The Stimson Center, named after American statesman, lawyer, and politician

Henry L. Stimson Henry Lewis Stimson (September 21, 1867 – October 20, 1950) was an American statesman, lawyer, and Republican Party politician. Over his long career, he emerged as a leading figure in U.S. foreign policy by serving in both Republican and D ...

, is a

nonprofit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

, nonpartisan

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, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governmenta ...

that aims to enhance international peace and security through analysis and outreach. The center's stated approach is pragmatic – seeking to provide policy alternatives, solve problems, and overcome obstacles toward a more peaceful and secure world. Stimson's work addresses a range of global issues, focusing on challenges to peace and prosperity, such as

nuclear proliferation Nuclear proliferation is the spread of nuclear weapons, fissionable material, and weapons-applicable nuclear technology and information to nations not recognized as " Nuclear Weapon States" by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Wea ...

arms trafficking Arms trafficking or gunrunning is the illicit trade of contraband small arms and ammunition, which constitutes part of a broad range of illegal activities often associated with transnational criminal organizations. The illegal trade of small a ...

water management Water resources are natural resources of water that are potentially useful for humans, for example as a source of drinking water supply or irrigation water. 97% of the water on the Earth is salt water and only three percent is fresh water; slightl ...

, wildlife poaching, and responses to

humanitarian crises A humanitarian crisis (or sometimes humanitarian disaster) is defined as a singular event or a series of events that are threatening in terms of health, safety or well-being of a community or large group of people. It may be an internal or extern ...

. Stimson seeks to provide expertise for the policymaking community – the U.S. executive and legislative branches, international institutions and governments, and policy research institutions – as well as the media, academia, and general public. In 2013, Stimson received the ''MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions''. Stimson was ranked 21st best U.S. think tank in the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...

's ''2016 Global Go To

Think Tanks A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governmental or ...

Report''.

History

The Stimson Center was founded in 1989 by Barry Blechman and Michael Krepon. It is currently led by Chairman of the Board David J. Lane and President and CEO Brian Finlay. The center is funded by research contracts, grants from foundations and other donations.

Programs

Budgeting for Foreign Affairs and Defense

Stimson's Budgeting for Foreign Affairs and Defense (BFAD) program seeks to improve American national security at a lower cost to the American people. It also works to strengthen the capacity and capability of the U.S. government to frame, resource, and execute foreign and national security policies and programs.

East Asia

The East Asia program conducts research on regional security issues and offers recommendations for policymakers in the U.S. and in the region on a variety of issues. The program analyzes the dynamics of

cross-Strait relations Cross-Strait relations (sometimes called Mainland–Taiwan relations, or Taiwan-China relations) are the relations between China (officially the People's Republic of China) and Taiwan (officially the Republic of China). The relationship ...

, including the exchange of ideas and people between the U.S. and

Asia-Pacific Asia-Pacific (APAC) is the part of the world near the western Pacific Ocean. The Asia-Pacific region varies in area depending on context, but it generally includes East Asia, Russian Far East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and Pacific Isla ...

region. The program also examines China's foreign relations toward Northeast and Southeast Asia, with a special focus on

Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

, and

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

, and addresses U.S.–Japan alliance relations and developments on the

Korean Peninsula Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

Environmental Security

The Environmental Security program explores how increased stress on global

ecosystems An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syste ...

and shared natural resources may compromise economic development, fuel social conflict, and undermine political stability in key areas throughout the world. Through collaborative

stakeholder engagement Stakeholder engagement is the process by which an organization involves people who may be affected by the decisions it makes or can influence the implementation of its decisions. They may support or oppose the decisions, be influential in the orga ...

, Stimson works to provide policy-relevant analysis, promote useful knowledge-sharing, build partnerships, and forge pragmatic policy solutions that ensure the sustainable management of shared natural resources and the mitigation of environmental risks.

Global Political Demography

The focus of the Global Political Demography (GPD) program is to draw upon available demographic projections to produce global statistical forecasts for a set of political, social, and economic transitions. The program also examines sub-national demographic data to forecast trends in ethnoreligious relations within states and to recommend sets of responsive policies.

Managing Across Boundaries

The Managing Across Boundaries (MAB) initiative develops government responses at the national, regional, and international levels, and accelerates public-private partnerships to mitigate these threats. Experts work in multiple arenas –

conventional arms The terms conventional weapons or conventional arms generally refer to weapons whose ability to damage comes from kinetic, incendiary, or explosive energy and exclude weapons of mass destruction (''e.g.'' nuclear, biological, radiological and c ...

, drones,

environmental crime Environmental crime is an illegal act which directly harms the environment. These illegal activities involve the environment, wildlife, biodiversity and natural resources. International bodies such as, G8, Interpol, European Union, United Natio ...

, private sector engagement,

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 ...

