Chris Ferrero, assistant professor of intelligence and national security, will give a talk on "Nuclear Security" on Saturday, Feb. 18, at 10 a.m. at the Myrtle Beach Education Center. The event, part of Coastal Carolina University's Great Decisions in Foreign Policy Lecture Series, is free and open to the public, and no ticket is required. A preceding coffee will precede the lecture at 9:30 a.m.

Ferrero will discuss nuclear proliferation and U.S. nuclear security policy, exploring the Iran nuclear deal of 2015 as well as persistent threats from countries that challenge nonproliferation efforts such as North Korea, Russia, India and Pakistan.

Ferrero teaches classes on international relations, foreign policy and national security, specializing in U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East with particular focus on Iran. Prior to entering academia, he worked as an analyst on weapons of mass destruction at the U.S. Department of State and the Missile Defense Agency.

Ferrero earned a doctorate in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia, a master's degree in security studies from Georgetown University and a bachelor's degree in political science from Villanova University.

Great Decisions is a nationwide world affairs educational program offering discussion and debate on topics related to international affairs, national security, and U.S. foreign policy. The Foreign Policy Association (FPA) selects annual topics for the program, and CCU offers four of the eight topics in a lecture series.

An online course in American Studies is available as a complement to the four-part lecture series.

CCU's Myrtle Beach Education Center is located at 900 79th Ave. N. For more information, contact Jacqueline Kurlowski, director of the Dyer Institute for Leadership & Public Policy, at jamkurlow@coastal.edu or 843-349-6952.