January 22, 2018
New tools, including the collection and analysis of open-source information, are an increasingly important aspect of nonproliferation research. The James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) is a key innovator in this field, as evidenced by the wide variety of articles published by staff members on the CNS website and elsewhere.
To increase public understanding and application of these new tools, experts at CNS, with support from the Skoll Global Threats Fund, have developed a series of online introductory courses for students and professionals in the nonproliferation field. These courses are free to use and are hosted on the CNS New Tools Courseware Portfolio. Drawing on CNS’s unique expertise, these courses provide an introduction to the programs and techniques used by research professionals.
CNS experts created these courses in cooperation with a professional courseware developer, leveraging multiple skillsets to create innovative content. A rich, multimedia approach, integrating text, pictures, audio, and video presents the information in a powerful, engaging, and interactive format. Case studies pertinent to the field of nonproliferation are presented, though the skills learned through these courses many applications beyond nonproliferation.
CNS New Tools Courseware
When complete, the portfolio will consist of eight courses divided into eleven concise modules. Topics include advanced internet search tools, satellite imagery analysis, geographic information systems, 3D modeling, photo and video analysis, virtual reality simulation, and data analysis.
Please visit the courseware website.
View a flyer on the new tools work at CNS.
Related Articles on “New Tools”
Other examples of new tools work at CNS include:
Occasional Paper 34, on open-source monitoring of uranium mining and milling.
Occasional Paper 30, on crowdsourcing systems and their potential applications in nonproliferation.
Occasional Paper 28, on the Geo4nonpro geospatial crowd-sourcing platform.
In September 2017, CNS also hosted the International Workshop on Applications of Innovative Tools and Technologies for Nonproliferation.
