Security Affairs Research Fellowship
Fall 2025
The Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies (CREES) and the Center for Global & International Studies (CGIS) invite applications for the Security Affairs Research Fellowship. This semester-long fellowship provides students with the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the global security environment and how the U.S. military determines the operational environment in critical world regions. The fellowship is a cooperative project of the Foreign Military Studies Office (FMSO) at Fort Leavenworth, KU Center for Global and International Studies (CGIS), and KU Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies (CREES).
The goal of FMSO is to examine unconsidered and understudied foreign perspectives (i.e., non-American perspectives) related to defense and security issues. The selected student will conduct research using unclassified, open-source materials, select pertinent foreign-language articles, translate an appropriate excerpt, and then write about the importance of the topic in understanding the operational environment.
There are two types of Security Affairs Research Fellowships available at this time. These differ in monetary amount and regional focus and/or topic:
- Two student fellows will focus on Russia, Eastern Europe, and Eurasia. They will be funded through CREES, with each receiving $2,000 for tuition at KU. This amount will be paid directly to Student Account Services at the beginning of the semester.
- One student fellow will focus on other world regions, specifically Asia Pacific, Northeast Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. The fellow will be funded through CGIS and will receive $1,500 for tuition at KU. This amount will be paid directly to Student Account Services at the beginning of the semester.
Deadline: August 11, 2025
Fellowship
The Security Affairs Research Fellowship requires selected students to produce a monthly analyst note that highlights at least one foreign media source (journal or mass media article, social media, television, or other open source) and includes source citation in English and the foreign language, copyright-free images, and succinct commentary (between 2-4 paragraphs) on the foreign perspective in question.
Broadly speaking, assigned topics will be on defense and security issues that are worked out with FMSO’s representative at KU. These unclassified analyst notes will be provided to analysts in FMSO, the Global Cultural Knowledge Network, the Operational Environment Lab, and the Operational Environment & Threats Analysis directorates of the US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). Individual analyst notes may be disseminated to other groups and individuals depending on the topics. The notes will be used by TRADOC analysts to further their research, expertise, and source enhancement. Additionally, the notes will populate the Operational Enterprise database.
Applications are invited from KU graduate students or exceptionally well-prepared undergraduate students with deep knowledge of a specific geographic region, foreign language skills of that region, and excellent research and writing skills.
Selected students will work with FMSO staff and will be expected to submit a minimum of one commentary per month. In addition, students will make a presentation on their overall work and the key foreign perspective insights gained from it. Successful students will receive an official letter of appreciation as “contributing analysts” from the FMSO director. This fellowship will mainly be conducted remotely; however, the student will be asked to attend approximately 2 meetings during the semester on the KU Lawrence campus to discuss the topic and writing process with FMSO staff.
Applications will be accepted until midnight on August 11, 2025.
Apply here for the Fall 2025 Security Affairs Research Fellowship.
For questions, please contact:
Jennifer Duhamel (CGIS) at jduhamel@ku.edu
Esra Predolac (CREES) at esrap@ku.edu.
Applicants will be selected and nominated by CREES and CGIS with final approval given by FMSO.