2015 Intern Spotlight: Timothy Fraser

Timothy Fraser
Home Institution: Middlebury College
Major:
International & Global Studies: East Asian Studies, Geography Minor

“At CNS, I learned the technical safety and security risks of modern nuclear reactors, how nuclear programs are regulated, and how conflicts of interest resulted in the 2011 Fukushima incident. In particular, working on North Korean missile models and mapping nuclear trafficking incidents directly contributed to my undergraduate coursework in East Asian studies and geography. I [also] learned technical design of nuclear bombs, missiles, and reactors, and about the strategic and political significance of each. Moreover, I was able to work on some satellite imagery analysis while present at CNS and apply my interests in mapping to present databases. Since I attend a liberal arts college, no such technical opportunities were available to me before, and I valued this opportunity in that I saw my interests at Middlebury merge and advance through my time at MIIS. Through these experiences, I learned that I really enjoy policy analysis and want to continue doing research either through government work or academia.