Brenner on Russian hacking effort
Joel Brenner, former NSA Inspector General, discusses the leaked NSA document analyzing a Russian military intelligence cyberattack on a US voting software company; and the alleged leaker, an NSA contractor, who has been arrested.
Halting intelligence
Jim Walsh, from MIT's Security Studies Program, discusses the effects that intelligence changes could have on the US—and politicians who take the term “beat the press” literally.
Fravel named acting director of the MIT Center for International Studies
M. Taylor Fravel, associate professor of political science and member of the Security Studies Program at MIT, will become acting director of the MIT Center for International Studies while Richard Samuels is on sabbatical leave.
Vipin Narang: On the brinkmanship beat
Narang, who specializes in nuclear security, proliferation, and deterrence, is closely monitoring the ongoing rivalry between India and Pakistan, and the alarming, increasingly bellicose sparring between North Korea and the United States...
How political science contributes to national policies on immigration and military conflict
"It is remarkable that we do not measure the costs of war in any meaningful way," says John Tirman. "I suggest that Congress establish a conflict impact assessment during or after each war to bring home the true costs of armed conflict."
"Mens et manus" goes global
The MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives (MISTI) program will send students to six continents this summer. Through MISTI, MIT students learn about new cultures and explore techniques for solving the world’s challenges…
Patching the electric grid
“For the sake of efficiencies…we have created tremendous risk for ourselves,” warns Joel Brenner, the principal author of the MIT report on cybersecurity. Now, he says, people are waking up to the danger.
Walsh on North Korea nuclear issues
James Walsh discusses nuclear diplomacy with North Korea in respect to the recently elected Moon Jae-In as president of South Korea. Listen to the Global Dispatches podcast.
US and Mexico: What’s the way forward?
Over the past two years, US-Mexico relations have taken a distinctive turn, largely stemming from the agenda President Donald Trump has brought to US politics...The MIT Starr Forum offers a look at how the neighboring countries could revive relations.
Fight over foreigners: visas & immigration in the Trump era
Justin Steil, assistant professor of law and urban planning at MIT, moderated the CIS Starr Forum: The Fight Over Foreigners: Visas & Immigration in the Trump Era. The talk was held on MIT campus on February 28, 2017. Steil's introduction, followed by an excerpt of his questions to the panelists, is featured here.
Nielsen receives Carnegie fellowship
Richard Nielsen has been named a 2017 Andrew Carnegie Fellow by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The highly competitive fellowship selected just 35 scholars in the social sciences and humanities for the prestigious award. His project will focus on Islamic authority in the Internet age.
MISTI funds over 80 MIT faculty projects
MISTI Global Seed Funds (GSF) awardees help to solve the world’s challenges through collaborations with their international peers. In just nine years, MISTI GSF has awarded $13,343,951 to more than 540 faculty projects in over 42 countries around the world.
Guillemin on the sarin attack in Syria
Jeanne Guillemin, a medical anthropologist and a senior fellow in the MIT Security Studies Program, discusses the April 4 attack on Syrian civilians that killed at least 80.
MIT Day of Action
Dan Pomeroy, gives talk on “Impacting Congress Beyond Phone Calls and Emails - Engaging on Policy.” It’s being held as part of the MIT Day of Action, along with several other sessions on similar themes throughout the day that may be of interest - see full schedule here. Pomeroy is the program manager for the MIT International Policy Lab.
Building connections with the Arab world
This past year 24 students and five faculty collaborated closely with their counterparts through the MIT-Arab World Program. Going forward, the program’s leaders plan to develop more opportunities for MIT students to engage with the region.
Strike on Syria is defensible but problematic
Barry Posen comments in the Boston Globe, “…one of the great ironies of Trump’s decision to use force is that is actually in direct support of President Obama’s 2013 negotiated agreement with the Syrian government…”






















