The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is home to several experts who can discuss aspects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, such as its national security impacts, economic and supply chain implications and the feasibility of war crimes prosecutions in the international courts.
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White has served as UNL’s director of academic programs at the Great Plains National Security Education Consortium, an Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence, since 2011. He developed UNL’s National Security Studies minor and has worked with UNL’s Intelligence Community Scholars Program. His research interests are in international security, specifically nuclear policy, and in human security. He co-developed and ran a task-force style simulation for the International Community Center for Academic Excellence in Washington DC for the past three summers. State-on-state power politics is a major area of his interest, and he is prepared to discuss Ukraine history as well as the factors that may have contributed to Putin’s decision to invade at this time and possible next steps in this high-stakes global chess game.
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Somnez, an associate professor in the supply chain management and analysis program, is prepared to discuss the impact of the current conflict betwee Russia and Ukraine, both globally and on Nebraska, considering grain farmers, food manufacturers and consumers. Both Ukraine and Russia are major suppliers of wheat to world markets. Wheat is also the third major grain in Nebraska and wheat supply affects markets for corn and soybeans as well. Energy issues come into play because of Russia’s status as a major energy exporter, with a strong connection between energy prices and the costs of farming.
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John Beghin, Yanney Chair in international trade and finance in the Department of Agricultural Economics, has been following how the brewing conflict has contributed to rising fertilizer prices. He can also discuss the conflict’s impact on grain markets, energy markets and financial markets.
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Courtney Hillebrecht (@c_Hillebrecht) is Samuel Clark Waugh Distinguished Professor of International Relations at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and director of the Forsythe Family Program on Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs. She is the author of several books about international courts and international human rights tribunals and can discuss the implications of pursuing war crimes prosecutions against Russia and President Vladimir Putin in relation to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.