Valuable work experience in the nonproliferation field.

Updated: Oct 26, 2012

Summer Undergraduate Internship Alumni

Present-2006

[View the Summer Intern Alumni Photo Gallery pages]

2005

In 2005, CNS hosted 3 summer interns who worked with International Organization and Nonproliferation Program, and East Asia Nonproliferation Program.

Melissa Kessler (IONP) from Princeton University:

"Working at CNS has been a fantastic experience! I have learned a great deal at the IONP and I feel like I have done some meaningful and constructive work. I have had the chance to meet and learn from some amazing and intelligent people and all with the backdrop of beautiful Monterey!

Ay-Nur Najm (EANP) from Clarke University:

"My internship has allowed me to interact with leading experts in the security field on a day-to-day basis, as well as honing my research and analysis skills."

Oliver Lim (EANP) from Carnegie Mellon University

2004

In 2004, two interns participated in the Summer Internship Program. They worked with IONP and EANP respectively.

Rachel Velcoff (IONP) from University of Pennsylvania:

"Spending my summer working for the IONP at the CNS exposed me to and familiarized me with a wide range of issues and challenges affecting the global community. Being able to interact with individuals who have directly experienced these issues through work in the international arena, whether at the United Nations or else where, in particular, has truly enhanced my perspective on the field. CNS faculty and staff members are welcoming and eager to educate others while also very committed to the work that they do. Furthermore, the research, writing, and other assignments that I have completed have helped me better define both my own academic and career interests. In short, I would definitely include my experience here as one of the most beneficial internship experiences I have had thus far and recommend it to any students who are interested in nonproliferation issues."

Jesse Infeld (EANP) from University of Arizona:

"Working at EANP has expanded as well as deepened my understanding of China/East Asia issues. I have gained valuable research experience that has both direct and indirect applications to my academic interests in economics and China as well as gained a new awareness of the issues surrounding nonproliferation. Monterey is a fun, beautiful town and I have enjoyed living here as much as working at CNS."

2003

[Also view the 2003 Summer Intern Alumni Photo Gallery page]

In 2003, CNS hosted 7 summer interns who worked in the following programs:

• Newly Independent States (NISNP)
• East Asia (EANP)
• International Organization (IONP)
• Chemical and Biological Weapons (CBWNP)

In addition to assigned research work, interns developed their own research projects under the guidance of CNS staff. As part of their training, interns attended seminars and technical workshops held at CNS throughout the summer.

Armand Emamdjomeh, CNS Intern from the University of Southern California, Summer 2003:

"While at CNS, I was able to focus on developments in the Central Asian and Caucasian states, writing articles for a monthly publication. The staff here are incredible. It's so amazing to be working with former Peace Corps members, USAID workers, UN weapons inspectors, and arms control treaty negotiators, just to name a few. And you get to do real work! No making faxes or making coffee runs for the higher-ups, you get to work on the latest developments, write articles, and work on projects that graduate students with several years of experience are working on. It's a great step up for an undergraduate. I know my experiences here will help me as I begin my career."

Risa Mongiello, CNS Intern from Scripps College, Summer 2003:

"This was probably one of the most rewarding, fascinating internship experiences I've had. The simple fact that you get to work directly with experts and meet professionals in this field was totally worth it!"

Leigh Aldrich, CNS Intern from Denison University, Summer 2003:

"Working at CNS was such a rewarding experience. It opened up a whole new interest and a world of policy to me. It is a great feeling to look back on the summer."

Alex Yabroff, CNS Intern from the University of St. Andrews, Summer 2003:

"While at CNS I worked for the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program. I spent most of my time monitoring sources for the WMD terrorism database, as well as profiling different groups who had attempted to procure CBW materials. Furthermore, I was able to spend a lot of time researching both Latin American guerrilla groups and environmental terrorism. This summer has proven to be a truly invaluable experience and has served to encourage me to pursue graduate work in the security field."

2002

[Also view the 2002 Summer Intern Alumni Photo Gallery page]

Anne Gibson, CNS Intern from Pomona College, Summer 2002:

"While at CNS, I worked for the East Asia Nonproliferation Program. I primarily did research for different projects, specifically on regional solutions to the Asian financial crisis, deterrence theory, as well as others. I also helped with research on the International Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missiles for Tsinghua University Summer Symposium on Arms Control Negotiation Simulation that was conducted in China by EANP staff. In addition, I finished my internship by writing a paper on Japan's changing security environment. I was also able to attend many lectures on different nonproliferation issues while I was here, and greatly improved my knowledge of the subject. My time at CNS has definitely influenced me to pursue graduate studies and hopefully a career, in the security field."

Derek Turner, CNS Intern from the University of Colorado, Summer 2002:

"I was an intern for Dr. Clay Moltz in the Newly Independent States Nonproliferation Program at CNS, and I had a great experience while living in Monterey. The expertise of the staff is amazing and the resources are extensive. Combining an independent research project with lectures on more broad topics in the field of nonproliferation was very beneficial. The summer at CNS has improved my interest in the fields, as well as solidifying my research skills."

