3.14.2006
Cornhusker space law update
The University of Nebraska moves ahead with its over-the-moon plan to be the nation's top space law powerhouse. (Not that there's much by way of competition, as I blogged about here.)As the Lincoln Journal Star updates, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Law "has found a professor willing to shoulder much of the space law labor for the program's experimental first year." And that law professor is UNL's Matt Schaefer.
Professor Schaefer, who teaches international law, business and trade, and whose credentials include serving as a director in the International Economic Affairs Office of the National Security Council, "will develop a course, give presentations and organize a major conference on space law over the next year... bring guest lecturers to the law college and hold seminars for the university and military communities..." and "organize a major conference on military and space law issues."
Of course, Nebraska typically is home to not space venturers but folks like farmers, grain processors, cattle ranchers, meat-packers and yes, the Strategic Air Command.
Nebraska's military connection remains strong, and the new law program naturally will cover military space issues. Lots of buzz about that. But as Prof. Schaefer works with officials at Offutt Air Force Base "to try to strengthen university-StratCom ties" he of course knows that a comprehensive 21st century space law program encompasses the fast-growing area of commercial space.
Current and future space law addresses international as well as domestic space developments, ventures and plans, and military and civil space sectors share the arena with entrepreneurial space. A vision combining all facets of the fascinating and growing space law field should go far to build some space cred for the cornhusker state.
SLP sends best wishes for success to Prof. Schaefer and UNL.
Go Space Huskers!