, illicit trafficking and counterfeiting, and the nexus between security and development.

Middle East

The Middle East program explores issues that affect regional security from the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...

to the

Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...

. Stimson scholars are working on cross-border dynamics in the region, and are focused on the rising threat from

sectarianism Sectarianism is a political or cultural conflict between two groups which are often related to the form of government which they live under. Prejudice, discrimination, or hatred can arise in these conflicts, depending on the political status quo ...

and its roots in radical Islamic ideology, looking at key countries and at regional consequences. The program's Gulf Security work analyzes traditional and nontraditional security issues impacting the Gulf States and their neighbors. In 2015, the program is monitoring the regional security repercussions of the

Iran nuclear negotiations This article discusses the negotiations between the P5+1 and Iran that led to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action ( fa, برنامه جامع اقدام مشترک), is an agreement signed in Vienna ...

South Asia

The South Asia program seeks to reduce nuclear dangers in

South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...

by focusing on risks associated with the accelerating arms competition between

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

and

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

. These risks are amplified by the activities of terrorist groups and political instability in the region. The program has championed

confidence-building Confidence-building measures (CBMs) or confidence- and security-building measures (CSBMs) are actions taken to reduce fear of attack by both (or more) parties in a situation of conflict. The term is most often used in the context of armed conflict, ...

and nuclear risk-reduction measures in South Asia for over twenty years. The South Asia program analyzes U.S. crisis management on the subcontinent, producing case studies of the “Twin Peaks” and

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

crises, and identifying future challenges. The program seeks to empower an emerging generation of strategic analysts in South Asia by means of the South Asian Voices website, conferences, and visiting fellowships.

Southeast Asia

The Southeast Asia program addresses major challenges facing the region today, ranging from the food-water-energy security nexus in the Mekong Basin to political and economic issues of

Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN ( , ), officially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, militar ...

(ASEAN) integration. The main focus of the program's research is development in the Greater Mekong Subregion, particularly

hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...

power projects and their impacts on the food-water-security nexus and regional stability. The program also regularly addresses trade,

economic An economy is an area of the Production (economics), production, Distribution (economics), distribution and trade, as well as Consumption (economics), consumption of Goods (economics), goods and Service (economics), services. In general, it is ...

, and political issues involving ASEAN member states, U.S.–ASEAN relations and policy issues, and

maritime security Maritime security is an umbrella term informed to classify issues in the Maritime transport, maritime domain that are often related to national security, marine environment, economic development, and human security. This includes the world's ocean ...

issues in the

South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phil ...

, particularly territorial disputes and fishery management.

Space Security

Stimson's Space Security program seeks to advance an International Code of Conduct for responsible space-faring nations and to prevent dangerous military activities. It focuses on how to reduce clear and present dangers facing every space-faring nation. The International Code of Conduct strengthens norms for debris mitigation and space traffic management procedures, and against tests of debris-causing

anti-satellite Anti-satellite weapons (ASAT) are space weapons designed to incapacitate or destroy satellites for strategic or tactical purposes. Several nations possess operational ASAT systems. Although no ASAT system has been utilised in warfare, a few ...

weapons and harmful interference of satellite operations.

Transforming Conflict and Governance

The Transforming Conflict and Governance program examines whether and how international conflict management and support to good governance can create sustainable peace in areas plagued by violence. It focuses in particular on violence against civilians and its prevention and the impact of

climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...

on the livelihoods of vulnerable populations, including those in zones of conflict. The program takes advantage of growing local and global e-connectivity to limit violence and promote economic opportunity. Recommendations reflect on-the-ground analysis in conflict zones and in-depth research with key practitioners and stakeholders in the United Nations, the U.S. government and other institutions around the world.

WMD, Nonproliferation, and Security

The WMD Nonproliferation and Security program works with stakeholders to develop possible approaches and new constituencies to help manage the risks of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, with a special focus on security and safeguards for nuclear materials.

Publications

A selection of recent publications includes: * "Confronting the Crisis of Global Governance" – A report from the Commission on Global Security, Justice and Governance that details a practical action plan for innovating

global governance Global governance refers to institutions that coordinate the behavior of transnational actors, facilitate cooperation, resolve disputes, and alleviate collective action problems. Global governance broadly entails making, monitoring, and enfor ...

, as well as offering ways to mobilize diverse actors to advance reform to better respond to 21st century threats, challenges, and opportunities. * "Recommendations and Report of the Task Force on US Drone Policy" – This report details recommendations for overhauling

UAV An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controller ...

strategy, improving oversight, accountability and transparency, developing forward-looking international norms relating to the use of lethal force in nontraditional settings, and devising sound UAV export control and research and development policies. * "A New US Defense Strategy for a New Era: Military Superiority, Agility and Efficiency" – This report sets out ten key operating principles that emphasize greater efficiency and effectiveness throughout the Defense Department and finds that a successful defense strategy could be achieved at budget levels significantly lower than present.

