"My internship with the Middle East Project at CNS was extremely informative. Although I am majoring in International Relations (with an emphasis on global security) and Middle East Studies, I had not studied nonproliferation issues before arriving in Monterey. I learned a great deal and was awed by the amount of expertise at CNS. Despite staff members' impressive resumes — as former directors of international organizations, international inspectors, or foreign diplomats — I found each of them quite approachable. I learned a great deal from them, both in my capacity as a research assistant and as a college student approaching graduation and a professional future beyond. It was a phenomenal opportunity to attend small, seminar-style meetings with CNS researchers and staff members and to learn about their experiences in the field.

Throughout my internship, I was offered unique opportunities to work on substantive projects with high-level staff members and I am proud of the work I accomplished here. I was also thoroughly impressed and encouraged by the unquestioned commitment at CNS to the goal of global disarmament. This internship has certainly fueled my interest in international security issues and I hope to stay in touch with CNS and its staff in the future."

"I've had an excellent summer here at CNS. I came here with only a basic grasp of nuclear history and nonproliferation issues, but the past ten weeks have taught me a ton and convinced me that this is a field I want to continue exploring in the future. I've especially enjoyed the lecture series that CNS organized for us, the work environment, and the willingness of CNS staff to take time to talk to us about anything we were interested in, even though we were only here as interns.

By far the most interesting and challenging part of my work at CNS was the time I spent researching and co-authoring an article with my CNS Research Associate Liviu Horowitz on the future of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. For me, the project was a chance to focus on an issue that's one of the top priorities of the arms control community right now. It was also the most serious academic work that I've ever done, and it gave me valuable practice doing research and learning to write scholarly pieces."

"My time at CNS was valuable both in that I learned a great deal about a timely and important field to which I previously had only limited exposure, and also that this learning piqued my curiosity and gave me a lasting interest in WMD/nonproliferation issues. While I feel as though I gained a great deal of issue-specific knowledge over the course of the summer, I am perhaps most grateful to CNS for providing me with a solid foundation of knowledge and the right set of resources to pursue nonproliferation studies in whatever avenue I might choose.

My work during my internship was primarily focused on submarine proliferation and its associated risks, both in terms of weapons delivery capability, as well the potential problems associated with the production, dissemination, control, and dismantlement of nuclear powered submarines. The way internships are structured at CNS is very advantageous to interns because each intern is paired with a specialist from CNS with whom they work closely to design a research topic. Furthermore, these experts give advice and feedback on the direction and quality of interns' work throughout the process. There is also a very informative lecture series designed for summer interns in which authorities on many different aspects of WMD nonproliferation present on their specialties and make themselves available for Q&A.

Unlike many other summer internships, those at CNS offer substantive and intellectually stimulating opportunities in a cooperative and amicable work environment. I am grateful to have been chosen to participate in this program and highly recommend it to others interested in international relations and nonproliferation and disarmament of weapons of mass destruction."

"I found my experience at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation to be very rewarding. I met many wonderful people and learned a great deal of new things. I also got the chance to think for myself and design my own project. This allowed me to tailor my research topic to suit my strong skills and helped me expand my knowledge in areas I was interested in- Something that was not possible without the help I received from the staff of the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program.

The city of Monterey is a beautiful place. Although it was a little cold for a summer, the scenery is captivating and the people are extremely nice. I also had the chance to travel around and was taken by the beauty of places like San Francisco and Big Sur. To say the least, I fell in love with the area and I am glad that I will be living around here for the next two years. This summer experience has left a mark on my life."

"Through the three-month-long fellowship program, including a series of lectures on nonproliferation issues and assigned research work, I have remarkably boosted my research skill. As a political science major, I was very glad to meet and work with some practitioners of the field. I also had a rare opportunity to attend a meeting in which delegates from the Unification Ministry of Republic of Korea exchanged their opinions on North Korea's nuclear issues with the CNS experts.

Working in the East Asia Nonproliferation Program (EANP), I have learnt some new perspectives, such as the export-control regime and the history of nuclear weapons development, to understand the regional politics and security of East Asia. The knowledgeable and experienced research faculty gave me a lot of helpful advice on my research project on the security issues of the Taiwan-strait region. I would like to earn a profound insight in the role of smart power in the dynamics of Taiwan-China relations.

The highly diverse working environment proves that the CNS is a truly international institute that "train[s] the next generation of nonproliferation specialists" not just from the United States, but also any international students and scholars who are dedicated to the issues."

"This summer at CNS was a wonderful experience in so many ways. First of all, it has been a great learning experience, at times challenging but very rewarding. While at CNS, I was a part of the Newly Independent States Nonproliferation Program, which was very exciting for me being originally from that area. I enjoyed reading about and exploring different disarmament and nonproliferation issues; attending lectures, discussions and seminars; and working on my original project — examining the Fissile Material (Cutoff) Treaty (FMCT) from an array of perspectives. I was particularly interested in the work of the Conference on Disarmament and the differences in states' outlook regarding the prospective treaty.

I met remarkable people who are truly dedicated to the field of nonproliferation and disarmament, and were very welcoming and supportive. I am grateful for having had the opportunity to work in the same institution with them. Their contribution to the field makes the world a better and a safer place. I want to thank CNS staff and the philanthropist Kathryn Davis for making it possible for students to gain invaluable knowledge and experiences at the Center. This fellowship helped me to define my future career plans and aspirations. I am very eager to continue my education in the field of International Studies, Nonproliferation or a related area in International Relations."