NatSec EmTech

About NatSec EmTech

Where Innovation meets Intelligence. Every episode is a journey to the unseen, unimagined places, from Space race 2.0, AI dilemmas, crypto crackdowns, bioengineering breakthroughs to strange new weapons you’ve never heard of. Join me as I bring together experts, insiders, and surprising voices to help you understand the technologies shaping the world we all are about to live in. 🎧 Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. 💡Want more - Join the Club @ https://nationalsecurity.law.georgetown.edu/natsec-technology/ and help shape the world!

Publisher

Laura K. Donohue

Category

technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

14 Apr 2026

Latest episode

17 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

13 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   17 Sept 2026

   Edge Decision-Making: The Future of Drone Warfare with Phil Lockwood

   In this episode we explore how drones have rapidly evolved from remotely piloted tools into increasingly autonomous systems that are reshaping modern warfare and national security. Professor Laura K. Donohue speaks to Phil Lockwood, former Head of Innovation at NATO and now Managing Director at Stark International, about the convergence of artificial intelligence, advanced sensors, and uncrewed systems. Lockwood explains how drones are increasingly taking on "dull, dirty, and dangerous" tasks, discusses the spectrum from human-controlled to fully autonomous weapons, and how AI could become essential for navigation, target recognition, and counter-drone operations. Could drones and artificial intelligence become the most ethical way to conduct combat operations? Is international law sufficient to govern AI-driven warfare and is a new international treaty needed around the proliferation and implementation of these systems?  And who bears responsibility when autonomous systems make unexpected decisions. We look at these questions and much more, including the idea that the greatest near-term threat may not be super-intelligent machines, but the growing accessibility of inexpensive, highly capable drones that could be deployed at scale by both state and non-state actors, creating significant challenges for defending critical infrastructure and civilian populations.

2. 

   3 Sept 2026

   21st-Century Weapons, 20th-Century Frameworks with David Jonas

   In this episode of NatSec EmTech, Professor Laura K. Donohue speaks with Professor David Jonas, a leading expert on nuclear nonproliferation, arms control, and international treaty law about the evolution of the global nuclear order and the growing challenges it faces today. He explains the original purpose of nuclear arms control treaties following World War II, the importance of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and the role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in monitoring nuclear programs. Prior to his civilian service, David Jonas was a career Marine Corps officer where he held a wide variety of command and staff billets. He served as nuclear nonproliferation planner for the Joint Chiefs of Staff negotiating multiple international agreements and has worked extensively with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Conference on Disarmament, and the United Nations. We delve into the implications of states like India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea existing outside the traditional NPT framework, and the legal complexities surrounding treaties such as the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Also exploring today's increasingly unstable geopolitical landscape, examining the expiration of New START, the collapse of meaningful arms control negotiations, the lessons of the Budapest Memorandum and the war in Ukraine, and the risks posed by renewed great-power competition with Russia and China. And finally we ask, what keeps a leading nuclear nonproliferation expert up at night?

3. 

   20 Aug 2026

   The Codes Behind the Coin, Part 2 with Alan Cohn

   This episode of NatSec EmTech continues the conversation with Alan Cohn, Chair of the Financial Innovation and Regulation Practice at Steptoe, by examining the complex legal and regulatory framework governing cryptocurrencies and digital assets. The discussion explores how anti-money laundering (AML) rules, sanctions, and know-your-customer (KYC) requirements apply to blockchain-based financial systems, explaining why cryptocurrency presents both unique challenges and unique investigative advantages. Alan describes how blockchain analytics allow law enforcement to trace transactions, identify patterns of illicit activity, and follow the provenance of funds, making cryptocurrencies fundamentally different, and not necessarily more anonymous, than traditional financial systems. The conversation also continues to explore the evolving regulatory landscape in the United States, including the roles of the SEC, CFTC, state regulators, and Congress in determining how digital assets should be classified and governed. Alan explains the ongoing debate over whether cryptocurrencies should be treated as securities or commodities, the shift away from "regulation by enforcement" toward clearer legislative frameworks, and the impact of recent proposals on the future of the industry. Finally, Professor Donohue and Mr. Cohn look at cryptocurrency through a national security lens, discussing ransomware, nation-state cyberattacks, sanctions enforcement, and how governments are adapting their regulatory and investigative tools to address emerging threats while fostering innovation.