Accomplishments

* Ranked 10th of the "Top Think Tanks in the United States" in the

's "2020 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report". * Winner of the

MacArthur Foundation The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is a private foundation that makes grants and impact investments to support non-profit organizations in approximately 50 countries around the world. It has an endowment of $7.0 billion and p ...

’s Award for Creative and Effective Institutions in 2013. * Given 5-Star (Highly Transparent) rating by

Transparify Transparify is an initiative that provides a global rating of the financial transparency of major think tanks. It rates the extent to which think tanks publicly disclose their sources of funding, the amount of funding they have received, and the s ...

’s 2015 report, "How Transparent are Think Tanks about Who Funds Them 2015?"

Key people

Brian Finlay
(President & CEO, 2015–Present) * Ambassador David J. Lane (Chairman, 2017–Present)
Barry Blechman
(Co-Founder/Emeritus, 1989–Present, Chairman 1989–2007, Board 2014–Present)
Michael Krepon
(Co-Founder/Senior Associate/Emeritus, 1989–2022)

Board of Directors

* Kris M. Balderston (General Manager of

FleishmanHillard FleishmanHillard Inc. (formerly, Fleishman–Hillard) is a public relations and marketing agency founded and based in St. Louis, Missouri. It was acquired by Omnicom Group in 1997, becoming part of the Diversified Agency Services (DAS) division. T ...

, former legislative director to Senator

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

) (2016–Present) * John B. Bellinger, III (Former Legal Adviser for the U.S. Department of State) (2017–Present) *

Lincoln P. Bloomfield, Jr. Lincoln Palmer Bloomfield Jr. (born 1952) is an American diplomat and national security adviser who served as Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs in the George W. Bush Administration, and as Dan Quayle's Assistant for Na ...

(Former Ambassador) (Emeritus, 2005–Present) * Kenneth C. Brill (Retired Ambassador) (2012–Present) *Susan Chodakewitz (Nathan Associates, Inc.) (2015–Present) *Lansing Crane ( Crane & Company) (1995-2007) *

Bowman Cutter W. Bowman Cutter is an American economist, academic, and businessman. Education Cutter holds degrees from Harvard University, the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, and Balliol College, Oxford as a ...

(Roosevelt Institute) (2016–Present) * Lori Fisler Damrosch (

Columbia Law School Columbia Law School (Columbia Law or CLS) is the law school of Columbia University, a private Ivy League university in New York City. Columbia Law is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious law schools in the world and has always ranked i ...

) (2014–Present) *Alton Frye (Emeritus, 1990–Present) *

Robert Gallucci Robert L. Gallucci (born February 11, 1946) is an American academic and diplomat, who formerly worked as president of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. He previously served as dean of the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service ...

(retired U.S. Diplomat) *Gary R. Gregg (Retired insurance executive) (2012–Present) *Francis Q Hoang (Momentum Aviation Group) (2015–Present) *

Michelle Howard Michelle Janine Howard (born April 30, 1960) is a retired United States Navy four-star admiral who last served as the commander of United States Naval Forces Europe while she concurrently was the commander of United States Naval Forces Africa ...

(retired U.S. Navy Admiral) *Leslie Ireland (Former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury) (2017–Present) *

Andrea Koppel Andrea Koppel (born November 27, 1963) is an American communications strategist, and a former TV journalist. Early life and education Koppel was born in New York City, the daughter of Ted Koppel, a television journalist, and Grace Anne Dorney Kop ...

(Mercy Corps) (2008–Present) *Brett B. Lambert (Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense) (2014–Present) *Alice Maroni (Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation) (2011–Present) *Richard Morrissey (

Sullivan & Cromwell Sullivan & Cromwell LLP is an American multinational law firm headquartered in New York City. Known as a white-shoe firm, Sullivan & Cromwell is recognized as a leader in business law, and is known for its impact on international affairs, such a ...

LLP) *John V. Parachini (

RAND Corporation The RAND Corporation (from the phrase "research and development") is an American nonprofit global policy think tank created in 1948 by Douglas Aircraft Company to offer research and analysis to the United States Armed Forces. It is financed ...

) (2016–Present) *Nicole Piasecki (Boeing Commercial Airplanes) (2016–Present) *

Thomas R. Pickering Thomas Reeve "Tom" Pickering (born November 5, 1931) is a retired United States ambassador. Among his many diplomatic appointments, he served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations from 1989 to 1992. Early life and education Born in Orange, ...

