Stanton Nuclear Security Fellows Program
Sponsored by the Stanton Foundation
The application period for 2023–2024 is closed. We will begin accepting applications in November 2023 for the 2024–2025 fellowship year.
Overview
The purpose of the Stanton Nuclear Security Fellows Program is to stimulate the development of the next generation of thought leaders on nuclear security related topics by supporting interdisciplinary research that will advance policy-relevant understanding of the issues.
Fellows will carry out a year-long period of independent research but will also be given an opportunity to be associated with RAND client-sponsored research (up to one day per week). Within their RAND tenure, fellows are expected to produce policy-relevant studies that contribute to the general body of knowledge on nuclear security. The written product will be considered for publication by RAND.
Each fellowship will extend for a full year beginning in September of each year. Fellows will be located at one of RAND's three U.S. locations for the duration of their fellowship (Santa Monica, CA; Washington, DC; or Pittsburgh, PA). Additionally, each fellow will receive a stipend: doctoral students will receive a $65,000 stipend, post-doctoral students will receive an $101,000 stipend, and junior faculty members will receive a $137,000 stipend.
Eligibility
Candidates for the program will be post-doctoral students or tenure track junior faculty members. Doctoral students may be considered if they have a well-defined dissertation topic in the field of nuclear security and are enrolled in a widely recognized graduate program, and must include as part of their application at least three dissertation chapters (that have been approved by the candidate's adviser for submission). Junior faculty at law schools or with a law degree as their terminal degree are eligible. Prior experience will be defined broadly to include disciplines such as nuclear policy, security, engineering, physics, and related fields.
Applications
Applicants should submit a completed application form, curriculum vitae, two letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and a project proposal. In addition, each applicant may be requested to provide official undergraduate and graduate school transcripts from all institutions attended since completing high school.
Begin the Application ProcessSelection
Up to three (3) Fellowships will be awarded each year. Fellows will be selected by a committee composed of RAND faculty and distinguished outside experts in the field of nuclear security. Selections will be made by March.
For additional information, please contact:
Ms. Sarah Harting
Email: Sarah_Harting@rand.org
Telephone: (703) 413-1100, ext. 5675
About the Stanton Foundation
The Stanton Foundation was created by Frank Stanton, former president of CBS, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest executives in the history of electronic communications. In 1954, Dwight Eisenhower appointed him to a committee convened to develop the first comprehensive plan for the survival of the U.S. following a nuclear attack. Stanton had lead responsibility for developing plans for national and international communication in the aftermath of a nuclear incident. Stanton also served as the chairman (1961–67) and trustee (1957–78) of the RAND Corporation. The Stanton Foundation aims, through its support of the Nuclear Security Fellows program, to perpetuate his efforts to meet these challenges.
Stanton Fellows
2022–2023
Seukhoon Paul Choi, Ph.D. candidate in war studies, King's College London; M.A. in international studies, Seoul National University; B.A. in philosophy, politics, and economics, University of Pennsylvania.
2021–2022
Abigail S. Post, Ph.D. in foreign affairs, M.A. in foreign affairs, both from the University of Virginia; B.A. in international studies and political science, SUNY Brockport.
2020–2021
Mayumi Fukushima, Ph.D. in political science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Master in Public Administration (MPA2), Harvard University; Master in international relations, Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris; B.A. in international law, Keio University.
Sayuri Romei, Ph.D. in political science, M.A. in international relations, both from Roma Tre University; B.A. in international relations, Sapienza University; B.A. in English language, literature, and culture, University Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris III.
2019–2020
Luke Griffith, Ph.D. in history, M.A. in history, and certificate in contemporary history, all from Ohio University; B.A. in history, Cedarville University.
2018–2019
Naoko Aoki, Ph.D. in international security and economic policy, University of Maryland; M.A. in international relations and international economics, Johns Hopkins University; B.A. in English language and studies, Sophia University.
Travis Carless, Ph.D. in engineering and public policy, Carnegie Mellon University; M.S. in industrial engineering, University of Pittsburgh; B.S. in computer and systems engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
2017–2018
RAND did not host Stanton fellows during this period.
2016–2017
Booseung Chang, Ph.D. in international relations, Johns Hopkins University; M.A. in international relations, Johns Hopkins University; B.A. in political science, Seoul National University.
Anya Loukianova, Ph.D. in international security policy, University of Maryland; M.P.I.A. in security studies, University of Pittsburgh; B.A. in political science, Thiel College.
2015–2016
Edward Cazalas, Ph.D. in nuclear engineering, The Pennsylvania State University; M.S. in nuclear engineering, Oregon State University; B.S. in astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University; B.A. in philosophy, The Pennsylvania State University.
Carrie A. Lee, Ph.D. in political science, Stanford University; B.S. in political science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Todd Clayton Robinson, Ph.D. in political science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; M.A. in security policy studies, Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University; B.A. in Asian studies, University of Alabama.
2014–2015
Jonathan Hunt, Ph.D. in history, University of Texas at Austin; B.A. in Plan II honors program, and history, and Russian, East European and Eurasian studies, University of Texas at Austin.
Caroline Milne, Ph.D. candidate in public affairs with concentration in security studies, Princeton University; M.A. in public affairs, Princeton University; M.A. with merit in science and security, King's College London; B.S. in aerospace engineering with concentration in political science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Sameer Lalwani, Ph.D. in political science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; B.A. in political science, University of California, Berkeley.
2013–2014
Christopher Clary, Ph.D. candidate in political science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; M.A. in national security affairs, U.S. Naval Postgraduate School; B.A. in international studies and history, Wichita State University.
Edward Geist, Ph.D. in history, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; M.A. in history, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; B.A. in history, College of William and Mary.
Rebecca Gibbons, Ph.D. candidate in international relations, Georgetown University; M.A. in international security, Georgetown University; B.A. in psychological and brain sciences, Dartmouth College.
2012–2013
Anthony Barrett, Ph.D. in engineering and public policy, Carnegie Mellon University; B.S. in chemical engineering, University of California, San Diego.
Jeffrey Kaplow, Ph.D. candidate in political science, University of California, San Diego; M.A. in political science, University of California, San Diego; M.P.P. in international security, Harvard Kennedy School; B.A. in political science, Yale University.
Jaganath Sankaran, Ph.D. in public policy, University of Maryland; M.A. in engineering and public policy, University of Maryland; B.S. in technology (mechanical engineering), Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, India.
2011–2012
Lance Kim, Ph.D. in nuclear engineering, University of California, Berkeley; M.P.P and M.S. in public policy and nuclear engineering, University of California, Berkeley; B.S. in nuclear and mechanical engineering, University of California, Berkeley.
Dane Swango, Ph.D. in political science, University of California, Los Angeles; M.A. in political science, University of California, Los Angeles; B.S. in economics and physics, Duke University.
2010–2011
David Kearn, Ph.D. in foreign affairs, University of Virginia; M.P.P. in international security, Harvard Kennedy School; B.A. in political science, Amherst College.
Robert Reardon, Ph.D. in political science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; M.S. in biology, University of Illinois at Chicago; A.B. in history, Columbia College.
Markus Schiller, Ph.D. in astronautics, Technical University Munich, a Diplom-Ingenieur Luft- u. Raumfahrt (equivalent to a M.S. in aerospace engineering), Technical University Munich; B.S. equivalent in mechanical engineering, Technical University Munich.