Derek Licina on US Strategic Competition against China in the Global Health Space

DSS doctoral student Melissa Galazin talks with Derek Licina, Adjunct Professor at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University and President of Health Security Catalyst. Licina is an internationally recognized expert in global health, medical services, and security cooperation. His executive-level experience in consulting and addressing health and security challenges has contributed to building partner capacity across Asia and the Middle East. In this episode, Galazin and Licina discuss global health as a critical component of national security, focusing on the strategic competition between the United States and China. They analyze the fundamentals of global health, its use as a form of soft power, and the challenges and opportunities facing the United States as it navigates strategic competition with China. Join us to explore one of the most underreported topics in national security.

Some of Licina’s recent primary or co-authored writings:

* “Progress Without Programs: Reforming U.S. Department of Defense Global Health Engagement for Economic and Strategic Advantage“ at

https://smallwarsjournal.com/2025/06/20/progress-without-programs/

* “International Trauma Capacity Building Programs: Modernizing

Capabilities, Enhancing Lethality, Supporting Alliances, Building

Partnerships, and Implementing Reform” at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35104338/

* “The Implications of the New Security Environment on the National Health Systems Enterprise“ at https://digitalcommons.ndu.edu/joint-force-quarterly/vol115/iss3/4/

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