PONI identifies and cultivates emerging thought leaders by building relationships, deepening understanding, and sharing perspectives across the full range of nuclear issues and communities. PONI’s programs provide inclusive, diverse, and creative opportunities for emerging experts to learn about policy, technical, and operational aspects of the nuclear enterprise, develop and present new concepts and ideas, engage in thoughtful and informed debates, and tour and visit sites across the nuclear community. Programming and Initiatives Conference Series – provides a forum for rising young professionals to share their research. The conferences facilitate new and innovative thinking on evolving issues in nuclear security and international security for experts across the nuclear community to connect. Nuclear Scholars Initiative – convenes a group of select young professionals to participate in daylong workshops with senior government officials, policy experts, and technical experts in discussions on a range of nuclear security issues. Workshops also include interactive opportunities to engage on topics. Scholars are required to prepare a research product or ab blog post which is published on PONI platforms. Mid-Career Cadre – a select group of nuclear professionals that have been in the field for five to fifteen years and demonstrate promise for developing expertise and moving into leadership positions. Cadre members have the opportunity to attend international exchanges, deep dive workshops, senior expert discussions, participate in research workshops, and mentor young professionals in other PONI programming. Deep Dives – workshops bring together a diverse group of 20-30 participants to discuss key issues and to develop recommendations utilizing innovative and interdisciplinary approaches. The workshops are tacked on to our regional conferences. We plan to utilize these workshops as a regular Mid-Career Cadre programming opportunity to explore critical nuclear weapons and security related issues. Developing the Next Generation of Arms Control Negotiators Initiative – provides the opportunity to engage in discussions and skills development for arms control negotiations. Meet the Team Heather Williams Director and Senior Fellow Dr. Heather Williams is the Director of the Project on Nuclear Issues at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Prior to joining PONI, she was a Visiting Fellow with the Project on Managing the Atom in the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School and a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Defence Studies at King’s College London. From 2020-2021, Heather was a Stanton Nuclear Security fellow in the Security Studies Program at MIT. Her recent research includes the CSIS report, Integrated Arms Control in an Era of Strategic Competition (with Rebecca Hersman and Suzanne Claeys), “The Unavoidable Technology: How Artificial Intelligence Can Strengthen Nuclear Stability” in The Washington Quarterly (with Jessica Cox), and “Asymmetric arms control and strategic stability: Scenarios for limiting hypersonic glide vehicles” in the Journal of Strategic Studies. From 2018 to 2019, Dr. Williams served as a Specialist Advisor to the House of Lords International Relations Committee inquiry into the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and Disarmament, and until 2015 she was a Research Fellow at Chatham House and led research on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Humanitarian Impacts of Nuclear Weapons Initiative. She previously worked in the Strategy, Forces, and Resources Division at the Institute for Defense Analyses, where she remains an adjunct Research Staff Member. She is a Senior Associate (non-resident) with the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), an Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), a Senior Associate Fellow with the European Leadership Network, and a member of the Wilton Park Advisory Council. Dr. Williams has a PhD in War Studies from King’s College London, an MA in Security Policy Studies from The George Washington University, and a BA in International Relations and Russian Studies from Boston University. Joseph Rodgers Deputy Director and Fellow Joseph Rodgers is deputy director and fellow with the Project on Nuclear Issues in the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). His research focuses on the nuclear non-proliferation regime, U.S. nuclear modernization, and open-source intelligence. Joseph has led research projects on nuclear arms control, deterrence, and disarmament. He is a PhD student in the biodefense program at George Mason University. Previously, Joseph worked as a graduate research assistant at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies and interned with the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research. Joseph holds an MA in nonproliferation and terrorism from the Middlebury Institute for International Studies and a BA in Politics from UC Santa Cruz. Doreen Horschig Associate Fellow Doreen Horschig is an associate fellow with the Project on Nuclear Issues at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). She is also a non-resident research associate at the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Previously, Doreen was a nuclear security policy fellow at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a Stanton nuclear security fellow at MIT. Her research is twofold and examines nuclear norms contestation and counterproliferation. Doreen holds a PhD in security studies from UCF, a MA in international relations from New York University, and a BA in international studies from Manhattan College. Reja Younis Associate Fellow Reja Younis is an Associate Fellow with the Project on Nuclear Issues in the International Security Program at CSIS. Prior to working at CSIS, she completed a year-long fellowship with The Stimson Center, where she conducted research on nuclear deterrence challenges, crisis dynamics, and great power competition in the context of South Asia. She has also worked as a research analyst for the Chicago Project on Political Violence and has served as an editorial writer and subeditor of the Opinion and Editorial section for the Tribune newspaper. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and liberal arts from the Institute of Business Administration Karachi and a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Chicago. Nicholas Adamopoulos Associate Director and Associate Fellow Nicholas Adamopoulos is an associate director and associate fellow with the Project on Nuclear Issues at CSIS. He holds a bachelor’s degree with honors in political science from Colgate University and a master’s degree in international affairs from The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. Lachlan MacKenzie Program Coordinator and Research Assistant Lachlan MacKenzie is a program coordinator and research assistant with the Project on Nuclear Issues in the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Previously, Lachlan worked as an intern with the Institute for the Study of War and the Institute for National Strategic Studies. He graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in International Relations. Elizabeth Kos Program Coordinator and Research Assistant Elizabeth Kos is a program coordinator with the Project on Nuclear Issues in the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Prior to joining CSIS, Elizabeth was a national security and international policy intern at the Center for American Progress and a communications and research associate at the American Iranian Council. Elizabeth holds a B.A. with honors in international studies from Johns Hopkins University. She is a graduate student at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), where she studies international relations with a focus on security, strategy, and statecraft and the Middle East. Elizabeth is proficient in French and Farsi. Chase Harward Program Coordinator Chase Harward is a program coordinator with the Project on Nuclear Issues in the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Chase holds bachelor’s degrees from Utah State University in political science, economics, and anticipatory intelligence. Before he joined CSIS, Chase was an intern with the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a government relations assistant at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP. Diya Ashtakala Research Associate Diya Ashtakala is a research associate with the Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). She was previously a research intern with PONI. Prior to joining CSIS, she worked as a graduate assistant at Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University. Her research focuses on nuclear deterrence in South Asia, arms control, and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. She holds a MA in international affairs with a specialization in security studies from the Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University and a BA from St. Joseph’s College, India. Bailey Schiff Program Coordinator and Research Assistant Bailey Schiff is a program coordinator and research assistant with the Project on Nuclear Issues at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Prior to joining CSIS, Bailey was a political intern in the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and a legislative intern in the Senate with a Foreign Policy, National Security, and Defense portfolio. She is a student at American University School of International Service (SIS), focusing on national security and the Middle East. Bailey is proficient in French and Arabic. Caroline Ward Program Manager Caroline Ward is a program manager with the Project on Nuclear Issues in the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Prior to joining CSIS, Caroline was a management program advisor in the Office of Scheduling and Advance at the U.S. Department of Commerce. She holds a bachelor’s degree from American University’s School of International Service (SIS) in international studies with a focus on peace, global security, and conflict resolution and East Asia. Development Team The Next Generation Nuclear Network is a product of the Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab, the in-house digital, multimedia, and design agency at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Produced by Bob Walker, Christina Hamm, Jacque Schrag, Kai Elwood-Dieu, Lindsay Urchyk, Serven Maraghi, and Tucker Harris. About CSIS Established in Washington, D.C. nearly 60 years ago, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a bipartisan, nonprofit policy research organization dedicated to advancing practical ideas that address the world’s greatest challenges. CSIS is ranked the number one think tank in the United States by the University of Pennsylvania’s annual think tank report. To learn more about CSIS, visit www.csis.org.