4. 

   6 Aug 2026

   The Codes Behind the Coin, Part 1 with Alan Cohn

   Understanding both the Technical and Legal Code behind Crypto and Blockchain: This episode of NatSec EmTech is the first of a two-part conversation with Alan Cohn, who is Chair of the Financial Innovation and Regulation Practice, and a Partner, at Steptoe, exploring the fundamentals of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. Alan explains how cryptocurrencies were designed to solve key challenges in traditional financial systems, breaking down how blockchain's distributed ledger functions, how Bitcoin mining works, and the fundamental differences between Bitcoin and Ethereum. Along the way, he demystifies concepts such as smart contracts, oracles, and decentralization, while examining why Bitcoin has remained the most widely recognized and resilient cryptocurrency despite years of technical, financial, and political scrutiny. The conversation also explores the rapidly evolving legal and regulatory landscape surrounding cryptocurrencies and digital assets. Alan discusses the growing tension between the original vision of decentralized finance and its increasing adoption by mainstream financial institutions, while explaining how governments, regulators, and the banking industry are adapting to this transformative technology.

5. 

   23 Jul 2026

   The Woomera Manual: Mapping the Rules of Space with Prof. David Koplow

   The episode explores the rapidly evolving field of space law through a conversation with  Professor David Koplow, co-editor of the Woomera Manual on the International Law of Military  Space Activities. The discussion examines whether today's legal framework, primarily the 1967  Outer Space Treaty, is equipped to govern modern space exploration, commercialization, and  military competition. Koplow argues that the treaty's core principles remain sound but are no  longer sufficient, leaving major legal gray areas around lunar settlements, resource extraction,  private companies like SpaceX, and the increasing role  of commercial actors. He emphasizes that humanity is not facing a lawless frontier in space, but rather a law-deficient one that urgently requires more detailed international agreements. The conversation also tackles the growing security challenges posed by space. Koplow and host Professor Laura K. Donohue discuss the militarization of space, the ambiguity surrounding "peaceful purposes," the legal limits on nuclear weapons in orbit, the risks of anti-satellite warfare, intelligence gathering from space, and the potential for miscalculation during future conflicts.  They also explore emerging issues such as orbital debris, privacy concerns created by  increasingly powerful surveillance technologies, and the difficulties of enforcing arms-control  agreements in space.

6. 

   9 Jul 2026

   Navigating the Law of Spectrum with Christian Hatten, Associate, Jenner & Block

   This episode explores the increasingly critical role of radio spectrum in space, telecommunications, and national security. Professor Laura K. Donohue speaks with space and telecommunications attorney Christian Hatten about how the finite spectrum, which enables every wireless communication, is regulated. Of note, the value, and the legal and technical challenges created by the rapid growth of satellite networks, are discussed. Their conversation explains how emerging technologies in connectivity could help close important gaps while introducing new challenges around interference, licensing, and spectrum allocation.

7. 

   25 Jun 2026

   Systemic Shock: All Matters AI with Dr. Wayne Chung, Chief Technology Officer, Virtru

   In this episode, Professor Laura K. Donohue sits down with Dr. Wayne Chung, Chief Technology Officer at Virtru, to explore what AI really is and how rapid changes in the industry could reshape cybersecurity and why the United States faces an urgent but delicate challenge in regulating AI without surrendering technological leadership. Dr. Chung shares his thinking on where the industry is at right now - in a way that is thoughtful, technically grounded, and cautious rather than sensationalist, but he does warn that society is moving very quickly into a world where AI systems can act autonomously, manipulate information, and interact with the real world in ways that existing laws and institutions are not prepared to handle.

8. 

