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.

Cybersecurity and International Security Fellowship

CISAC Cyber Policy Fellows may focus on any aspect of cybersecurity with an important connection to public policy, including (but not limited to) international security and international relations, critical infrastructure protection, privacy and civil liberties, and the future of the Internet. Applicants may also find interesting research topics and they should feel free to argue for researching some aspect at the nexus of cybersecurity and public policy that is not described therein. All else being equal, preference will be afforded to those interested in an ongoing research project, which at this time include projects on the use of offensive cyber capabilities as instruments of national policy and a Track II dialog on cybersecurity as it relates to China and the United States.

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.

Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI) Policy Fellowship

HAI-CISAC Fellows will pursue research on policy issues related to Stanford University’s Human-Centered AI Institute's (HAI) mission of guiding the development of artificial intelligence to ensure that it benefits humanity, as well as contribute to Center for International Security and Cooperation ’s work on digital security writ large. Research focus areas may include, among others, regulatory and governance frameworks, policy prescriptions for addressing societal impacts of AI, or national or international security implications of AI. Fellows will be an integral part of the larger fellowship program at CISAC. This program provides faculty mentorship and requires fellows’ participation in the CISAC Fellows’ Policy Workshop, a biweekly meeting that takes place throughout the academic year and is designed to help fellows bridge the gap between academia and the policy community. All HAI-CISAC fellows are expected to participate in HAI and CISAC research seminars 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. Fellows with backgrounds in the natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, history, and law are encouraged to apply. Both pre- and post-doctoral fellowships are available, but all candidates are expected to be in their final year or have recently completed a terminal degree in their discipline.

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.

Stanford Existential Risk Initiative (SERI) Fellowship

The Stanford Existential Risks Initiative (SERI) fellow will develop and pursue independent research agendas addressing large-scale risks across any of the four research areas (advanced artificial intelligence, biological risks, nuclear risks, and extreme climate change), with a faculty member appointed to oversee and facilitate their research. The fellow will also contribute to SERI’s mission by teaching courses centered on existential risk reduction, either teaching undergraduates and/or graduate courses that have been already developed, or by taking the opportunity to develop and teach an original course.

Stanford Internet Observatory Research Fellowship

Stanford Internet Observatory Postdoctoral Fellows spend 1-2 years actively engaged with the SIO research community. Postdocs are an integral part of the SIO research team and spend their time working on collaborative projects related to SIO’s core research areas: trust and safety, platform policy, information interference, and emerging technology. SIO Fellows will spend 75% of their time working on mentored research projects and developing new projects in collaboration with SIO research scholars, and up to 25% of their time working on ongoing independent research. Fellows will be housed in SIO’s lab at the Cyber Policy Center and will have the opportunity to engage with the larger fellowship program at the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC). All SIO fellows are expected to participate in regular team meetings and bi-weekly research workshops. Fellows are expected to 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. Fellows with backgrounds in engineering, data science, social sciences (ex: political science, sociology, communication), history, and law are encouraged to apply. All fellows are expected to be in the final stages of or have recently completed a terminal degree in their discipline, ideally a Ph.D.

Questions? Contact us at CISACfellowship@stanford.edu.