Madeline Kaplan ’21.5

Global Security Institute, New York, NY

Madeline Kaplan '21.5 on laptopThis summer, I spent ten weeks working as a remote intern for the Global Security Institute, located in New York City, near the United Nations Building. This organization is a non-profit that functions as a think-tank and lobbyist group. It advocates for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, focusing on disarmament and nuclear arms control around the world and their links to international human rights. The Global Security Institute was originally founded by Senator Alan Cranston who was a major proponent against nuclear weapon proliferation, citing their great risk toward human existence. Currently, the organization is directed by Jonathan Granoff, an accomplished attorney and writer who focuses on human rights, international law, and non-
proliferation of nuclear weapons.

The Global Security Institute works on several different initiatives in order to contribute to the fight against nuclear proliferation and in work toward world disarmament including the Bipartisan Security Group, Disarmament and Peace Education, the Middle Powers Initiative, and Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.

Working remotely made it difficult to see how the organization actually functions on a day-to-day basis, and much of my work this summer took place independently. I would meet once a week with my internship supervisor, Christian Ciobanu, along with Jonathan Granoff and the four other interns on a Zoom call. At the beginning of the summer we were given a syllabus-like document with a theme for the discussion each week, along with various speakers that might come talk to us. Often the conversations would diverge from the assigned materials; however, I was able to learn a lot from listening to Mr. Granoff discuss what he found important to talk about and share his opinions based on his vast life experiences.

In addition to our weekly meetings, each intern selected a topic of their choosing related to the Global Security Institute’s mission to research in depth and write a comprehensive research paper about. I chose to focus on the history of Israeli nuclear policy and Israel’s current nuclear program. As an Arabic studies and history double-major, with a special interest in Middle Eastern history and policy and United States foreign policy toward the Middle East, I found this work to be very engaging and I felt fortunate to learn more on this subject. I was supported by Mr. Granoff and Mr. Ciobanu in my efforts to write this paper, and our weekly meetings became more focused on the progress we were making in writing our papers. Thus, I had the opportunity to hear about what the other interns were researching, as well as obtain direct feedback from Mr. Granoff and Mr. Ciobanu on the directions I should be taking on my own paper.

Thank you to the Martin Collins 1986 Internship for supporting me in my endeavors to find work that I am passionate about.