NATIONAL SECURITY SCHOLARS & PRACTITIONERS PROGRAM
The National Security Scholars and Practitioners Program (NSSPP) is a weeklong workshop that gathers a diverse group of mid-career professionals to explore the character of contemporary war and its future.
The application period for the 2020 National Security Scholars and Practitioners Program (NSSPP) is now closed.
The Merrill Center for Strategic Studies operates as a center for strategic thought and education at Johns Hopkins SAIS. As the outreach and engagement arm of the Strategic Studies program, it explores the relationship between politics and the many kinds of military power—from the use of terror by small, non-state groups to the threatened use of nuclear weapons—aiming to promote dialogue and innovative research on pressing national security issues.
The NSSPP gathers 25-30 individuals in the mid-stage of their careers for a one-week workshop on the future of war, exploring U.S. competitive advantages and disadvantages, large questions about the changing nature of conflict, the use of alternative scenarios to understand them, and possible implications for the United States, to include strategy and force structure.
Participants will have the opportunity to engage with their peers, senior scholar-teachers, and distinguished guests in both the formal program and informal discussions. Past distinguished guests and faculty have included Strategic Studies and Merrill Center Director Dr. Mara Karlin, Dean Eliot Cohen, LTG David Barno (USA, ret.), Dr. Nora Bensahel, Ambassador Eric Edelman, Dr. Thomas Mahnken, Prof. John McLaughlin, Dr. Thomas Rid, Prof. Adam Szubin, and General Angus Campbell of the Australian Defence Forces, among others. Joining the program this year will be Strategic Studies’ new Associate Director, Dr. Paula Thornhill (Brig Gen USAF, ret.).
The JHU SAIS Merrill Center covers associated costs, including domestic economy travel, meals, and lodging for the duration of the program. If selected, participants must commit to attending the entire workshop and to being an active participant in workshop preparation and discussions. Participants should expect substantial readings in advance and may be asked to give short presentations.
Applicants must have a minimum of 10 years post-undergraduate work experience in national security, international affairs, or a related field. Participants will be selected to ensure a balance among several categories: government; academia; business/private sector; and outside influencers (including think tanks, Federally Funded Research Centers, consulting firms, defense industry, and journalism). We also encourage those who have a variety of experiences or unique experience that may not fall strictly into a category above to apply.
2019 Cohort
Chris Bassler, U.S. Department of Defense
Caroline C. Baxter, RAND Corporation
Yara Bayoumy, The Atlantic
Marguerite Rivard Benson
Laura G. Brent, NATO
Jacob Cohn, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments
Luke Collin, U.S. Department of Defense
Robert Cowden, National Intelligence Council
Jud Crane, National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service
John W. Hall, University of Wisconsin-Madison/Joint Chiefs of Staff
Tim Hwang, MIT/Harvard University
Mariam Jalalzada, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction
Louis Lauter, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Eric Lindsey, Northrup Grumman Aerospace Systems
Matthew Lundgren, George Mason University
Dan Magruder, U.S. Air Force
Jenny Marron, U.S. Department of State
Aaron Mehta, Defense News
Jim Mitre, Govini
Craig Neuman, U.S. Air Force
Henry Nuzum, Central Gulf Lines, Inc. and Waterman Steamship Corp.
Katherine Obradovich, U.S. Department of Defense
Alex Pascal, Macro Advisory Partners
Jim Perkins, Amazon Web Services
Kaleb Redden, U.S. Department of Defense
Andrew Scott, U.S. Government
Hope Hodge Seck, Military.com
Lizzy Shackelford, Independent Consultant
Nina S. Wagner, U.S. Department of Defense
Jonathan Welch, RAND Corporation, USMR
2018 Cohort
Michael Albertson, U.S. Department of State
Brian Arakelian, U.S. Department of Defense
Susanna Blume, Center for a New American Security
Anna Borshchevskaya, Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Luke Condra, University of Pittsburgh
Scott Cooper, Human Rights First
Matthew Cordova, U.S. Department of Defense
Scott Cuomo, Georgetown University
Jessie Evans, Independent Consulting
Greg Grant, U.S. Department of Defense
Christopher Hamner, George Mason University
Jacob Heim, RAND Corporation
Kate Higgins-Bloom, Brookings Institution
Michael Hunzeker, George Mason University
Brian Katz, U.S. Government
Miriam Krieger, U.S. Air Force Academy
Michael O'Hara, U.S. Naval War College
Matthew O'Kane, Office of Management and Budget
Mira Rapp-Hooper, Yale Law School
Eric Reid, U.S. Department of Defense
John Schutte, U.S. Air Force
Erin Sikorsky, National Intelligence Council
Erin Simpson, Northrup Grumman Corporation
Sarah Wildman, Foreign Policy
Matthew Williams, U.S. Senate