The Institute for Nuclear Security (INS) was established in response to a growing demand for nuclear security expertise while the field of nuclear security declined in its skilled workforce. The Institute addresses this gap by fostering deeper, more effective partnerships between academia, government, and industry to tackle these critical challenges.
Our goals include:
- Coordinating the collective resources of our members to address global security needs more effectively.
- Enabling broader and more meaningful collaboration, particularly among member institutions.
- Establishing intellectual leadership in shaping national and international nuclear security policy and practice.
- Promoting the Institute’s unique synergies and capabilities to stakeholders and potential sponsors as an educational institution
- Attracting and educating the next generation of nuclear security experts.
To support these goals, the INS pursues the following objectives:
- Develop new educational and training programs that meet global nuclear security demands.
- Influence diplomacy and public policy to enhance the effectiveness of global nuclear security initiatives.
- Advance interdisciplinary research and development for nuclear security applications.
- Strengthen member expertise to support improved intelligence and operational capabilities.
- Deliver practical solutions to real-world nuclear security challenges.
As global progress toward nuclear security has faced setbacks, the INS addresses these challenges through a “grey nexus” approach — aligning the needs of mission stakeholders with the complexities of real-world threats. The INS organizes its work around five core thematic areas, or “pillars,” that embody a systems-based approach to nuclear security. This framework fosters cross-sector collaboration among academia, government, industry, and the public, creating a strong foundation for effective nonproliferation and nuclear security solutions.