Students Of The Dual Degree M.A. Program In Nonproliferation Studies Became Winners Of The IAEA Maria Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Program

MOSCOW. DECEMBER 18, 2021. PIR-PRESS. «Being awarded with the IAEA fellowships means, first, a growing international recognition of our master’s program and, second, an advance that encourages young fellows to further their professional study of nuclear nonproliferation,» – Dr. Alexei Ubeev, invited lecturer of the Dual Degree M.A. Program Global Security, Nuclear Policy, and WMD Nonproliferation (developed by PIR Center, Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, USA, and MGIMO University), previously worked within the Russian Foreign Ministry system, including as head of the IAEA sector at the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the International Organizations in Vienna, as well as for the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom.

Four female students of the Dual Degree M.A. Program Global Security, Nuclear Policy, and WMD Nonproliferation (MGIMO-MIIS-PIR Center) became winners of the IAEA Maria Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Program (MSCFP). Sarah Erickson (USA), Hannah Harris (USA), Daria Kheyrie (Russia) and Rebecca Pantani (Italy) will be awarded scholarships to cover graduate school tuition fees and have up to 12 months-long internships at the IAEA.

MSCFP is an initiative under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which aims to increase the number of women in the nuclear field by providing an inclusive educational environment. This is necessary to produce a highly-skilled nuclear workforce, represented by both men and women, who are able to contribute to and drive global scientific and technological innovation (read more here).

Female students of the Dual Degree M.A. Program in Nonproliferation Studies received the MSCFP Fellowship even before. Inna Rodina, the 2021 Master’s graduate, became the first MSCFP Fellow to successfully defend her thesis on Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy: Prospects, Problems, and Legal Models of Cooperation between Russia and the Middle East in June 2021.

The winners of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Program 2021 shared their impressions.

“Being admitted to this Dual Degree Program and at the same time receiving the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship is astonishing. I have been interested in Arms Control and Nuclear Proliferation studies for a long time and I now feel that I will be able to pursue and reach my goals, I feel that I am on the right path. I am very excited to continue my studies in Monterey next semester and seize the opportunity to collaborate with the IAEA in the future”, – Rebecca Pantani, a first-year student in the Dual Degree M.A. Program Global Security, Nuclear Policy, and WMD Nonproliferation (MGIMO-MIIS-PIR Center).

“Receiving the fellowship was a logical and very important step for me on my way to a career in nuclear nonproliferation. It also confirms that PIR Center promotes education and professional fulfillment of young and energetic girls, opening doors to prestigious international organizations such as the IAEA», – Daria Kheyrie, a first-year student of Dual Degree M.A. Program Global Security, Nuclear Policy, and WMD Nonproliferation (MGIMO-MIIS-PIR Center).

“What attracted me to the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship was the unparalleled opportunity to learn from IAEA experts and gain industry experience through the fellowship’s post-graduation internship program. As a master’s student in the MIIS-MGIMO Dual Degree in Nonproliferation, the fellowship will not only support my research, but also augment the knowledge and skills I’ve gained and will continue to develop throughout my master’s studies. Most of all, it will connect me to a global network of ambitious women whom I view as future leaders and collaborators in the nuclear sector”, – Hannah Harris, a first-year student Dual Degree M.A. Program Global Security, Nuclear Policy, and WMD Nonproliferation (MGIMO-MIIS-PIR Center).

“The Marie Skladowska-Curie Fellowship will support me in both my research project titled, Political and Legal Problems and Prospects for Preventing an Arms Race in Outer Space, as well as the internship period of my studies. Belonging to a network of inspiring and motivated women in the nuclear field will also open opportunities for me to present my research and receive invaluable guidance from an experienced mentor”, – Sarah Erickson, a second-year student Dual Degree M.A. Program Global Security, Nuclear Policy, and WMD Nonproliferation (MGIMO-MIIS-PIR Center).

The fall semester of the Dual Degree M.A. Program Global Security, Nuclear Policy, and WMD Nonproliferation (MGIMO-MIIS-PIR Center) is coming to a smooth end. The students of the sixth cohort are now attending classes at MGIMO University, preparing for the exams and doing initial work on their research. On December 20, they are going to have a meeting with the First Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs, H.E. Sergei Kislyak, to discuss the future of the Russian-American relations. Afterward, they will take part in a public lecture on Nuclear Disarmament: a Dream, an Ultimate Goal, a Commitment? by our special guest Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs.

Mark Myers, a student of the sixth cohort, shared his impressions of the first semester at MGIMO: “The first semester of the program has been fantastic. I’ve gotten to know so many new friends and I’m so proud of all of us, but I’m especially proud of Dasha, Hannah, and Rebecca for obtaining the IAEA scholarship. They really deserve it, because I see how much effort they put in every day towards their goals!”.

We are proud of our students and wish them continuous academic, research, and learning success!

If you have any questions regarding the Dual Degree M.A. Program Global Security, Nuclear Policy, and WMD Nonproliferation (MGIMO-MIIS-PIR Center), please contact Elena Karnaukhova, PIR Center Education and Training Program Coordinator, at edu@pircenter.org.