CSIS launched the Project on Nuclear Issues in 2003 to develop the next generation of policy, technical and operational nuclear professionals through outreach, mentorship, research and debate.

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Projects

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  • The Arms Control Knowledge Transfer Initiative

    The homepage for the Arms Control Knowledge Transfer Initiative digital archive.

  • Deterrence 101

    Deterrence 101 is a collection of three thirty-minute long videos that explore core deterrence theory. Each video describes basic deterrence concepts, roots these ideas in a historical timeline, and features interviews with leading nuclear policy experts.

  • On the Radar

    On the Radar provides analysis on emerging technologies that are expected to reshape situational awareness across the spectrum of conflict, and examines the implications of these technologies for nuclear strategic stability. It is a product of a two-year research collaboration between the Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the Nuclear Policy Working Group (NPWG) at the University California Berkeley, funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Programs

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  • Conference Series

    Each year PONI hosts four conferences that bring together people from across the nuclear enterprise to discuss a range of nuclear issues. The PONI yearly conference series brings together junior and senior level professionals from the laboratories, the military, and industry, academia and policy sectors to hear selected presentations on a range of topics related to nuclear weapons policy and strategy.

  • Nuclear Scholars Initiative

    The Nuclear Scholars Initiative aims to provide top graduate students and young professionals from around the country with a unique venue to interact and dialogue with senior experts on nuclear weapons issues. Those accepted into the program are hosted once per month over the course of six months at CSIS in Washington, DC where they participate in two-day workshops.

  • Mid-Career Cadre

    The Mid-Career Cadre is a select group of nuclear professionals that have been in the field for 7 or more years and demonstrate promise for moving into leadership positions or bringing new ideas and perspectives to the field. In certain cases, PONI will also consider applications from individuals with less than 7 years of experience in the field, such as from those from individuals shifting career paths. Cadre members come from technical, policy, academic, and military backgrounds.

PONI Updates

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In September 2024, Joseph Rodgers became Deputy Director and Fellow, and PONI closed applications to apply to the 2025 Nuclear Scholars Initiative. Caroline Ward joined PONI as a Program Manager in August 2024.

Next Gen Highlights

  • Christina Prah

    Christina Prah is an International Safeguards Research Professional at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and a Nuclear Engineering PhD student at the University of Tennessee. Her research investigates the nexus between nuclear applications and global security through science-policy interface studies. Christina brings over eight years of experience across various fields, including regulatory affairs, health & safety & environment (HSE), media, and nuclear engineering research. Her international perspective stems from her professional and academic experiences in Ghana, South Korea, Canada, and the United States. She is a distinguished recipient of both the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship (MSCFP) and the International Peace Scholarship (IPS). These prestigious awards highlight her commitment to global security and her exceptional academic achievements.

  • Yashar Parsie

    Yashar Parsie was a fellow in the Center for Russia and Europe at the United States Institute of Peace, a military legislative assistant in the United States Senate, and a researcher in the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University. He graduated from the University of Washington. His research interests are strategic stability, escalation management, and arms control.

  • Katie Peach

    Dr. Katie Peach holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Oklahoma. Her dissertation research focused on the US public’s perceptions of nuclear war risk, deterrence, and the role of nuclear weapons in US identity and how those perceptions shape policy preferences. She is a Graduate Research Assistant at the Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (IPPRA) where she works on national security public opinion projects and an IPPRA-Sandia National Laboratories project on program management. She also holds a BA and MA in International and Area Studies with a concentration in Security Studies from the University of Oklahoma.

About PONI

The Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) cultivates young professionals by building relationships, deepening understanding, and sharing perspectives across the full range of nuclear issues and communities.
The content of this web site does not constitute an endorsement by or opinion of the Project on Nuclear Issues or any sponsor of PONI.

Director
Heather Williams
Deputy Director and Fellow
Joseph Rodgers