About Nuclear Scholars Initiative Class Bios Class of 2024 Class of 2023 Class of 2022 Class of 2021 Class of 2020 Class of 2019 Class of 2018 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. Candidates with less than seven years of professional experience are welcome to apply. PONI recommends those with more than seven years of professional experience to apply to the Mid-Career Cadre. Application Information Applications for the 2025 Nuclear Scholars cohort closed on September 13. Applications Closed Benefits/Opportunities Managing an increasingly complex array of nuclear weapons challenges will require talented next generation professionals with the necessary technical, operational, and policy expertise. The Nuclear Scholars Initiative (run annually) aims to help develop this expertise and foster a community of rising nuclear experts. The program provides select graduate students and young professionals with diverse backgrounds and perspectives with a unique venue to interact, dialogue, and gain in-depth knowledge on a wide range of nuclear weapons issues. Those accepted into the program are hosted once per month from January to June at CSIS in Washington, DC where they participate in two-day workshops that include discussions with senior experts, professional development seminars, break-out discussions, debates, simulations, and table-top exercises. Topics include deterrence, operations, arms control, nonproliferation, disarmament, and emerging technology. The development of participants’ research, writing, and analytic skills is a critical component of the Nuclear Scholars Initiative. Scholars are expected to prepare a research product during their time in the program. Options include writing a research or policy-focused article for the annual PONI journal (On the Horizon), or writing two short analytic pieces for the PONI Next Generation Nuclear Network (NGNN) blog. During the six month program, scholars will be given the opportunity to hone their research product through reviews with their peers, members of the PONI Mid-Career Cadre, and senior experts. Scholars will also have opportunities to present their research at PONI conferences. PONI can cover travel costs for select participants located outside of the Washington, DC area. PONI is pleased to offer a limited number of spots to non-U.S. citizens for the 2025 cohort. Reach out to Lachlan MacKenzie (lmackenzie@csis.org) with any questions.