Beyond Convention - Alternative Career Paths in Nuclear Security

This summer I had the opportunity to speak to current SSGF fellows about my experience post graduate school. My goal was to share with them my thought process, missteps and strategies to defining my career path during the critical first few years after the PhD. Thank you to the DOE NNSA SSGF for not only inviting me to speak, but for generously supporting my PhD work.

The abstract of my talk is below:

This is an exciting time to work in the nuclear security and nonproliferation space. Conventional wisdoms are under challenge across the board, from extended deterrence to weapon-state disarmament obligations. Increased modernization activity and the demise of the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty have renewed fears of a new arms race. At the same time, negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea have opened possibilities for progress in a way not seen since the mid-2000s. With so much in transition, how should technically trained doctoral students think about their career options? In this talk, Dr. Mareena Robinson Snowden will share how she approached this question and how she leveraged her DOE NNSA SSGF experience to craft an unconventional postdoctoral fellowship in government and the non-governmental organization space. She will also discuss what advice she found useful – and not so useful – in developing her professional path.

My dear friend Raspberry Simpson of the MIT Nuclear Science and Engineering Department. When she graduates, she will be the second black woman to earn a PhD from the MIT NSE department, and I will be beyond proud.

MIT NSE Alums!