Fellowships at the Center for International Security and Cooperation

The Opportunity

The Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) is an interdisciplinary community dedicated to producing policy-relevant scholarly research on international security problems, to teaching and training the next generation of security specialists, and to influencing policymaking in international security. The Center serves as a forum for scholars, practitioners and security professionals to understand complex international problems and explore innovative solutions in a collegial and collaborative environment. CISAC's fellowship program is an integral part of this mission.

Through the Center's annual fellowship competition, a small number of scholars are selected to spend the academic year engaged in research and writing on campus. Mentoring is a crucial part of the fellowship program. Our fellows are encouraged and expected to participate in seminars, and to interact and collaborate with leading faculty and researchers. Natural scientists have the opportunity to conduct science-based research into the scientific and technical aspects of a security topic of their own choosing; they may also work  in collaboration with a faculty member.

Eligibility

In the social sciences and humanities, we seek pre- and post-doctoral scholars, junior faculty, policy practitioners, and, in special cases, mid-career professionals in journalism, law, the military, government, or international organizations, either from the U.S. or abroad.

In collaboration with the Stanford Law School, we offer two research fellowships on law and international security. This program is open to law students, recent law school graduates, and pre- and post-doctoral scholars and professionals from a variety of disciplines.

In the natural sciences and engineering, we seek scholars in those and related fields who are pursuing significant science-based research and are interested in using their technical knowledge to do policy-relevant research in international security. CISAC welcomes applicants from academia, the public and private sector, national laboratories, and the military, either from the U.S. or abroad. One of these fellowships is the William J. Perry Fellowship, which honors the former secretary of defense. His career is a model for the scientifically informed, pragmatic, far-sighted problem solving in public policy that we value at CISAC.

Research Areas

Topics of interest for our fellows may include nuclear weapons proliferation and risk, nuclear energy, war and civil conflict, global governance, migration and transnational flows, public health and the environment, cyber and biosecurity, international norms and ethics, and insurgency and homeland security. We welcome applicants conducting research in these areas, broadly defined, and at their intersections. Pre- and post-doctoral scholars and junior faculty with an interest in nuclear issues are also invited to apply for a Stanton Nuclear Security Fellowship.

Expectations

CISAC fellowships are residential fellowships in which fellows are expected to produce finished writing. For pre-doctoral fellows, this means finishing dissertation chapters or the dissertation. For post-doctoral fellows, this means writing a publishable article or articles and/or making significant progress on turning a thesis into a book manuscript. For scientists or professionals, including law students and lawyers, this generally means writing a publishable article. Fellows are expected to be on campus throughout the fellowship year and should not plan to spend their time conducting research abroad or in other parts of the country. Fellows are expected to participate actively in the CISAC community by attending research seminars and by collaborating with colleagues and senior researchers and faculty.

The William J. Perry fellow will reside at CISAC for a year of policy-relevant research on international security issues. He or she will join other distinguished scientists, social scientists, and engineers who work together on security problems that cannot be solved within any single field of study.

All fellows working in nuclear security, including Stanton Nuclear Security fellows and those funded by the MacArthur Foundation, are expected to produce a research product (e.g., dissertation chapters, draft articles, a book manuscript) by the end of their fellowship year. In addition, each fellow will be expected to produce a short highly policy-relevant piece that can be published as an op-ed or blog entry or in some other form that can reach policymakers and/or a policy-attentive audience.

Fellows working in nuclear security will also be required to attend seminars on writing and presenting to policy audiences. These seminars will feature presentations by current and former government officials and staff members. The seminar series will also help guide fellows through the process of producing a short piece of highly policy-relevant work. All CISAC fellows will have the option of attending these seminars on a regular basis.

Stipend, Benefits and Housing

Predoctoral fellows receive stipends comparable to those awarded by the Stanford Graduate Fellowships program. Postdoctoral fellows receive stipends determined by length of time passed since month and year of PhD completion and experience. Junior faculty and professional stipends are commensurate with experience. Past pre-doctoral fellows have received stipends in the range of $25,000 to $30,000; post-doctoral fellows have received stipends in the range of $48,000 to $65,000.
 
Unfortunately, we cannot provide housing. We can, however, refer fellows to housing information Stanford provides.
 
Stanford University policy requires evidence of medical insurance. CISAC will provide coverage for fellows without personal coverage. Predoctoral fellows will be enrolled in Stanford's student medical insurance plan. Postdoctoral fellows will attend a mandatory benefits orientation soon after they arrive on campus. Fellows have the option of purchasing additional coverage for dependents.

More Information

• How to apply for CISAC fellowships

• Answers to frequently asked questions about CISAC fellowships

For more information about fellowships and applications, please contact:

CISAC Fellowship Program

Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies

Encina Hall, C206-8

616 Serra St

Stanford University

Stanford CA 94305-6165

USA

Phone: (650) 724-9132

Fax: (650) 723-0089

CISACfellowship@stanford.edu