The overarching question imparting urgency to this exploration is: Can U.S.-Russian contention in cyberspace cause the two nuclear superpowers to stumble into war? In considering this question we were constantly reminded of recent comments by a prominent U.S. arms control expert: At least as dangerous as the risk of an actual cyberattack, he observed, is cyber operations’ “blurring of the line between peace and war.” Or, as Nye wrote, “in the cyber realm, the difference between a weapon and a non-weapon may come down to a single line of code, or simply the intent of a computer program’s user.”
The Project on Managing the Atom offers fellowships for pre-doctoral and post-doctoral scholars, and mid-career professionals for ten months, in the stimulating environment of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School. Post-doctoral scholars and junior faculty members may also apply for Stanton nuclear security fellowships at the Belfer Center. Applicants will be considered for both categories of fellowship. Those fellows working on topics related to nuclear weapons often receive fellowships that are shared between MTA and the International Security Program.
The MTA fellows program exposes participants to an interdisciplinary work environment—blending policy and technical concerns—and provides time and space to interact with an international cohort of colleagues, as well as with faculty, senior fellows, and visiting policy makers and other experts.
Areas of Research
MTA fellows are expected to pursue research with a nuclear policy focus. Managing the Atom is shifting to a more focused fellowship program. For the coming year, we are especially interested in scholars working on various aspects of rethinking nuclear deterrence and reducing its dangers, and in scholars exploring how best to resolve regional nuclear proliferation crises.
Expectations
Fellows are expected to:
- Produce a substantial piece of work completed during the fellowship period
- Present their research at a seminar open to the public at least once during the fellowship period
- Attend seminars of other MTA research fellows
- Participate in MTA activities (meetings, communications efforts, etc.) as appropriate
- Regularly correspond with MTA staff and senior faculty about research progress and activities
Stipend Information
MTA offers ten-month stipends of $40,000 to pre-doctoral fellows and $50,000 to post-doctoral fellows. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply for other sources of funding. All applicants should clearly indicate on their application form whether they are seeking full or partial funding, and indicate other potential funding sources. Non-stipendiary appointments are also offered, but the application process remains the same. Stipends come with health insurance and discounted MBTA passes, as well as shared office space and modest administrative support.