Project on Nuclear Issues

The Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) aims to build and sustain a networked community of young nuclear experts from the military, national laboratories, industry, academia, and policy communities.

About the Project on Nuclear Issues

Addressing an increasingly complex array of nuclear weapons challenges will require a solid foundation of expertise across numerous sectors. Because most of these challenges are long-term, the Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) places a special emphasis on building and sustaining a vibrant community of young nuclear experts from the military, national laboratories, industry, academia, and the policy community. PONI maintains an enterprise-wide membership base, hosts four major conferences and several smaller events each year, maintains an online blog, holds live debates on critical nuclear weapons issues, runs a six-month academic program for young experts, and distributes bi-weekly news and event announcements to members.

Announcements

PDI Live Debate on De-alerting: John Steinbruner vs. Walt Slocombe. November 5, 6:00PM.
Registration is now open for the 2009 PONI Capstone Conference at U.S. Strategic Command on December 15.
PONI is on Twitter. Follow username csisponi.
We are now accepting applications for 2010 Nuclear Scholars Initiative. Click here for more information and application instructions.

Membership

PONI formally involves the U.S., UK and France, but also includes members from all over the world. Membership is open to anyone working on or studying nuclear weapons issues. Members receive a bi-weekly News Brief along with special invitations to PONI conferences, live debates, and other events.

PONI Membership Application

PONI Debates the Issues
Online blog pushes the debate forward with daily posts, original contributions by members, and guest commentary from senior experts.
Conference Series
Each year PONI hosts four conferences that bring together people from across the nuclear enterprise to discuss a range of nuclear issues.
Nuclear Scholars Initiative
Brings a select group of graduate students and young professionals to CSIS for a program consisting of six daylong workshops with senior experts from the field.
PDI Live Debates
The debate series, an extension of the PDI blog, features top experts debating controversial nuclear issues one-on-one.
Reference Desk
The PONI Reference Desk is dedicated to keeping an informative and up to date catalogue of relevant nuclear information.
Nuclear Careers
Listing of employment opportunities and resources for jobseekers interested in nuclear science and policy.
PONI Member Access
Access to presentations and materials from PONI conferences and to the membership directory.
U.S.-UK Nuclear Cooperation After 50 Years
CSIS commemorated the 50th anniversary of nuclear cooperation between the U.S. and U.K. with a volume of selected essays and oral histories.

Multimedia

More Multimedia

Blog

Nonproliferation News - November 6, 2009
Nov 6, 2009
FISSILE MATERIAL
Iran tested advanced nuclear warhead design – secret report
Guardian by Julian Borger

Iran holding up nuclear deal with demand for reactor fuel, diplomat says
WP by Glenn Kessler

Bunkers or Breakthrough?
NYT by Roger Cohen

Passing the buck on North Korea
Asia Times by Donald Kirk
Steinbruner and Slocombe Debate De-Alert TONIGHT at CSIS
Nov 5, 2009
Here's the final resolution and agenda for tonight's de-alerting debate between John Steinbruner and Walt Slocombe. You can still RSVP by contacting Chris Jones at: cjones@csis.org. We look forward to seeing you tonight.

PONI Live Debate: De-Alerting
November 5, 2009, 6:00-8:00 P.M.
B1 Conference Center, CSIS

Resolved: that the United States should pursue a negotiated agreement with Russia to de-alert each country's nuclear arsenal by implementing reversible physical changes to substantially increase the time required to launch

6:00-6:20     OPENING RECEPTION AND WELCOME

6:20-7:30     THE DE-ALERTING DEBATE
Affirmative: John D. Steinbruner, Professor of Public Policy at the University of Maryland
Negative: Walter B. Slocombe, Former Undersecretary of Defense for Policy
Moderator: John K. Warden, Project on Nuclear Issues, CSIS

6:20-6:35 Opening Statements
6:35-6:50   Cross-Examination and Moderator Questions
6:50-7:20   Audience Question and Answer
7:20-7:30   Closing Statements

7:30-8:00     CLOSING RECEPTION