Kennette Benedict is a

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...

lecturer and Senior Fellow in its Energy Policy Institute. From 2005–2015, she was Executive Director and PublisherBulletin Media Contact
/ref> of the ''

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists The ''Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists'' is a nonprofit organization concerning science and global security issues resulting from accelerating technological advances that have negative consequences for humanity. The ''Bulletin'' publishes conte ...

'', where she also writes
monthly column
Before joining the ''Bulletin'', she had been the Director of International Peace and Security at the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, where she also served as Senior Advisor to the President. She was responsible for grantmaking on issues of international peace and security including support for efforts to reduce the threat from

weapons of mass destruction A weapon of mass destruction (WMD) is a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or any other weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to numerous individuals or cause great damage to artificial structures (e.g., buildings), natura ...

, and a $50 million initiative on science, technology, and security. While serving as Director of the International Peace and Security Area, she established and directed from 1992-2002 the Foundation's Initiative in the Former

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

and in 2000 established a program of support for higher education in

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

. In her position as Senior Advisor, she worked with MacArthur's President to review and assess the role of private foundations in the United States and abroad. Before going to the Foundation in 1987, she taught at

Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's ...

and the

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the Univ ...

. Her research and teaching focused on organizational decisionmaking, jury decisionmaking, and on women's leadership and American politics. She has also published articles on global governance and on violent conflict. Prior to her academic career, she served in the Massachusetts State Planning agency on law enforcement and criminal justice. Dr. Benedict serves on the Advisory Council of the

Stanley Foundation The Stanley Center for Peace and Security (formerly The Stanley Foundation) is a Nonprofit organization, nonprofit, nonpartisan, private operating foundation seeking to address "global challenges that present a profound threat to human survival ...

and previously served on the boards

Oberlin College Oberlin College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio. It is the oldest Mixed-sex education, coeducational liberal arts college in the United S ...

and th
Compton Foundation
She co-chaired the Peace and Security Funders Group from 2003–2005. She has served in a number of consulting and advisory capacities, including as advisor to the

Rockefeller Brothers Fund The Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) is a philanthropic foundation created and run by members of the Rockefeller family. It was founded in New York City in 1940 as the primary philanthropic vehicle for the five third-generation Rockefeller brothe ...

, the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...

, and the Center for Effective Philanthropy. She is a member of the

Council on Foreign Relations The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, mi ...

, the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, and the

International Institute of Strategic Studies The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is a British research institute or think tank in the area of international affairs. Since 1997, its headquarters have been Arundel House in London, England. The 2017 Global Go To Think T ...

. She received her A.B. from Oberlin College, and her Ph.D. in

political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...

from

Stanford University Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Benedict, Kennette Living people Oberlin College alumni Stanford University alumni Rutgers University faculty University of Illinois faculty Year of birth missing (living people) Nuclear weapons policy American anti–nuclear weapons activists Peace and conflict scholars

See also

References