Watch this on-demand webinar as Fabian Villalobos and Tom LaTourrette review a new RAND research paper they have co-authored, “The Potential Impact of Seabed Mining on Critical Mineral Supply Chains and Global Geopolitics.” Tom and Fabian will discuss how seabed mining could diversify critical mineral supplies, especially for the U.S. and its allies. They will also review geopolitical concerns, including regulatory challenges, environmental risks, and increased maritime security needs, and provide their recommendations.
Fabian Villalobos is a senior researcher at the RAND Corporation focused on US-China techno-economic competition, supply chains and the defense industrial base, and emerging technologies. He holds a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering and provides technical expertise to U.S. government agencies. His work includes analyzing critical minerals-, battery-, and semiconductor- technology supply chain vulnerabilities, and strategies to enhance technological resilience, and industrial base assessments.
Tom LaTourrette is a senior physical scientist at RAND with expertise in energy, infrastructure, and public safety. His work informs U.S. policy on seabed mining, critical mineral supply chains, energy technologies and resources, infrastructure risk assessment and mitigation, and safety technology and regulation. He holds a Ph.D. in geology from Caltech.
