CSIS Project on Nuclear Issues

✨Nuclear Scholars Initiative Spotlight ✨ Anna Bartoux is a Belfer Young Leader Student Fellow and Master in Public Policy candidate at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where she conducts research on crisis management in U.S. foreign policy in collaboration with Professor Fredrik Logevall. Her work focuses on nuclear policy, deterrence strategy, and alliance dynamics, with a transatlantic perspective shaped by her dual French-American background. Previously, Anna was a James C. Gaither Junior Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where she researched French nuclear policy and contributed to projects on NATO deterrence and defense policy, escalation dynamics, U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, and the intersection of climate change and nuclear policy. She was also a Saltzman Student Scholar at Columbia’s Arnold A. Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies, where she focused on U.S. nuclear decision-making during the Cold War. Anna holds a dual B.A. in Political Science and Government from Sciences Po Paris and Columbia University. Learn more about the 2026 Nuclear Scholars Initiative: nuclearnetwork.csis.org/programs/nucle…

In On the Horizon Vol 8, 2025 @CSIS Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) Nuclear Scholar Olivia Salembier examines the risks and escalation dynamics associated with potential nuclear-armed anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons deployed in space, particularly in light of reports that Russia may be developing such a capability. Read the full article here csis.org/analysis/horiz…

Today, CSIS announces retired Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, the 19th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has been named our next CEO, succeeding John Hamre, who announced last year that he will retire after 26 years of transformational leadership. Read more: bit.ly/4b383Ha

PONI is now hiring for a Program Coordinator and Research Assistant! CSIS is seeking a full-time Program Coordinator and Research Assistant to join the Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) to contribute to PONI’s mission of developing the next generation of nuclear experts and leading cutting-edge research on a range of nuclear issues. To learn more and apply: careers.csis.org/opportunities/…

🚨Summer intern applications are now open to undergraduates, recent grads, and graduate students!🚨 The PONI interns will provide assistance to the team, learn more on deterrence, arms control, and disarmament, support programming, and have the opportunity to produce an independent research product for the Next Generation Nuclear Network website. To learn more and apply: careers.csis.org/opportunities/…

✨Nuclear Scholars Initiative Spotlight ✨ Michael Baham is an experienced project manager, foreign policy analyst, and lead data analyst, focusing on nuclear, battery technology, and oil and gas projects. Currently, he works for TechSource, Inc. in support of the National Nuclear Security Administration—Nuclear Weapons Council (NWC). The NWC is charged with the management of the existing nuclear weapons stockpile and planning for the future nuclear deterrent. His experience in project management branches across multiple offices within the U.S. Department of Energy; working on civil nuclear technology and non-proliferation, and with the Department of Defense working on energy use optimization. He is an experienced energy policy analyst with a background working on Capitol Hill and the American Petroleum branching domestic oil and gas, and electric grid infrastructure safety, and international trade agreements. His international experiences involve living and working in multiple countries including Mexico, Costa Rica, and Italy. He graduated from Southern University with a Bachelor of Science in Physics, and with a minor in Spanish. He also obtained a Master of Arts in International Relations specializing in Political Theory from St. John’s University. He resides in the Washington D.C. area with his wife and children. Learn more about the 2026 Nuclear Scholars Initiative: nuclearnetwork.csis.org/programs/nucle…

Kazakhstan’s decision to partner with Russia and China on nuclear reactors highlights a key gap in U.S. strategy. In this NGNN blog, Alexei (Frank) Hoffman examines how infrastructure deals can create long-term strategic dependencies. Read his analysis here: nuclearnetwork.csis.org/kazakhstan-cho…

In On the Horizon Vol 8, 2025 CSIS Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) Nuclear Scholar Eliana Johns talks about how China’s ongoing and rapid modernization of its nuclear forces raises questions about the drivers behind the buildup and whether China is changing its nuclear strategy. Read the full article here csis.org/analysis/horiz…

In a #NEW CQ, CSIS's @NonproJoe and @baileyschiff break down Operation Epic Fury and the preliminary US-Israeli strikes launched on February 28th. Their analysis answers several key questions from the objectives of Operation Epic Fury to whether this is the beginning of a longer conflict. Read the full analysis here: csis.org/analysis/opera…

What is the most effective path to nuclear disarmament? In On Theories of Change: Rethinking the Ban Treaty and Disarmament Strategies, @heatherwilly the growing divide between the traditional step-by-step arms control model and the delegitimization approach embodied in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. At a time of expiring treaties, renewed great power competition, and rising nuclear risks, the debate over the TPNW reflects deeper disagreements about strategy, sequencing, and the role of norms in shaping state behavior. Read her full analysis here: cgsr.llnl.gov/sites/cgsr/fil…

