CISAC fellows (predoctoral, postdoctoral, and junior faculty) may focus on a variety of security topics, including: nuclear weapons policy and nonproliferation; nuclear energy; digital security (cyber, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems); biosecurity and global health; insurgency, terrorism and civil conflict; national security strategies; and global governance.

We welcome other research proposals, and we will consider applicants from the U.S. and abroad. CISAC welcomes applications from women, minorities, and without regard to citizenship. Applicants will be considered for all fellowships for which they are deemed eligible.

CISAC is grateful for fellowship funding from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Stanton Foundation, and Carnegie Corporation of New York, as well as many individual donors.

Fellowship Opportunities by Research Area 

Biotechnology Innovation & International Security Fellowship

Biotechnology Innovation & International Security Fellows focus on projects related to innovations  in biological science and technology and their interactions with a shifting policy and international security landscape. Fellows will also be affiliated with Bio Policy & Leadership in Society (Bio.Polis) - a strategic initiative of the Department of Bioengineering in partnership with the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) at Stanford University.  Fellows will be housed at and have the opportunity to participate in the larger fellowship program and community at CISAC. We welcome fellows from a wide range of backgrounds, including biological science and engineering, data science and the social sciences.

Cyber Policy Center Fellowship

Cyber Policy Center (CPC) Fellows will pursue research on issues at the nexus of technology, governance and public policy.  Research opportunities may be focused with one of our core programs: the Global Digital Policy Incubator (GDPi), the Program on Geopolitics, Technology, and Governance (GTG), or the Program on Platform Regulation (PPR).  All CPC fellows are expected to participate in Cyber Policy Center research seminars / webinars and produce policy-relevant work, which could include media appearances, published articles, or briefings to or workshops for government or international organization officials, ideally in collaboration with researchers from other disciplines. 

Natural Sciences or Engineering International Security Fellowship

Fellows with backgrounds in the natural sciences and in engineering may use their technical expertise from the public and private sectors, the national laboratories, and the military to: pursue research projects on the intersection of hard science, policymaking, and international security; and to hone their science communication skills. 

Nuclear Security Fellowship

The MacArthur Foundation Nuclear Security Fellowships are intended to promote training and policy-relevant scholarship in three interrelated areas: nuclear weapons policy in a changing global context; nuclear terrorism and transnational flows of materials and knowledge; and nuclear energy and nonproliferation challenges. The Stanton Nuclear Security Fellowship is designed to aid in the development of the next generation of thought leaders in nuclear security by supporting research that will advance policy-relevant understanding of nuclear-related issues. They offer engineers, scientists, and social scientists the opportunity to focus on issues related to nuclear security. Alongside their scholarly work, fellows are expected to produce directly policy-relevant work, such as a media appearance, a published article on a reputable website, or a written briefing for a government or international organization. 

Social Sciences or Humanities International Security Fellowship

CISAC fellows (predoctoral, postdoctoral, junior faculty, and professional) may focus on a variety of security topics, including: nuclear weapons policy and nonproliferation; nuclear energy; cybersecurity, cyberwarfare, and the future of the Internet; biosecurity and global health; implications of geostrategic shifts; insurgency, terrorism, and homeland security; war and civil conflict; consolidating peace after conflict; as well as global governance, migration, and transnational flows, from norms to criminal trafficking. 

Questions? Contact us at CISACfellowship@stanford.edu.