ALLIANCE, Ohio – The University of Mount Union’s revamped “UMU Experts” series will feature Dr. Francis Schortgen, associate professor and chair of its Department of Political Science and International Studies, at the first two “UMU Experts: On-the-Road” events on Wednesday, May 9 and Monday, May 14.

The first event on May 9 will take place at 6:30 p.m. at Sanctuary Grande in North Canton. Schortgen’s discussion is titled “Coming in from the Cold? Pyongyang, Washington and the Road to Denuclearization."

This talk will focus on the broad context behind North Korea’s nuclear program. Schortgen will also discuss the domestic and global impact of the summits between North and South Korea and the expected meeting between United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. 

On Monday, May 14, Schortgen will be at Jackson High School at 6 p.m. discussing relations between the U.S. and China. The talk, titled “Cooperation, Competition, or Confrontation? U.S.-China Relations in the 21^st Century” will assess the extent of the frequently-changing nature of the relationship between the two countries. Schortgen will emphasize this crucial global relationship from several angles including trade and stances on Taiwan. 

The first event will be located in the bistro room of Sanctuary Grande, which is located at 850 Applegrove St. NE in North Canton. The second will be held in the Jackson High School auditorium, located at 7600 Fulton Dr. NW, in Massillon. 

Both events are free and open to the public. Following his presentations, there will be time allotted for Schortgen to field questions from the audience.

For more information about the UMU Experts series of events, or to learn how your organization or venue can host a Mount Union faculty expert, contact Ryan Smith, assistant director of academic marketing at Mount Union, at smithry@mountunion.edu or (330) 823-6045.