James Clapper, Obama's director of national intelligence, to speak at Duke in March

Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper is coming to campus in March to discuss the state of cybersecurity.

The Sanford School of Public Policy will host Clapper March 5 for an event entitled "Cyber Security: America's Greatest Threat?" The talk—which will be moderated by Peter Feaver, professor of political science and public policy—marks the start of the David M. Rubenstein Distinguished Speakers Lecture series. 

James Clapper served as the director of national intelligence from 2010 to 2017 under President Barack Obama and was responsible for overseeing CIA, NSA and FBI operations. Clapper also served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence under President George W. Bush and as the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency under President George H.W. Bush. 

Clapper is also a retired three-star Air Force lieutenant general. He is currently writing a book about his nearly seven years as head of national intelligence, as well as his longer career in military and government service.

After the 2016 presidential election, Clapper joined the advisory board of the Committee to Investigate Russia, a non-profit, nonpartisan organization that seeks to inform Americans about the threat posed by Russia's interference in U.S. affairs. Clapper has previously said that past intelligence community assessments of Russia's attempts to influence the 2016 election "cast doubt on the legitimacy" of President Trump's victory. 

Clapper's conversation will be free and open to the public and is part the year-long centennial celebration of Terry Sanford, who was president of Duke from 1970 to 1985.