Project on Nuclear Issues

Founded in 2003, PONI is the premier networked community of next generation professionals prepared to meet the nuclear challenges of the future

PONI programs provide inclusive, diverse, and creative opportunities for emerging experts to learn about nuclear issues and engage thoughtfully with the nuclear community. PONI also conducts cutting-edge research and analysis on three main topic areas: deterrence and escalation, risk reduction and arms control, and disarmament.

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Next Generation Nuclear Network

CSIS launched the Project on Nuclear Issues in 2003 to develop the next generation of policy, technical and operational nuclear professionals through outreach, mentorship, research and debate.

Photo: CSIS

Photo: CSIS

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Photo: Sergei Ilnitsky/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Photo: Sergei Ilnitsky/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Alternative Nuclear Futures: Capability and Credibility Challenges for U.S. Extended Nuclear Deterrence

In the next 10 years, U.S. extended deterrence could look notably different than it does today. To explore these issues, the CSIS Project on Nuclear Issues used an alternative futures methodology to unpack how key drivers might affect the U.S. extended deterrence mission.

Report by Heather Williams Kelsey Hartigan Joseph Rodgers and Reja Younis — May 8, 2023

Featured Event

Capstone Conference

Presented by Project on Nuclear Issues
June 15, 2023 • 8:30 am – 3:45 pm EDT
Featured Project: Deterrence 101

Deterrence 101 is a collection of three thirty-minute long videos that explore core deterrence theory. Each video describes basic deterrence concepts, roots these ideas in a historical timeline, and features interviews with leading nuclear policy experts.

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PONI 2024 Virtual Winter Conference

PONI will host its 2024 Virtual Winter Conference on February 26, which will explore lessons from Ukraine and topics related to nuclear rhetoric, brinksmanship, escalation management, and changes in the perceived value of nuclear weapons. 

Event — February 26, 2024

Armchair Discussion with Pranay Vaddi

Join PONI for an Armchair Discussion with Pranay Vaddi, Special Assistant to President Biden and Senior Director for Arms Control and Nonproliferation at the NSC on the administration's arms control agenda, including updates on U.S.-Russia and U.S-China engagement. 

Event — January 18, 2024

2023 Fall Conference

The Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) will host its 2023 Fall Conference on December 5 at CSIS. The conference will explore the impact of emerging technologies on nuclear security. A call for presentation proposals and registration for conference attendees are forthcoming.

Event — December 5, 2023

Deter and Divide: Russia's Nuclear Rhetoric & Escalation Risks in Ukraine

Russia’s nuclear threats have underpinned each stage of the war in Ukraine as Putin attempts to deter and divide NATO support. However, if Russia faces battlefield setbacks, its nuclear threats could intensify, testing NATO's resolve.

Digital Report by Heather Williams Kelsey Hartigan Lachlan MacKenzie and Reja Younis — December 4, 2023

The Israel-Hamas Conflict: Implications for Nuclear Security in the Region

The Israel-Hamas conflict strains Israel-Iran ties, impacting regional nuclear dynamics. It may strengthen Israel’s resolve to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, prompt Iran's nuclear acceleration, and hinder U.S.-Iran diplomacy.

Critical Questions by Doreen Horschig — November 21, 2023

Project Atom Report Launch

Please join the Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) to discuss the findings of PONI's forthcoming Project Atom report. The Project Atom report consists of five competing strategies for deterring two peer adversaries written by six senior experts with diverse perspectives.

Event — November 7, 2023

How to Get Away with a Nuclear Test

Talk of nuclear testing and threats of escalation are part of an ongoing Russian effort to manipulate nuclear risks and deter Western intervention in Ukraine. Whether or not Russia resumes testing will depend on Putin’s expected response from the international community.

Critical Questions by Heather Williams — October 5, 2023

Conventional-Nuclear Integration to Strengthen Deterrence

The evolving geopolitical landscape demands strategies for disincentivizing adversarial nuclear use to advance regional goals. In response, the United States and its allies are considering strategies to integrate conventional and nuclear forces and bolster deterrence.

Commentary by Doreen Horschig and Nicholas Adamopoulos — October 4, 2023

Project Atom 2023

How can the United States deter two peer competitors? To assist U.S. policy makers in addressing this question, the Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) invited a group of experts to develop competing strategies for deterring Russia and China through 2035.

Report by Heather Williams Kelsey Hartigan Lachlan MacKenzie Robert Soofer Tom Karako Oriana Skylar Mastro Franklin Miller Leonor Tomero and Jon Wolfsthal — September 29, 2023

2023 PONI Summer Conference

The Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) will host its 2023 Summer Conference at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on July 26 and 27. PONI is now soliciting applications for the conference.

Event — July 26, 2023