The Sam Nunn Distinguished Fellow Program

The Sam Nunn Distinguished Fellow Program was established by NTI in 2018 to honor NTI co-founder and Co-chair former Senator Sam Nunn, also NTI’s CEO from 2001-2017, for his significant impact in the field of WMD-related risk reduction. The program brings outstanding talent to NTI on a temporary-term basis to advance NTI’s strategic priorities, provide and gain expertise, and seed new directions in threat reduction.

The program is designed to attract researchers, scientists and experts to join NTI for a one- or two-year term to conduct innovative research and analysis and to bring fresh ideas and thinking to NTI’s threat-reduction mission. Fellows bring cutting-edge knowledge to developing NTI programs, such as cyber security; specific regional expertise; or deep backgrounds on issues related to weapons of mass destruction and disruption.

For the Fellows, joining NTI on a limited term provides an opportunity to develop innovative ideas and implement them directly into NTI’s significant global projects.  At NTI, Fellows work with a community of expert practitioners, as well as NTI’s distinguished international Board and staff, while learning more about NTI’s approach to threat reduction.

The Sam Nunn
Distinguished Fellow program is made possible through generous donations from
Edlow International, the Hess Foundation, the Michael A. Peterson Foundation,
and Major General Arnold and Jan Punaro.

Sam Nunn

During his 24-years in the United States Senate (1972-1996), Sam Nunn conceived of and then co-authored legislation with former Senator Richard Lugar that resulted in creation of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, which provided assistance and expertise for more than 20 years to Russia and the former Soviet republics for securing and destroying excess nuclear, biological and chemical weapons following the break-up of the Soviet Union.  Since retiring from the Senate, Nunn has continued his work to build a safer and more peaceful world by reducing the global risks from weapons of mass destruction and disruption.  As co-chairman and chief executive officer of NTI from its founding in 2001 through May 2017, he has worked with NTI’s expert leadership and staff to secure nuclear materials globally, reduce radiological “dirty bomb” risks, raise awareness of and reduce nuclear and biological dangers, and strengthen non-proliferation efforts globally.  Nunn continues to serve as co-chair of NTI, with NTI CEO Ernest J. Moniz and fellow NTI co-founder Ted Turner.