   11 Jun 2026

   Disarmament in Deep Space: Preventing the Next Arms Race with Almudena Azcárate Ortega

   As humanity's presence in space expands, so do the questions surrounding security, responsibility, and the future of international law. Is outer space still a peaceful domain, or has the weaponization of space already begun? In this episode of NatSec EmTech's Space Law series, Professor Laura K. Donohue sits down with Almudena Azcárate Ortega, Senior Program Analyst at Secure World Foundation and former fellow at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDR). Together, they explore the evolving reality of weaponization of outer space. While international treaties prohibit certain activities in space, there are still incidents of populating space with weapons including potential repurposing of a benign device into something that could be used to harm. As more nations and private actors enter the space domain, where should the line be drawn between peaceful use and hostile action? What happens when current capabilities such as direct descent, jamming, spoofing, or cyber operations, blur this distinction? The conversation also revisits the Reagan Administration's Strategic Defense Initiative, better known as "Star Wars" and examines how a vision once associated with science fiction continues to shape contemporary debates about missile defense, space security, and strategic deterrence. Beyond conflict in orbit, we discuss a challenge that receives far less attention: what comes back down. Space launch vehicles do not always remain in space, and the risks created by falling rocket stages and debris are not shared equally. Why do the consequences of reentry often fall disproportionately on nations and communities far removed from the benefits of space activity? And who bears responsibility when objects launched into space return to Earth in unexpected places? From nuclear weapons in orbit to the growing militarization of space infrastructure, this episode examines how existing legal frameworks confront the realities of an increasingly contested space environment. Join us as we explore the legal, political, and strategic challenges shaping the future of security in outer space. Disclaimer: Almudena Azcárate Ortega is no longer affiliated with UNIDR. The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the guest and should not, under any circumstances, be attributed to UNIDR, Secure World Foundation, NatSec EmTech, the Center on National Security, or Georgetown Law.

9. 

   28 May 2026

   Hypersonic Horizon: Space Law 201 with Col. Todd Pennington, U.S. Air Force, Retired, (former) Staff Judge Advocate USSPACECOM

   As we move toward Space Law 201, Host Prof. Laura K. Donohue (Director, Georgetown Center for National Security) and Col. Todd Pennington, USAF (Ret.) explore the international principles shaping outer space and the power politics behind them. The episode examines the principle of the “free use and exploration of outer space” and what this freedom actually entails. It also explores the principle of international responsibility and traces its origins to Cold War strategic stability, when the United States and the Soviet Union were not only competing for technological dominance, but negotiating the very rules that would govern the cosmos. This conversation is not confined to history alone. It's also about what is coming next. With the New START Treaty expiring earlier this year, the episode explores what the collapse of the last remaining bilateral nuclear arms treaty between the United States and Russia could mean for strategic stability, weapons in space, and the future of international security, and what role countries like India, Japan and China are playing in this space. The discussion also turns to one of the most urgent modern challenges in outer space: orbital debris. Thousands of objects now orbit the Earth including fragments of satellites, abandoned missions, and remnants of decades-old operations which raises questions regarding liability for damage. The key question, however, is if international law can keep pace with an increasingly crowded and contested space environment. This episode explores the legal foundations, strategic tensions, and emerging challenges at the heart of modern space governance. And much more. Want to be part of this conversation? Join the Center on National Security and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for updates.

10. 

    14 May 2026

    Beyond the Kármán Line with Ms. Sarah Banco, Former Senior Director of Legal Corporate at SpaceX

    Professor Laura K. Donohue with Ms. Sarah Banco, Former Senior Director of Legal Corporate at SpaceX As commercial actors rapidly expand humanity’s presence beyond Earth, one critical question emerges: who governs space? In this episode of NatSec EmTech, Prof. Laura K. Donohue sits down with Sarah Banco, formerly of SpaceX, to unpack the evolving legal, geopolitical, and technological landscape of commercial space exploration. From the Outer Space Treaty and the Rescue and Return Agreement to questions of sovereign liability and private-sector accountability, this conversation explores the legal frameworks shaping the future of space operations. Are commercial entities like SpaceX bound by international law in the same way as nation-states? If a foreign actor attacks a commercial spacecraft, could it be treated as an attack on the United States? Conversely, can states be held responsible for the actions of private space companies operating under their jurisdiction? The discussion also examines the deeper implications of humanity becoming a multi-planetary species. Could commercial expansion into space raise concerns about sovereignty and non-appropriation? Is the rise of private space companies comparable to any historical entities? Beyond law and geopolitics, the episode dives into the engineering realities of reusable launch systems, in-space refueling, and the practical challenges of sustaining long-term space exploration. Why is Mars the ultimate destination for SpaceX? Why not the Moon? And what lies ahead in the quest to make life multi-planetary? Join us for a fascinating conversation at the intersection of national security, emerging technology, international law, and the future of humanity in space. Disclaimer: Sarah Banco is no longer associated with SpaceX. The views expressed in this podcast are solely the personal views of the guest and should not, under any circumstances, be attributed to SpaceX or NatSec EmTech.

