Boise Committee on Foreign Relations upcoming events

April 2026 Meeting (14 Apr 2026)

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 23:30:00 GMT

Speaker: Dr. E. William Colglazier, Former Science & Technology Adviser to the U.S. Secretary of State

Topic: Science and Technology Diplomacy in an Era of Disruption and Conflict

Bio: Dr. E. William Colglazier chairs the Committee on International Scientific Affairs of the American Physical Society and the U.S. Liaison Committee for the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics.

He retired in 2024 as Editor-in-Chief of Science & Diplomacy and Senior Scholar in the Center for Science Diplomacy at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). From 2011 to 2014. he was Science and Technology Adviser to the U.S. Secretary of State, and for seventeen years prior was Executive Officer of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council overseeing reports that provide independent, objective advice to the U.S. government and public.

Dr. Colglazier received his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Caltech in 1971, and worked at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, and the Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and as Professor of Physics at the University of Tennessee.

From 2016 to 2018, he co-chaired the Ten Member Group appointed by the U.N. Secretary General to advise on science, technology, and innovation for advancing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. He is a Fellow of the AAAS, the American Physical Society, and the International Science Council.

May 2026 Meeting (5 May 2026)

Tue, 05 May 2026 23:30:00 GMT

Speaker: Mr. Eddie Yen, Idaho-Asia Trade Office Manager

Topic: Turning Global Relationships into Idaho Opportunities

Bio: Eddie Yen serves as Manager of the Idaho–Asia Trade Office, where he represents the State of Idaho in Taiwan and Asia, supporting Idaho companies seeking to expand into Asian markets. Based in Taipei, he works under the Idaho Department of Commerce to facilitate international trade, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) opportuniites, and long‑term economic partnerships between Idaho and key Asian trading partners, particularly Taiwan.

With more than four decades of experience, Yen plays a central role in Idaho’s international trade opportunites in Asia. His work includes market development, government‑to‑government engagement, buyer matchmaking, trade missions, and support for Idaho exporters across sectors such as advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, agriculture, food processing, and technology.

Yen has been instrumental in strengthening Idaho’s longstanding relationship with Taiwan, Idaho’s second‑largest trading partner. Yen has deep institutional knowledge of Taiwan’s business environment and Asia‑Pacific economic trends. He is widely regarded as a key bridge between Idaho’s public‑ and private‑sector stakeholders and Taiwan’s industry, government, and research communities.

June 2026 Meeting (8 Jun 2026)

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Speaker: Blair Hall, Diplomat and Strategist

Topic: Cross-Strait Tensions: China, Taiwan and the U.S. Play with Fire

Bio: Blair Hall is recognized for his extensive expertise as a diplomat and strategist. Over the course of his 35-year diplomatic career, Blair held a wide range of political, economic, and national security assignments.

Blair’s career in the foreign service took him to U.S. missions in Tokyo, Okinawa, London, New Delhi, Copenhagen, and Singapore, as well as assignments in Washington, DC. He received professional awards for his leadership directing U.S. engagement with ASEAN, managing a U.S.-India social-impact endowment fund, facilitating environmental and security agreements in Greenland, and supporting the Northern Ireland Good Friday Agreement peace process.

Since retiring from government service, Blair has split his time between Idaho and Singapore. He provides risk analysis and policy advice to multinational corporations and private investment firms in Asia. His roles have included heading the strategic advisory board of a private equity fund linked to the luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, and serving as a governmental affairs advisor to Tesla Inc. Blair was also a regular media commentator on foreign policy and national security matters. He served as President of the American Association of Singapore.

Blair earned MA (International Relations) and JD (Law) degrees from the George Washington University. He is a member of the District of Columbia Bar.