ORONO — A former U.S. Department of State official and diplomat who served as ambassador to China, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Greece will deliver the University of Maine’s 2026 Cohen Lecture at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 2 at the Collins Center for the Arts.
This year’s lecture will be delivered by Nicholas Burns, vice chair of The Cohen Group and a Harvard University professor of diplomacy and international relations. His talk, titled “The U.S. and the World at a Crossroads,” is free and open to the public. Registration is required by calling 207-581-1755 or filling out an online form. Reasonable accommodations can also be requested.
In addition to being a U.S. ambassador to China, NATO and Greece, Burns worked in the State Department as undersecretary of state for political affairs. On the National Security Council, he served as senior director for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia affairs and director for Soviet affairs.
“Ambassador Burns brings a lifetime of experience at the highest levels of diplomacy and public service,” said Richard Powell, director of UMaine’s Cohen Institute. “At a time of profound global change, his perspective will offer our community an opportunity to better understand the challenges and opportunities shaping the United States’ role in the world.”
The annual Cohen Lecture honors the legacy of William S. Cohen, former U.S. Senator from Maine and U.S. secretary of defense, and brings distinguished leaders in international affairs, public service and global policy to UMaine. Past speakers include former Secretary of Defense Gen. Jim Mattis, former Secretaries of State John Kerry and Madeleine Albright, former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and journalists Bob Woodward and Dan Rather.
A Bangor native, Cohen represented Maine in Congress for 24 years. He currently serves as chief executive officer and chair of the Cohen Group, a Washington, D.C.-based firm providing global business consulting.
Cohen established the lecture series following his donation of his congressional papers to UMaine’s Fogler Library. He later donated papers from his tenure as secretary of defense.Consistent with UMaine’s learner-centered R1 commitment, the Cohen Institute promotes leadership and civic engagement through programs that reflect and honor Cohen’s public service. Signature offerings include an interdisciplinary minor in leadership studies, a Washington, D.C. leadership program and a summer leadership program for Maine high school students. More information is available on the institute’s website.