11. 

    30 Apr 2026

    Jurisprudence in Zero G: Space Law 101 with Col. Todd Pennington, U.S. Air Force, Ret., (former) Staff Judge Advocate USSPACECOM

    What if the future of space isn’t driven by innovation but by 60-year-old treaties, fragmented regulatory regimes, and a legal vacuum no one’s rushing to fill? As commercial space activity accelerates and geopolitical stakes rise, the question is no longer whether space law matters but whether it’s ready for what’s coming next?  In this episode, Colonel Todd Pennington (USAF, Ret.) breaks down the foundations of space law from ownership and sovereignty to liability, regulation, and the growing role of private actors. As commercial expansion accelerates and geopolitical competition intensifies, legacy frameworks are being pushed far beyond what their drafters ever envisioned. Here's a guided walkthrough of the episode: [01:44] Ad Coelum and the origins:  Who really “owns” space, and how early legal thinking continue to shape today’s debates [05:21] The Outer Space Treaty (1967): While International law guarantees freedom of exploration coupled with state responsibility, are there any hidden underlying asymmetries? [10:33] Rescue & Return Agreement (1968): What happens when astronauts or space objects land in foreign territory? Are the rules same for other state objects too? [12:28] Liability Convention (1972): Who pays when satellites collide or cause damage? Is this liability fault- based or absolute?  And can private companies negotiate on their own? [16:19] Registration convention 1976: States must provide information about each space object they place in outer space, but is there real global transparency and why it matters? [17:36] The Moon Agreement, 1984: The Moon as the “common heritage of the mankind”. But why did the Agreement fail? [20:09] Bogota Declaration, 1976: Can Equatorial countries’ claim segments of geostationary orbit above their land? [22:28] LEO, MEO, GEO and Beyond: How do satellite congestion and the strategic importance of Lagrange points position orbital space as the next geopolitical frontier? And much more… Follow us on: LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram Join the Center for National Security Club and be part of the conversation shaping tomorrow’s national security landscape.

12. 

    16 Apr 2026

    Space, Sovereignty, and the Private Frontier: A Conversation with Tom McSorley, General Counsel, NATO DIANA | Formerly Space X

    Space is no longer the exclusive domain of the public sector. Commercial actors are driving innovation at an unprecedented pace, reshaping how space is accessed, built, and governed. As private capabilities expand, governments increasingly rely on commercial partnerships to secure the technologies and infrastructure essential to national security and strategic advantage. But what does that reliance mean? Does it make governments responsible for the actions of private actors in space? Are we regulating a rapidly evolving frontier with legacy domestic laws? Is space law merely an ancillary extension of existing authorities or does it require a fundamental rethinking? And if nations cannot align internally on regulatory frameworks, how can they coordinate effectively on the international stage? In this conversation, Tom McSorley, currently General Counsel at the NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA), and formerly with SpaceX unpacks the tension between innovation and regulation, sovereignty and partnership, ambition and restraint. We examine the biggest regulatory inhibitors facing the United States, explore what the space ecosystem could look like 15 years from now, and wonder whether point-to-point travel through space across Earth’s surface is closer than we think? Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are the personal views of the guest and shall in no circumstances be attributed to NATO, DIANA, or NatSec EmTech.

13. 

    14 Apr 2026

    NatSec EmTech Trailer

    The future of national security is no longer on land, it’s in code, labs, and orbit. Georgetown University’s Center for National Security is proud to launch NatSec–EmTech, a  podcast hosted by Professor Laura Donohue, exploring the world of AI, VR, space, cryptocurrency, biomanipulation and more. Excited? Join us on April 16  for our debut season on Space Law because it is not science fiction, it is National security.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

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