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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  • 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.

  • Nuclear Narrative

    This study aims to create a dialogue with the nation’s nuclear personnel about the rationales for the U.S. nuclear arsenal that already exist—some of which have been stated at the highest levels of leadership—to ask what the nuclear forces actually hear, what works and what does not, and what motivates them on a daily basis.

Programs

All Programs

  • 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 PONI Mid-Career Cadre is a select group of nuclear professionals that have been in the field for 7 or more years and demonstrate particular promise for developing expertise and moving into leadership positions. Mid-career members come from technical, policy, and military backgrounds. Upon selection, Cadre members participate for three-year terms.

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

  • Mary Chesnut

    Mary Chesnut is a Foreign Affairs Officer at the U.S. Department of State in the Office of Strategic Stability and Deterrence within the State Department Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability. Prior to civil service, Mary was a research analyst in the Russia Studies Program at CNA.

  • Eleni Ekmektsioglou

    Eleni Ekmektsioglou is a Postdoctoral Fellow in Technology and International Security at the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation and the National Labs for Nuclear Weapons based in Washington D.C.. She is also an Adjunct Professor at the Elliot School of International Affairs at GW.

  • Tobias Fella

    Tobias Fella is a Senior Researcher at the Berlin Office of the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg (IFSH) and heads the trilateral Challenges to Deep Cuts project. Fella holds a PhD in political science from Humboldt University of Berlin.

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