Inside the Core we host a second Scholars' Forum in the CIT event

Inside the Core, we look forward to our second Scholars’ Forum event (which will follow the usual format on Microsoft Teams) hosting Father Brian Muzas, Associate Professor of the School of Diplomacy and International Relations, speaking on his latest book, Presidents, Religions, and Nuclear Decisions (Cambridge Scholars Press, 2025) on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 4 p.m.  Since Fr. Muzas’ school (of Diplomacy and International Relations) is hosting Archbishop Caccio, Permanent Observer of the Vatican at the UN, the next day after Fr. Muzas’ talk (Nov. 5 at 3 p.m., University Center Events Lounge – see link), the timing of the two events is serendipitous. Fr. Brian will be speaking about the topic of his book, which, as the title suggests, concerns four presidents and how their religious perspective framed their views on nuclear arms and the use of them.  What topic could be more closely linked to the work of the Vatican and the United Nations?

Fr. Muzas did not begin his adult career as either a priest or a diplomat.  In 1996 he graduated summa cum laude with a B.S.E. in mechanical and aerospace engineering from Princeton University. As his web profile says:

A graduate-level course in energy and environmental policy at Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs foreshadowed his future enrollment in the doctoral program at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. However, he first used a National Science Foundation Fellowship to obtain an M.S. in aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology in 1998.

A scientist who understands what goes into the development of nuclear weapons, at least far more than most of us do, Fr. Muzas went from his scientific studies to the seminary, obtaining an M. Div. in pastoral ministry and an M.A. in systematic theology and was ordained in 2003. While serving in a parish and teaching computer science at Seton Hall, he began serving as co-chairman of an NGO conference committee at the United Nations and began teaching in the School of Diplomacy and International Relations in 2007. In 2013 he received a Ph.D. in Public Policy from the University of Texas at Austin. Now a tenured Associate Professor in the School of Diplomacy and International Relations, Fr. Muzas also serves on the Signature Course Curriculum Committee of the University Core and has graciously served on at least one University Core hiring committee. He also serves as the co-chair of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition committee.

Over the years, Fr. Muzas has been very active in work at the UN and in international affairs, beyond teaching his classes on topics linked to it and taking students to the UN. As his web profile says, he:

Served as Secretary of the UN/DPI Executive Committee from 2015 to 2019, was at Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations from 2020 to 2021, and was elected Treasurer of the Global NGO Executive Committee in 2022. Since 2022 he has been designated an International Peace and Security Expert of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations.

He truly is an expert in the field on which his research is based, and his presentation should be extremely interesting. Please join us!

Here is the link to Fr. Muzas’ book. 

And here is the TEAMS link for the event.

The Scholars’ Forum in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition is co-sponsored by the University Core, the Catholic Studies Program, the Catholic Studies Center and Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology.

Categories: Education, Faith and Service