Newsletters

At the invitation of the Belfer Center and its various programs and projects, a number of government, military, and other dignitaries visited the Center this fall to present on critical issues of international affairs and to provide insight and career advice to students and fellows. 

This fall, the Belfer Center welcomed more than 100 talented pre- and post doctoral fellows with expertise in issues ranging from national and international security and diplomacy to cyber, technology, climate change and energy policy. Along with selected Belfer Young Leader Student Fellows, these talented individuals who bring with them a wide range of backgrounds and experience, contribute valuable fresh ideas to the Center community. 

Hundreds of students and others from the greater Harvard community took part in Belfer Center study groups this fall. Focusing on Middle East reform, use and abuse of intelligence, and the origin and potential for the CHIPS and Science Act, these fall groups provided an opportunity for generally small groups to interact over a period of weeks with Belfer Center and visiting experts.

In October, members of the Belfer Center’s Arctic Initiative joined more than 2,000 Arctic policymakers, scholars, business leaders, and residents in Reykjavík, Iceland, for the Arctic Circle Assembly—the world’s largest annual gathering on Arctic issues. The Arctic Initiative delegation of students presented innovative ideas for Arctic resilience. 

This fall, the Technology and Public Purpose (TAPP) Project hosted a six part study group led by Doug Calidas, Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar and TAPP non-resident fellow, titled “Policy for the Endless Frontier: Origins and Ambitions for the CHIPS and Science Act.”

General Joseph F. Dunford, Jr. (ret.), former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has been awarded the prestigious Order of Australia.

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

The Belfer Center is not a passive observer of the war in Ukraine. Our community of diplomats, national security analysts, intelligence officials, and generals, along with nuclear, energy, and cyber experts have been working non-stop to advance policy-relevant insights.

As you’ll see in our latest newsletter, this is an all-hands effort that shows the distinctive value of the Belfer Center’s multi-faceted research. I have a deep personal connection to this conflict. In the 1990s, I helped dismantle nuclear missile silos in Ukraine as part of the Nunn-Lugar program. That remarkable bipartisan effort grew from important work at the Belfer Center.

Amid scenes of brutal destruction in Ukraine today, our mission to advance research, ideas, and leadership for a more secure, peaceful world has never been more urgent. There’s much more in this newsletter about vital work the Center is doing in other critical areas.

Ash Carter

Russia’s brutal invasion of a sovereign democratic country in February shocked the world. Moscow’s forces have targeted civilians across Ukraine, while Vladimir Putin has repeatedly threatened to unleash weapons of mass destruction. 

The Belfer Center is not a passive observer of this war. Our community of diplomats, national security analysts, intelligence officials, and generals, along with nuclear, energy, and cyber experts have been working non-stop to advance policy-relevant insights. 

Highlights from the Winter 2021/22 issue of International Security. 

In late March, 19 students from Harvard and the greater Boston area boarded a bus to Woodwell Climate Research Center in Falmouth, Massachusetts, for the final session of the second annual Arctic Data Stories Workshop.