SHS Interactors Invited to American Academy

On May 19th, 13 students from Interact Club traveled to the American Academy at Harvard University in Cambridge Massachusetts to take part in a stated meeting and conference regarding the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) on nuclear testing and disarmament. This was the first time in history in which students were invited to a stated address at the Academy. The conference began with round table discussions, led by over 40 experts from around the world. They consisted of physicists, acclaimed professors, and  government leaders. The discussions focused on ratification of the CTBT, a treaty that would make nuclear testing illegal throughout the world. It has been ratified by all but eight countries. One of which, is the United States. The US originally signed the treaty under the presidency of Clinton, but has been unable to ratify it in the last twenty years. The discussions focused on the current status of the treaty, and what needs to be done to ratify it. It is important to note that the CTBT would not call for nuclear disarmament, only an end to nuclear testing, a process that is incredibly detrimental to health and the environment. With current technology, nations would still be able to maintain a nuclear arsenal, and even improve their weapons.  However, many experts at the conference believed that this treaty was the first step towards disarmament ,  and would be a huge step towards global peace. Others disagreed, claiming that the treaty was not nearly enough. They argued that the world really needs to give up nuclear weapons all together and immediately.

After the roundtable discussions, we proceeded to lunch, where students were seated three to a table. We were surrounded by the experts from the roundtable discussions and were able to ask questions and chat with them. Gary Samore, Executive Director for research at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University, gave the keynote address during lunch.

We then had the opportunity to take part in a youth forum, where we were the key participants and group leaders. Many experts also took part in this, as well as graduate students from the Rhode Island School of Design. The forum focused on how we could reach out to the general public and teach them about the current state of affairs and the CTBT.

During the reception afterwards, Interact Club members had the wonderful opportunity to meet the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security at the U.S. Department of State, Rose E. Gottemoeller. She was also the first woman to negotiate a nuclear treaty with Russia. She specifically asked to meet with us, and we were able to chat with her about her position in Washington D.C. and ask questions about the national government and nuclear policy. During the reception, the graduate students from RISD also presented their work over the past year on designing security measures to protect victims if a nuclear event were to occur.

The final event was the stated meeting, led by Arun Rath from NPR and WGBH. The entire meeting was broadcasted on NPR. Rose Gottemoeller was one of the key speakers along with Dr. Lassina Zerbo (the Executive Secretary of the CTBT organization), Siegfried Hecker (professor at Stanford University), and Robert Rosner (professor at the University of Chicago and co-chair of the Global Nuclear Future Initiative at the American Academy).

Interact Club was so incredibly honored  to attend this conference, and we especially thank Francesca Giovannini, Senior Program Officer for Global Security and International Affairs at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, for having invited us to the Academy. Thank you to Deborah Pease of the Scarborough Rotary Club and advisor to Interact Club for helping us organize this trip and agreeing to be a chaperone. Thank you also to our other chaperones, Sean Munkacsi and Christopher Eldridge, who are both social studies teachers at Scarborough High School. Last, thank you to Principal David Creech and the Scarborough School System for arranging transportation down to the American Academy.