UND LEADS: Broad Perspectives on National Security
Join us for our speaker series focusing on key topics of national security.
Each fall and spring semester, UND invites a prominent, national expert to speak at an event hosted by President Andrew Armacost. The fall event is held on the UND campus in Grand Forks, N.D., and the spring event in Washington, D.C. This series serves as a complement to the University’s National Security Initiative, which focuses on research and educating tomorrow’s workforce leaders in national security.
Spring 2025 - General James C. "Jim" Slife
General Jim Slife
UND President Andrew Armacost and General Jim Slife
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
2025 Defense Communities National Summit
Arlington, VA
Gen. Jim Slife serves as the Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, Arlington,
Virginia. As Vice Chief, he guides the Air Staff and serves as a member of the Joint
Requirements Oversight Council. He assists the Chief of Staff with organizing, training
and equipping 689,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving in the
United States and overseas.
Gen. Slife was born outside of Detroit and grew up in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He was commissioned
through the ROTC program at Auburn University and has spent most of his career in
special operations aviation assignments, deploying extensively. Prior to his current
assignment, Gen. Slife was the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters
U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia.
Full Bio on GENERAL JAMES C. SLIFE
Fall 2024 - General Robinson
On Sept. 27, 2024, USAF Gen. Lori J. Robinson lead off the UND discussion series with UND President Andrew Armacost. Gen. Robinson is the the first woman to lead a U.S. combatant command and the former commander of the United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
Gen. Lori J. Robinson
Gen. Robinson has had a historic career. After first being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in May 1981, she rose through the ranks of the Air Force to become a Brigadier General in July 2008. She ascended the ranks again ultimately attaining the rank of General in October 2014.
Gen. Robinson was among 13 women featured in a 2016 Time Magazine article about the world’s most influential women, and has been featured in multiple other publications.
Gen. Robinson is the former commander of USNORTHCOM, which made her the first woman in U.S. history to lead a combatant command. There are 11 combatant commands that the U.S. military administers. USNORTHCOM conducts all military matters in North America and assists non-military entities in times of need. While commander of USNORTHCOM, Gen. Robinson also simultaneously led the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
Media
Media wishing to attend may contact:
David Dodds
Director of Communication
david.dodds@UND.edu
701.777.5529
Contact
For general event questions, please email UND.eventrsvp@UND.edu.