Thomas Debass, Managing Director, Office of Global Partnerships, U.S. Department of State

The Department of Chemistry Presents, via Online and In-person Presentation:  Thomas Debass, Managing Director, Office of Global Partnerships, U.S. Department of State

This seminar features an intimate conversation with Prof Thomas Debass about the importance of strategic  foresight and futures thinking in research and development with special emphasis on the future of chemical sciences.  

Thomas Debass currently serves as Chief Partnerships Officer at the U.S. Department of State. Thomas leads the Department’s private sector engagement efforts and provides thought leadership on partnerships related to economic growth, global finance, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Thomas has played a leading role in promoting and institutionalizing the role of public-private partnerships as a tool for advancing foreign policy and development objectives. Thomas is also an adjunct professor at George Washington University teaching graduate courses in strategic foresight, startups, and strategy.  Prior to joining the State Department, he was Lead Economist with the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC - now renamed Development Finance Corporation) and a senior technical advisor with US Agency for International Development (USAID). Thomas is a graduate of Virginia Tech with MA in Applied Economics and BA in Economics. He also has an Executive Certificate in International Business Management from  Georgetown, Certificate in Executive Leadership from UC-Berkeley as well as a Certificate in Futures Thinking and Strategic Foresight from Institute for the Future.  Thomas is a 2020 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals Finalist and a recipient of the 2016 D&DA Wood Pencil Award for Innovative Use of Mobile Technology.

Thomas Debass is an Adjunct Professor at GW instructing the Global & Experiential Education (G&EE) Business & Society Series, Strategic Foresight was designed to help students develop the long-term future thinking capacities required of today’s leaders. The intensive online course taught by futurist Thomas Debass, managing director for global partnerships at the U.S. Department of State, blended integrated case analysis and trend examination with virtual site visits. 

Online and In-person