CISSM brings rigorous scholarship and practical insight to today’s most complex global challenges.
Through research, education and public engagement, CISSM helps policymakers and the public understand emerging risks, strengthen cooperation and advance evidence-based approaches to global security and governance.
Research and Impact
CISSM’s research and engagement efforts address the interlocking risks that shape global security in the 21st century. Our work spans four cross-cutting themes that connect technological change, human well-being and international cooperation.
A Thriving Community
The Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland regularly holds events to connect SPP faculty, staff and students with leading scholar-practitioners in diverse fields such as foreign policy, global governance, human security and dual-use technology. CISSM speakers series and special events build a thriving intellectual community that thinks critically about the causes, consequences and solutions to current policy dilemmas. Learn more about the biweekly CISSM Global Forum, the Military Perspectives series and the annual Kelleher Forum below.
CISSM Global Forums Series
Hosting exceptional international policy scholars and practitioners has been a lunchtime tradition at CISSM for over 30 years. Typically held Thursday afternoons from 12-1:15pm during the school year, each CISSM Global Forum features an invited speaker from the greater DC area to speak on a policy-relevant topic of their choice, followed by Q&A with the audience of faculty, staff and students. Speakers may present on their latest policy-relevant research or test out new ideas about forthcoming projects to advance knowledge and practice in their respective fields. Faculty Organizer: Nancy Gallagher
Military Perspectives Series
How do leaders decide when to use force, to what ends, and at what cost? Each time the United States engages in a conflict, civilian policymakers make consequential choices about the use of military force to protect national security interests. These decisions have far-reaching repercussions for military personnel and require careful assessment of the cost-benefit trade-offs. However, the challenges of war are often not well communicated. This series seeks to engage with military personnel and gain a broader perspective of the challenges they face. Faculty Organizer: Alec Worsnop
Kelleher Forum Series
Each year, during Women's History Month, the Center for International and Security Studies hosts a special forum to honor Catherine M. Kelleher, our founding director, for her contributions to international security policy. Professor Kelleher was a champion for women in the field as a scholar, teacher, mentor, government official and founder of Women in International Security (WIIS). Faculty Organizer: Nancy Gallagher
Past Kelleher Forum Speakers
In her talk "Under the Nuclear Shadow: China’s Information-Age Weapons in International Security," Fiona Cunningham explains the distinctive aspect of China’s post–Cold War deterrence strategy using an original theory of strategic substitution.
Former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, the Honorable Susan M. Gordon, spoke on Leading Through Disruption: Innovation, National Security, and Motherhood, exploring how leaders at every level can turn uncertainty into opportunity, push the boundaries of innovation, and build coalitions that shape the future of global security.
Associate Professor at the John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Dipali Mukhopadhyay, spoke on State-building in the Shadows of Counterterrorism: The (Il)Logic of Precarious Sovereignty. Her talk explored contradictions between counter-terrorism and democracy promotion objectives in U.S. policies towards Afghanistan and other so-called ‘weak states.’
Associate Research Professor, Lena Andrews, spoke on Valiant Women: The Forgotten Contribution of American Servicewomen in World War II. Her talk told the story of the hundreds of thousands of American women who served in uniform during WWII, providing critical support to frontline forces.
Chairwoman and CEO of the Truth in Media Cooperative and Noodle Labs, the Honorable Ellen E. McCarthy, spoke on The Importance of Intelligence in Addressing Global Challenges. Her talk drew on over three decades of national security service to discuss how the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research informs how U.S. diplomacy responds to evolving global challenges.
Community and Legacy
For more than three decades, CISSM has brought together scholars, practitioners and students committed to advancing cooperative approaches to global security. Founded in 1987 by Catherine M. Kelleher, CISSM has served as an incubator for innovative ideas and a training ground for the next generation of international policy leaders.
Former directors I.M. “Mac” Destler (1991–1999) and John D. Steinbruner (1999–2015) helped expand the center’s influence on policy debates around nuclear weapons, emerging technologies and global governance. Under the direction of Nancy Gallagher since 2015, CISSM continues to combine rigorous research with public engagement to help decision-makers navigate emerging global challenges.
Today, CISSM’s network of faculty, researchers, students and alumni continues to advance innovative ideas and foster collaboration across disciplines and borders.
CISSM exemplifies how rigorous scholarship and real-world engagement can reinforce each other. It ensures that research doesn’t stay siloed, but actively informs policy debates and trains the next generation of leaders.Gustavo Flores-Macías Dean, UMD School of Public Policy
Get Involved and Support the Next Generation
The Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM) provides various funding opportunities to support the research, professional development and collaborative work of School of Public Policy students, faculty and researchers. These awards and fellowships reflect CISSM’s commitment to fostering an inclusive and intellectually vibrant community that addresses complex global challenges through evidence-based and cooperative approaches. Learn more about our featured student and faculty support programs below and support our mission.