July 27, 2016
Masako Toki
Sarah and Tom Pattison, strong supporters of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS) since 2007, visited CNS to meet with the summer undergraduate nonproliferation interns on July 22. They are the major supporters of the summer undergraduate nonproliferation program.
Bill Potter and Jeffrey Dayton-Johnson enjoy conversation with Sarah and Tom Pattison.
With a personal commitment to nonproliferation and more secure and peaceful world, Tom and Sarah established the Tom and Sarah Pattison Fund a decade ago to support the CNS mission. Their generosity helps support CNS activities related to efforts to achieve a WMD-free zone in the Middle East and training of young scholars and fellows in the nonproliferation field. In this way, CNS’s unique summer undergraduate nonproliferation internship program aligns with the purpose of the Fund.
The luncheon was a mutually enjoyable event for both Mr. and Mrs. Pattison and the interns, whose presentations sparked lively and thoughtful discussions. Joy Nasr, an intern from Harvard University, and Amelie-Sophie Vavrovsky, a Davis United World College fellow from Brown University, presented their studies on nuclear issues in the Middle East, titled “A Nuclear Middle East: Golden Standards or Golden Splurge?” Valerie Tucker, an intern from University of Georgia introduced her work on evaluating export controls worldwide. Both Sarah and Tom were impressed by their high-quality presentations and the students’ enthusiasm for nonproliferation issues.
In addition to the interns’ presentation, CNS Senior Program Manager Margarita Sevcik and Research Associate Michael Duitsman showcased their innovative research project that uses new media tools to track radiological sources in Moldova. CNS Graduate Research Assistant Sarah Bidgood shared her experience with the CTBT Youth Group.
All the summer interns were selected through a rigorous and competitive application process. The summer undergraduate internship in nonproliferation studies offers college students a rare opportunity to engage in research on nonproliferation issues. This initiative helps fulfill the CNS mission to train the next generation of nonproliferation specialists, a mission which has been consistently supported by the Tom and Sarah Pattison Fund.
