Ambassador Karl Eikenberry was a visitor at the US Studies Centre in 2014. Eikenberry is the William J. Perry Fellow in International Security at the Centre for International Security and Cooperation and Distinguished Fellow with the Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center at Stanford University.

Eikenberry had a 35-year career in the United States army, serving most recently as the US Ambassador to Afghanistan from May 2009 until July 2011 and retiring with the rank of Lieutenant General. His military assignments included postings with mechanised, light, airborne, and ranger infantry units in continental United States, Hawaii, Korea, Italy, and Afghanistan, as the commander of the American-led Coalition forces from 2005–2007.

He is a graduate of the US Military Academy, and earned Master’s degrees from Harvard University in East Asian Studies and from Stanford University in Political Science. In addition, he was awarded an Interpreter’s Certificate in Mandarin Chinese from the British Foreign Commonwealth Office, and earned an advanced degree in Chinese History from Nanjing University. He is the recipient of the George F. Kennan Award for Distinguished Public Service and Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Centennial Medal. Eikenberry serves as a Trustee for the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the Asia Foundation, and the National Committee on American Foreign Policy. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.