Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s visit to South Korea, China and Japan has been accompanied by heightened language regarding North Korea’s nuclear capabilities. Tillerson has rejected any possibility of negotiations with North Korea and said that the administration would not rule out a pre-emptive strike "if they elevate the threat of their weapons program" to an unacceptable level. The administration also has stated that they are unwilling to continue the “policy of strategic patience” that the Obama administration had used.

With this kind of rhetoric, it's important to stay informed. To that end, student leaders for Nuclear Weapons Matter Luisa Kenausis, Nuclear Science & Engineering, Political Science and Jake Hecla, Nuclear Science & Engineering are hosting a lunch this Friday at 12noon in 5-231. Luisa and Jake’s description of the program follows:

      Most people born after the late 1980's have grown up without thinking much about the threat of nuclear war. Now, in an unsteady political climate, fears about nuclear weapons are beginning to rise again. For those of us who have not given much thought to nuclear weapons for most of our lives, important questions must be asked: How should we think about these weapons? What do nuclear weapons mean for the nature of interstate conflict? And how can we create a safer world in the future? Join us for a brief presentation on the theory and strategy of nuclear weapons, followed by a discussion on what can - or should - be done in the future to minimize the dangers of nuclear weapons. No knowledge about nuclear weapons is necessary to attend.

Although the program is hoping to attract students, all members of the MIT community are invited to attend. Email weinmann@mit.edu to RSVP. Please join us!