2021
Asia
Data & Innovation
The Mekong Dam Monitor is a groundbreaking tool which uses new technology to shine a light on how dams, especially those in China, are changing the flow of the Mekong River and harming the countries, ecosystems, and people downstream.
This transparency empowers downstream countries and people, increasing accountability and protecting both livelihoods and the environment.
Awards for the Mekong Dam Monitor:
Track II Engagement
Report
Stimson’s U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue convened Indian and American experts to offer insights on deepening security and defense cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
Sameer Lalwani
• Elizabeth Threlkeld
• Christopher Clary...
Cutting Edge Research
Issue Brief
China is a significant player in testing blockchain technology and implementing legal frameworks, regulations, and government initiatives around it.
Sara Hsu
• Gabrielle Green
Issue Brief
Despite statements to the contrary, India’s military remains resource-constrained, overstretched, and vulnerable to a two-front threat from China and Pakistan.
Sushant Singh
Book
Japanese perspectives on supporting and expanding ties between Japan and Taiwan in global health, digital economy, fighting disinformation, and the bilateral relationship.
Pamela Kennedy
• Yuki Tatsumi
Resources & Climate
Data & Innovation
CORVI is a decision support tool for leaders who need to make smart climate investments to improve the safety and security of coastal cities.
Now operating in eight coastal cities around the world, CORVI organizes data and information across the land and seascape to get a complete risk picture and make concrete recommendations for action.
Data & Innovation
The Mekong Infrastructure Tracker platform is the premier resource for researchers to track, monitor, and quantify the development of energy, transportation, and water infrastructure assets and the social, economic, and ecological changes they bring to Southeast Asia.
This suite of four interactive GIS-based tools lets users track infrastructure projects, measure their impact, identify suitable development locations, and measure deforestation.
REsearch for Action
Policy Memo
Improving implementation of the Seafood Import Monitoring Program would combat the food, economic, and international security impacts of IUU fishing
Sally Yozell
• Blake Ratcliff
Report
Examining the renewable energy future of UN peace operations to enhance missions, meet climate goals, and benefit host communities
Victoria K. Holt
• Alex Hopkins
• David Mozersky...
Nonproliferation
Leading Voices
When Director General Rafael Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency came to Washington, he sat down for a wide-ranging interview at the Stimson Center.
On the Agenda? Pressing issues like Iran and North Korea, the potential of new technologies, and the challenges posed by a global pandemic.
REsearch to Action
Identify problems...
Stimson research shows that even though scores of countries and hundreds of programs offer assistance to improve WMD nonproliferation efforts, too often the countries looking for help never connect with an offer.
... and build solutions
That is why Stimson’s Assistance Support Initiative built a searchable database of 1000+ programs offering nonproliferation assistance, so countries can find support that meets their needs.
Reaching New Audiences
Spent Fuel: High Above, Far Below
Online interactive presentations can help bring complex topics to new audiences.
This interactive product lets users scroll from high in orbit to far below ground to understand storage and disposal of spent nuclear fuel and waste.
Stimson research shows that successful public engagement is a critical step for countries building deep geological repositories – the best option we have for safe disposal of this dangerous material.
Established Experts
The geometry of nuclear competition has never been more complex. China’s nuclear force structure is growing rapidly. Russia and the United States have sloughed off treaties to facilitate freedom of action. Traditional arms control seems to be at an impasse.
Stimson co-founder Michael Krepon’s Winning and Losing the Nuclear Peace tells the story of how arms control was built from scratch, how it was torn down, and how it can be rebuilt.
U.S. Foreign Policy
Data & Impact
The United States is one of few countries in the world that conditions arms sales and military assistance on a government’s record of using child soldiers.
The CSPA Implementation Tracker is the only source of consolidated information on how well the U.S. government is implementing the law and preventing the recruitment and use of child soldiers.
TRack II
Building Trust and Finding Solutions with Track II Diplomacy
Stimson’s decades of experience in Track II diplomacy continues to grow.
In 2021 we relaunched two U.S. military-to-military dialogues, one focused on Russia and the other on China. The efforts have previously been conducted by the EastWest Institute.
Increasing military-to-military understanding between the United States and China.
Research to Action
The Stimson Presidential Inbox, now in its fourth iteration, is a set of policy recommendations to the next administration. The series focuses on actionable recommendations that the president could take under existing authorities with little or no action by Congress.
Data & Innovation
U.S. Global Force Posture & Use of Force Short of War
As part of its study on U.S. military operations and coercive diplomacy in the post-Cold War era, the Stimson Center’s Defense Strategy and Planning program has released 30 years of data on the permanent U.S. active duty troop presence overseas.
This dataset is part of a larger, innovative, and ongoing effort to analyze the success of coercive military efforts that fall short of actual war.
Technology & Trade
Research for Impact
The U.S. drone program demonstrated and enabled a willingness to use lethal force in counterterrorism operations, and that willingness has come to define U.S. engagements in the world for a generation.
This latest installment of Stimson’s multi-year analysis of the U.S. drone program emphasizes the need for a new approach to the use of lethal force to ensure the U.S. is responsible and accountable in the short, medium, and long term.
Cutting Edge Research
Report
An analytical tool for interested States and relevant stakeholders to enhance their ongoing efforts to prevent, detect, eradicate, and address diversion
Rachel Stohl
Data & Innovation
Blockchain & International Security
Distributed ledger technology (DLT) offers a novel solution for data verification. Stimson’s first-in-the-field effort is spearheading research into ways DLT can address a host of international security challenges, from chemical transport to dual-use technology.
Our award-winning SLAFKA Prototype demonstrated DLT’s potential for tracking nuclear material, paving the way for forthcoming work on dual-use chemicals.
Blockchain in Practice Program Director Cindy Vestergaard explains how her award-winning DLT prototype, SLAFKA, works.
International Order & Conflict
Research for Action
In 2016, the NATO Policy on the Protection of Civilians (PoC) made protection an explicit goal of future operations. To help NATO succeed, Stimson and partners are assessing doctrine and guidance within NATO nations and partners on protection of civilians. Our emphasis is on solutions-focused research and building bridges across governments, academia, international organizations and NGOs.
Policy Paper
Dr. David Kilcullen
• Gordon Pendleton
International Partnership
The Global Governance Innovation Network brings world-class scholarship together with international policy-making to address fundamental global governance challenges, threats, and opportunities. Research will focus on the development of institutional, policy, legal, and normative improvements in the international global governance architecture.
Human Rights, Conflict, and Cooperation
Report
Effective tools for violence and atrocity prevention already exist within communities and can be used to reduce conflict in mid-risk countries like Uganda.
Emily Sample
• Lina Zedriga Waru Abuku
Issue Brief
Rising levels of violence based on religion or belief worldwide reveal opportunities for UN action to better prevent and respond to such violence
Aditi Gorur
• Julie Gregory
Track II
Regional Dialogue and Peacebuilding
Stimson’s new Middle East and North Africa program is home to two regional peacebuilding initiatives. These efforts, which Stimson relaunched in 2021, were originally conducted by the EastWest Institute.
Building trust through dialogue on specific areas of shared concern
Exploring concrete avenues of cooperation and coordination between Iraq and its immediate neighborhood
