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James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies

James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies

The James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) strives to combat the spread of weapons of mass destruction by training the next generation of nonproliferation specialists and disseminating timely information and analysis. It is the largest nongovernmental organization in the United States devoted exclusively to research and training on nonproliferation issues. The Center is headquartered at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (in Monterey, California); manages the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (in Vienna, Austria), and maintains a substantial office in Washington, where the Scoville Fellow will be based.

The CNS Washington office conducts research on a wide range of nonproliferation topics, with particular focus on North Korea, the Middle East, the civilian nuclear fuel cycle, strategic trade controls, chemical and biological warfare, and the use of satellite imagery and large data-set analysis to support nonproliferation objectives. The Washington office maintains an active program of seminars and training sessions for scholars, governmental officials, and the media. The office is also home to The Nonproliferation Review, a peer-reviewed journal.

Current priority projects include strengthening international implementation of UN sanctions against North Korea, monitoring nuclear programs of concern by means of remote sensing, reducing use of nuclear-weapon-grade materials and high-energy radioactive sources in the civilian sector, and employing financial tools to respond to proliferation threats. Senior Washington office specialists serve as chair of the multi-NGO Fissile Material Working Group and as director of the Middle East Next Generation Arms Control Specialists program.

A Scoville Fellow can expect to engage in research and writing on nonproliferation developments as part of CNS projects led by senior staff and will also have the opportunity to pursue independent research, leading to one or more publications. In addition, a Fellow will participate in and help organize various seminars and training programs conducted by the Center; take part in briefings with foreign governmental officials, visiting scholars, and U.S. congressional staff; and attend Congressional hearings and events at other Washington, DC, think tanks.