(Former Ambassador) (Emeritus, 2001–Present) *Zack Porter (Proteus Environmental Technologies) (2016–Present) *Mary Speiser (Former intelligence analyst) (2016–Present) *Fred Whitridge, Jr. (Archipelago Corporation) (2013–Present)

Former Board Members

*Duane Andrews (retired CEO, Qinetiq North America) (2014–Present) *

Les Aspin Leslie Aspin Jr. (July 21, 1938 – May 21, 1995) was an American Democratic Party politician who served as the U.S. representative for Wisconsin's 1st congressional district from 1971 to 1993 and as the 18th United States Secretary of Defens ...

(1994–1995) *

Zoë Baird Zoë Eliot Baird (born June 20, 1952) is an American lawyer and president of the Markle Foundation. She is known for her role in the Nannygate matter of 1993, which arose when she was nominated by President Bill Clinton as the first woman to be ...

(1990–1991) * Charles Bailey II (Emeritus, 1991–2004) *Courtney Banks Spaeth (Growth) (2014–Present) *Linda Banton (2001–2010) *Retired US Navy Vice Admiral Kevin J. Cosgriff (Vice Chairman) *Andrew J. Czekaj (Cambridge Holdings) (2012–Present) * Barbara Davis Blum (2001–2010) *

Avis Bohlen Avis Thayer Bohlen (born April 20, 1940, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania) ...

(2004–2013) *K. David Boyer (2001–2002) *Richard Clarke (1997–2010) *Elmer Cooper (1991–1995) *

Carlos Del Toro Carlos Del Toro (born 1961) is a Cuban-American businessman and retired United States Navy officer who serves as the 78th United States Secretary of the Navy since 2021. Early life and education Del Toro was born in Havana, Cuba and immigrated ...

(SBG Technology Solutions) (2019-2021) * William Harrop (2001–2011) *W. Bradford Gary (2010-2013) *

Arnold Kanter Arnold Lee Kanter (February 27, 1945 – April 10, 2010) was an American businessman who served as acting United States Secretary of State following the resignation of the previous United States Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger at midnigh ...

(1994–2005) *

Farooq Kathwari Farooq Kathwari (born 1944) is an Indian-American businessman who is currently the CEO of Ethan Allen. Life Kathwari moved to the United States from Kashmir, India in 1965. He is the Chairman, President and Chief Executive officer of Ethan Al ...

(2003–2014) * Peter Lavoy (2014) *Roger Leeds (1990–2005) * Frank Loy (1990–1998, 2002–2005) *

Jane Holl Lute Jane Holl Lute (born 1956) is an American diplomat and security analyst currently serving as the UN special envoy on the Cyprus dispute. She served as the United States Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security ...

(2013–2014) * Leo Mackay, Jr. (Director, 1998–2001) * Norman P. Neureiter (2005–2012) *

Kathleen Newland Kathleen Newland is co-founder and Board of Trustees member of the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), a think tank located in the United States and focused on the study of migration policy worldwide (but with particular focus on the United States an ...

(

Migration Policy Institute The Migration Policy Institute (MPI) is a non-partisan think tank established in 2001 by Kathleen Newland and Demetrios G. Papademetriou. The Migration Policy Institute is supportive of Liberalism, liberal immigration policies. About The Migrati ...

) *Philip Odeen (2001–2014) * Anne Richard (2006–2011) *

Condoleezza Rice Condoleezza Rice ( ; born November 14, 1954) is an American diplomat and political scientist who is the current director of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. A member of the Republican Party, she previously served as the 66th Uni ...

(1991–2001) * Rozanne L. Ridgway (1997–2001) *Enid Schoettle (1992–2010) *Jeffrey Smith (1990–2010) *Leonard Spector (1989–1997) *Howard Stoertz (1991–1997) *

Richard Thornburgh Richard Lewis Thornburgh (July 16, 1932 – December 31, 2020) was an American lawyer, author, and Republican politician who served as the 41st governor of Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1987, and then as the United States attorney general fro ...

(1994–1997) *Larry Welch (1997–2009) *Carroll Wetzel (2000–2011) *John Wickham (1992–1998) *Susan Williams (1990–2002) *

Willard Wirtz William Willard Wirtz Jr. (March 14, 1912 – April 24, 2010) was a U.S. administrator, cabinet officer, attorney, and law professor. He served as the Secretary of Labor between 1962 and 1969 under the administrations of Presidents John F ...

(1991–1993) *Robert O. Boorstin (2007–2015) *

Laurie S. Fulton Laurie Susan Fulton (née Klinkel; born July 2, 1949) is an American attorney, diplomat and the former United States Ambassador to Denmark. She was sworn in on July 15, 2009, and presented her credentials to the Queen of Denmark on August 3, 2009 ...

(2014–2016) * Jean-Francois Seznec (2009–2016)

References

External links

The Henry L. Stimson Center
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stimson Center Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C. Political and economic think tanks in the United States Foreign policy and strategy think tanks in the United States 1989 establishments in the United States Think tanks established in 1989