii.

This one-day forum will convene senior officials, military leaders, policy experts, and academics to explore critical issues affecting the Indo-Pacific region, from geopolitical tensions to emerging security threats.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Lieutenant General James Glynn - Commander United States Marine Forces Pacific
• Lieutenant General Joshua Rudd - Deputy Commander, United States Indo-Pacific Command
• Lieutenant General Matthew McFarlane - Commander, United States Army I Corps
• Governor Josh Green, M.D. - Governor of Hawaii
• Major General (Ret) Suzy Varez-Lum - Director, Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies
• Rear Admiral Gary G. Montalvo - Director, Maritime Headquarters and Sustainment, United States Pacific Fleet
• Matthew D. Steinhelfer – AUKUS Senior Advisor, United States Department of State
• Colonel Aidan Shattock - Deputy Commander - Interoperability, 25th Infantry Division
• Colonel Carol Stauffer - G2, United States Army Pacific
• Paul Tennant - Vice President of Engagement and International Government Relations, HII
• Shon Manasco - Former Acting Under Secretary of the United States Air Force, Senior Counselor, Palantir
• Professor Linda McKie, Executive Dean, Faculty of Social Science and Public Policy, King's College London
• Professor David Kilcullen - Professor of Practice, School of Politics and Global Studies, Arizona State University; Professor of International and Political Studies, UNSW Canberra
• Dr David Santoro - President & CEO, Pacific Forum
• Dr Kori Schake - Senior Fellow and Director of Foreign and Defence Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute
• Sophia Gaston - UK Foreign Policy Lead, Australian Strategic Policy Institute; Visiting Research Fellow, King’s College London
• Brigadier (Ret) Dr Ian Langford - Executive Director, Security & Defence PLuS
• Professor Craig Stockings - Head of School, Humanities & Social Sciences, UNSW Canberra
• Professor Ryan Shaw - Managing Director of Strategic Initiatives & Senior University Advisor to the President, Office of University Affairs, Arizona State University
• Dr Alicia Ellis - Director, Master of Arts in Global Security Program, School of Politics & Global Studies, Arizona State University
• Dr Thorin Wright - Associate Professor, School of Politics & Global Studies, Arizona State University

VIEW THE FULL PROGRAM 

Agenda Outline:

• 09:00 Opening Remarks: Dr Chris Howard
• 09:15 Fireside Chat: Lieutenant General Joshua Rudd
• 10:30 Panel 1: The Role of Military Deterrence in Regional Security
• 12:15 Fireside Chat: Governor Josh Green, M.D.
• 13:00 Panel 2: Diplomatic Strategies for Conflict Resolution
• 14:00 Panel 3: Emerging Threats in the Indo-Pacific
• 15:00 Fireside Chat: Matt Steinhelfer
• 15:45 Panel 4: Building Partnerships for Sustainable Security
• 16:30 Closing Remarks: Brigadier (Ret) Dr Ian Langford

The day will close with a private dinner event, keynoted by Lieutenant General Simon Stuart - Chief of the Australian Army. Request a dinner invitation: securitydefence@plusalliance.org.

Dress Code: Business Casual / Aloha Crisp or Uniform

ABOUT SECURITY & DEFENCE PLUS
Security & Defence PLuS is the flagship program of PLuS Alliance, a global partnership which combines the strengths of three leading research universities on three continents – Arizona State University, King’s College London, and the University of New South Wales – to solve global challenges. Security & Defence PLuS deepens this partnership, advancing research, education, and policy to support statecraft in the spirit of the AUKUS trilateral agreement.