Cindy Lin, CNS Intern from Brandeis University, Summer 2002:

"My internship at CNS was an enriching experience. I had the opportunity to learn a lot about nonproliferation and security issues through both my own work and the lectures and seminars available at the center. This gave me the opportunity to consider international peace and security from a slightly different perspective than the sociological/theoretical educational background I have. It was exciting to work in a truly international context and learn about the diversity of issues across different cultures and regions. The staff here are truly specialists in their fields who possess a wealth of knowledge that they are always excited to share. "

2001

In 2001, CNS hosted 4 summer interns who worked in the following programs:

• Monitoring Proliferation Threats
• Chemical/Biological Weapons Terrorism

Kyle Sherwin, CNS Intern from the University of Arizona, Summer 2001:

"My summer internship at CNS was extremely rewarding. It is such a dynamic and intellectually stimulating environment, with the staff being composed of some of the world's most renowned nonproliferation and regional experts. Perhaps the most interesting part of the day was lunch. Nearly every day "brown bag" discussions were held during our lunch break in one of the conference rooms, with someone presenting on a recently completed project. Diplomats and scholars came from places like Moscow, New Zealand, Washington D.C., and within CNS, to defend their conclusions and receive constructive criticism in intelligent, progressive forums. Even though the majority of those involved had PhD's, all of the interns were encouraged to participate, and we were treated as equal participants in the discussions. This is one of the first things new interns will realize, that they are respected and treated as member of the staff from the day they arrive. Your days aren't consumed by sending faxes, fetching coffee, or other trivial tasks. Interns are members of the CNS team, and are given the opportunity to experience how exciting life after college can be.

Within CNS, I was assigned to the East Asian Nonproliferation Program (EANP). I had three responsibilities; to assist the two full-time staff members by researching information for their individual projects, compiling the Profiler email, and updating the China Profiles Database. The two research associates were always working on multiple projects, like writing papers for conferences or seminars, composing their own books, and writing for journals and magazines. The Profiler was an email service that sent us foreign & domestic news articles daily. The articles were selected if they contained key words in the text, and each day the interns took turns reading the articles and sending the relevant ones to all EANP staff members. Work on the China Profiles Database included adding new treaties or communiqus and updating the several chronologies with news of recent developments. EANP interns were also encouraged to select a research project, and I chose to study Sino-Russian cooperation in opposing US missile defense systems. Both research associates spent countless hours advising me, helping me find specific documents and revising my work. I came away from this internship with improved research and writing skills, and a more comprehensive understanding of international relations."

Sine Bayar, CNS Intern from University of Southern California, Summer 2001:

"I spent two months of my summer as a research assistant in a monitoring proliferation threats project in the Middle East. I had two main duties. First, I would gather current information related to missiles in the region by using online newspapers, some of which I translated from Turkish sources. Then, I would enter it along with other research compiled from a wealth of resources to which the Center has access, into a chronological profile on a specified country, namely, Iran. These profile databases are unique in their way of assembling open-source information, and are sold to government and research organizations. I was pleased not to be doing the typical grunt work of an intern, photocopying and collating, but instead making a direct contribution to an important project. Did I mention they even paid me for work I would have done for free? My colleagues were eager to train the next generation of non-proliferation specialists, and invited the interns to a number of lectures including some on missile technology, missile defense issues, non-proliferation regimes, and various other topics.

Also, as part of the Monterey Institute of International Studies, I worked with a number of graduate students from all parts of the world. Over 90% of the students there have either lived, studied, or worked abroad, and so I found myself in a truly cutting-edge, international environment where the people around me cared about the same issues as I did. Overall, my internship this summer was a truly eye-opening experience, which gave me a direct view of a possible career route while at the same time letting me put my skills to work."

2000

Yana Feldman, CNS Intern from UC Berkeley, Summer 2000:

"While at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies, I was a member of the NIS Nonproliferation Program team. My primary responsibilities included working on the NISNP Database to monitor nuclear developments and transactions throughout the NIS via open source information. Specifically, my projects included updating the Naval Nuclear Reactors section, Imports/Exports and Fissile Material Production sections by creating abstracts of relevant information, which would then be included into the CNS Databases. I used my Russian language skills to translate various original Russian sources into English for further inclusion into the Database. During my internship I was also able to assist with ad-hoc projects as they surfaced, such as brain drain in the former Soviet Union, background information on the Kursk submarine disaster, etc.

My academic degree is in chemistry, and when I came to CNS I was seeking to supplement my scientific background with deeper knowledge and experience of nuclear nonproliferation policy and research. CNS provided me with the perfect opportunity to do so. I have walked away from my internship with a much clearer understanding of the current status of nonproliferation policy around the world and a stronger knowledge of a history of nuclear energy and nonproliferation. My experience at CNS has also come extremely useful in my present work as an Information Collection Analyst at the International Atomic Energy Agency."

1998

Anjali Bhattacharjee, CNS Intern from Florida International University, Summer 1998:

"Being at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies as an undergraduate intern was a valuable educational experience. I was exposed to various issues and topics within the realm of nonproliferation and gained a comprehensive insight into the field through seminars and personal discussions with the many experts in residence. My time and experience at CNS were definitely strong influencing factors in my decision to return and earn a MA in International Policy Studies and a Certificate in Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute."