CISAC Fellowship Program

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.

Fellowship for Early Career Scientists and Engineers at U.S. National Laboratories

Fellows spend the academic year engaged in research and writing. They are expected to participate in seminars and to interact and collaborate with leading faculty, researchers, and military fellows. The results of the research should be published in the open literature - available to all. A long-term benefit of CISAC fellowship is the ability for our fellows to sustain these connections upon returning to their home institution by remaining active in CISAC's affiliate network. Natural scientists have the opportunity to conduct research on the scientific and technical aspects of security topics, as well as to work in collaboration with faculty members from a range of disciplines from political science to the physical and biological sciences. The CISAC fellowship provides an unparalleled opportunity for scholars and professionals to explore complex international problem and innovative solution in a collegial and collaborative environment. It will hone the ability of lab scientists to work in the policy environment in Washington and beyond. 

French-American Fellowship

In recognition of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in  2026 and the unique role of French-American intellectual exchange and friendship in the  birth of the United States of America, the Directors of the Richard Lounsbery Foundation  are pleased to announce a short-term Fellowship Program. The Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University commits to select and sponsor one applicant to encourage French-American  intellectual cooperation during a sabbatical of 6-9 months (in years 2025-2027). The  competition is open to French or American citizens, early in their careers, to travel to the other country to pursue areas of historical and scientific interest to the Foundation.1 Funds may be used for salary or stipend, research expenses, travel,  relocation, health insurance, or other expenses agreed upon with the Foundation.. The applicant must be sponsored by a  US 501c3 organization or institution (or foreign equivalent), which in this case would be Stanford University, individuals cannot receive  grants from the Foundation.  

For further information and instructions on how to apply click here. 

The deadline to apply for the French-American Fellowship is January 30, 2025.

India-U.S. Security Studies Fellowship

The India-U.S. security studies fellowships at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford are designed to support early career scholars (pre-doctoral, post-doctoral and junior faculty) whose research focuses on topics such as Indian foreign and defense policy, U.S-India-China security relations, nontraditional or sub-conventional security threats affecting South Asia,  security threats in the Indo-Pacific  region, or the India-U.S. strategic partnership. These fellowships offer engineers, scientists, historians and social scientists the opportunity to focus on issues related to Indian and U.S. security issues in collaboration with other scholars in our dynamic academic community. 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. The fellowships provide one year of support for research at Stanford and opportunities for collaborative research in the United States and India. The fellowships are sponsored by the Motwani Jadeja Family Foundation.

The deadline to apply for the India-U.S. Security Studies Fellowship is January 15, 2025.

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. 

Cyber Policy Center | Social Media Lab Fellowship

Stanford Social Media Lab postdocs will pursue research on communication, psychological, HCI, political, social, and policy perspectives of social technology. We seek fellows that focus on any of the following research areas: (1) social media and well-being, with an emphasis on young people; (2) AI-mediated communication and generative AI in social dynamics. Fellows will be housed at the Cyber Policy Center and will work closely with the research teams at the Stanford Social Media Lab and the Cyber Policy Center.

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. This fellowship is co-sponsored with the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Questions? Contact us at CISACfellowship@stanford.edu.