MacArthur Foundation awards $1.65 million to CSSS
Posted on 22/03/2012
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has announced a grant of $1.65 million to the Centre for Science and Security Studies (CSSS) to train future nuclear experts. CSSS, part of the Department of War Studies, is one of 16 organisations receiving funding to help prevent nuclear terrorism and strengthen nuclear security around the globe.
The Centre received the third largest grant out of the $13.4 million awarded in total. Much of the new funding is going towards training and supporting an elite group of nuclear experts to make policy recommendations for preventing nuclear terrorism and enhancing nuclear non-proliferation.
"Despite all the attention given to nuclear hot spots like Iran and North Korea, interest in and action on improving nuclear safety and security remains tepid worldwide," said Robert Gallucci, President of the MacArthur Foundation. "MacArthur's grantmaking aims to support the people and institutions that can provide us with the research and know-how needed to keep nuclear energy safe and fissile materials out of dangerous hands."
The announcement comes ahead of the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul. CSSS staff have been helping prepare the UK contribution to the Summit through work on the intangibles of nuclear security and CSSS member Dr Christopher Hobbs will be attending the Summit next week.
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
MacArthur has been making grants to reduce the dangers posed by weapons of mass destruction for more than 25 years. Early on, the Foundation supported research and track-two diplomacy between U.S. and Soviet policy experts and scientists, which helped facilitate nuclear arms control successes during the Cold War and laid the foundation for the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. In the early 1990s, MacArthur grantees developed the conceptual framework for Cooperative Threat Reduction programs that helped Russia and other former Soviet states reduce stockpiles and secure nuclear weapons and fissile materials.
Today, through grants to policy research institutions worldwide, MacArthur aims to reduce global risks from nuclear weapons, with particular emphasis on preventing nuclear terrorism. Additional information about MacArthur's international peace and security grantmaking is available here.
Read the full press release from MacArthur
Find out more about MacArthur Foundation grant making in nuclear security