✨Nuclear Scholars Initiative Spotlight ✨ Marcus X. Alan is a certified acquisitions professional and U.S. Army Reserve officer. He currently serves as the Fire Control Lead for the U.S. Navy’s Sea-Launched Cruise Missile–Nuclear (SLCM-N) program at Strategic Systems Programs (SSP), where he supports the U.S. deterrence mission. His prior work assignment includes Weapons Control System Program Manager for the Navy’s Hypersonic Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) Program Office and Lead Systems Engineer supporting the NATO Sea-Sparrow Program Office (NSPO). In parallel, Marcus Alan serves as the Company Commander of the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment (HHD), 1100th Theater Aviation Sustainment Maintenance Group (TASMG) in Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD. His operational experiences include an overseas deployments, joint domestic operations and multinational exercises. He holds an MBA and an M.S. in Engineering Management and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Defense and Strategic Studies focused on weapons of mass destruction, nuclear deterrence, multilateral arms control, and strategic competition. Learn more about the 2026 Nuclear Scholars Initiative: nuclearnetwork.csis.org/programs/nucle…

CSIS Project on Nuclear Issues, Nuclear expert Joseph Rodgers discusses the targets that were hit during the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. Watch the full video: cbsnews.com/losangeles/vid…

In On the Horizon Vol 8, 2025 CSIS Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) Nuclear Scholar Shaquille James argues that China’s nuclear “breakout” has significantly expanded the sophistication, survivability, and size of its arsenal, particularly since the mid-2000s, but many of these capabilities stem from decades-old development programs rather than a sudden strategic shift. Read the full article here csis.org/analysis/horiz…

#NEW NGNN blog post from Alexei (Frank) Hoffman "Kazakhstan chose Russia and China for its reactors — Washington wasn't even in the room. Infrastructure dependencies, once locked in, constrain a partner's freedom to align with U.S. preferences when that alignment matters most." Read his full analysis here: nuclearnetwork.csis.org/kazakhstan-cho…

In On the Horizon Vol 8, 2025 CSIS Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) Nuclear Scholar Alvina Ahmed argues that Russia’s new systems—such as Kinzhal, Tsirkon, and Oreshnik—have provided limited tactical or strategic advantage in Ukraine and are more useful as tools of psychological coercion than battlefield game changers. Read the full article csis.org/analysis/horiz…

This interview is a part of CSIS PONI’s Arms Control Knowledge Transfer Initiative (ACKTI), a program designed to preserve knowledge through senior expert interviews and primary source archival research, to educate the next generation of arms control experts on all aspects of arms control, including negotiation, implementation, inspection, and more. The full transcript and more information on the project can be found here: ackti-archive.csis.org.

In this episode of The Negotiator Files, Ambassador Ronald Lehman discusses his role as the chief U.S. negotiator of the first Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I). He describes U.S. objectives to limit Soviet fast-flying missiles as well as negotiations over the treaty’s verification measures. Lehman then proceeds to explain the key agreements of the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE) and how the political atmosphere of the late Cold War and 1990s influenced the so-called “golden age of arms control.” The conversation concludes with Lehman’s advice for the next generation of arms controllers. Ambassador Ronald Lehman was the chief U.S. negotiator of START I and has served as Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA), Assistant Secretary in the Department of Defense, and as Ambassador in the State Department. He is currently the Counselor to the Director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Watch the full video here: youtu.be/SP4fi_kPV7M

Reminder: Applications for the PONI Congressional Fellowship at CSIS are due tonight Wednesday, Feb 18 at 11:59pm (EST)! Early/mid-career Congressional staff working on defense, foreign policy, or strategic issues — apply now to build bipartisan leadership skills. Apply here: csis.org/programs/proje…

In On the Horizon Vol 8, 2025 CSIS Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) Nuclear Scholar Philipp Rombach analyzes how fictional narratives and historical analogies play a critical role in shaping how the integration of AI into the nuclear enterprise is understood, often emphasizing existential risks over more nuanced technological realities. Read the full article: csis.org/analysis/horiz…

New CSIS PONI Analysis from Joseph Rodgers and Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. examine satellite imagery from China’s Lop Nur test site, assessing claims that 2020 activity may have gone beyond a “zero-yield” standard. Read the article here: csis.org/analysis/satel…