Then + Now
Nuclear security policy is developed and refined in an ecosystem that includes governments, academia, advocacy organizations, funders, non-governmental organizations and international bodies. For the last decade, I have invested in understanding these players - their perspectives on nuclear weapons, their cultures, and their measures of value. This exploration has occurred in the lab, where I investigated the role of radiation detection in the verification of nuclear arms control agreements; in the halls of government at the National Nuclear Security Administration where I got hands-on experience with the U.S. nuclear stockpile; and outside of government doing policy-relevant analysis on nuclear weapons issues at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
In an effort to understand the broader security environment in which nuclear weapons exist, I now work at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. As a member of the National Security Analysis Department, my portfolio includes broad issues of war fighting and security. My working hypothesis is that by understanding the indicators and mechanics of instability, crisis and war, I can be apart of the efforts to avoid them. As a woman of color who understands the disproportionate effects of crisis and war on marginalized communities (COVID-19 is a perfect example), I want to avoid these situations.
Time will tell if my working hypothesis is right - if by investing in an expertise in security, I am able to help bring it about in a human-centered way for as many global members as possible.
