Programs
Economic Security

Economics and security are colliding more now than at any time in the post-war era. The use of economic tools for geopolitical and strategic purposes is creating headaches for policy makers and the private sector alike. How to navigate this new world and support international allies and partners while protecting national domestic interests and industry is increasingly challenging. USSC is a first mover in this space, providing timely and well-informed analysis and practical solutions that assist Australia and the US to respond to economic security dynamics.

Strategic Technologies

The Strategic Technologies Program explores the technology challenges and opportunities facing Australia, the United States and our network of allies and partners. The program conducts original research on the impact of strategic technologies for Australia and our region.

The flow of data across a connected world
Foreign Policy and Defence

The Foreign Policy and Defence Program produces policy-oriented analysis of American strategic policy in the Indo-Pacific and the future of the Australia-United States alliance. The program offers insights and recommendations to its stakeholders through publications, policy dialogues, strategic futures workshops, outreach activities, podcasts, and other mediums.

Politics, Society and Culture

The Politics, Society and Culture Program addresses questions about US democracy, governance and political institutions; the attitudes and values that structure US society and what this means for US allies; shifts in US balancing of individual freedom, inequality and state power; US cultural presentation of itself to the world; and the differences and similarities between the United States and its allies and partners in key domains of public policy.

Projects
Engagement in the Indo-Pacific

The Indo-Pacific is a region undergoing profound strategic shifts, driven by growing regional multipolarity, evolving alliances, and the rising need for collective defence. At the Centre, we are committed to examining these trends and diving deep into analysis that informs policymakers, industry leaders, and the public about the region’s future.

Women in the Alliance

Women in the Alliance brings together a diverse group of talented female professionals for exclusive opportunities designed to advance and accelerate their careers, amplify their expertise and expand their professional network.

The Women in the Alliance cohort of 2023-24 standing for a group photo.
Japan-Australia Dialogue and Exchange for Next Generation

Together with the Japan Foundation, we run two parallel Australia-Japan fellowship programs designed to strengthen the connection between Australian and Japanese policy experts and research institutes.

Next Generation Challenges in the US-Australia Alliance

The ‘NextGen’ initiative aims to strengthen the bilateral Australia-US alliance by building a diverse and well-equipped network of future Australian leaders dedicated to shaping the alliance’s future.

NextGen masterclass
Sydney American Studies Initiative 2025

The Sydney American Studies Initiative supports local scholars conducting research or projects focused on various aspects of American Studies.

Institute Building
Indian Ocean Strategy Project

With strategic competition increasingly encroaching on the Indian Ocean and intensifying non-traditional security threats, the United States Studies Centre is undertaking a project to baseline and propose future direction for US and Australian defence policy in the region.

Able Seaman Aviation Support sailors Bailey Steenbuck and Max Newman conduct a high-line transfer with HMAS Canberra's embarked MH-60R aircraft during Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2023
Defence industry roundtables

This initiative convenes defence industry professionals, subject matter experts, and former and current officials from Australia and the United States to exchange views on key obstacles to and opportunities for advancing defence industrial and technology cooperation within the Alliance context.

Assessing the implementation of Abe’s National Security Strategy

This Japan-Australia-United States trilateral security study project assesses implementation of Japan’s new security strategy, drawing lessons from Australian defence policy and seeking opportunities for aligning trilateral strategy, policy, operations and industrial cooperation.

Recent projects
Australia-Korea-Japan Trilateral Dialogue

In June 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted the inaugural Track 1.5 Trilateral Dialogue between representatives of Australia, Japan and South Korea. The dialogue was designed to advance the policy debate on trilateral approaches to shared strategic objectives while supporting Track 1 efforts in this space.

Australia-Korea-Japan Trilateral Dialogue
Indo-Pacific Strategic Futures: Multipolarity, alignment dynamics and collective defence

Indo-Pacific Strategic Futures is an integrated research initiative that examines issues at the intersection of regional multipolarity, alignment dynamics and collective defence.

Exercise Malabar 2023
The Sunnylands Initiative

The Sunnylands Initiative brings together thought leaders from across the Indo-Pacific to discuss challenges and opportunities for advancing democratic norms and governance in the region.