Author Archives: Lisa Donohoe

Student Research and Projects

Critical Issues Forum, 2012-2013

 

For a PDF of this document, click here.

Student Research and Projects

Mini-Projects & Student Conference Presentation

This Year’s Topic: Toward a World without Nuclear Weapons: Progress, Prospects, and Challenges

The student work for this year’s CIF program is an accumulative (step-by-step) process of research followed by a student project demonstrating understanding of the research phase. The work is divided into three steps. Step 1 helps students understand the concrete, fundamental facts underlying nuclear weapons and basic theoretical concepts. Step 2 builds on the knowledge gained in Step 1 by guiding students through the progress toward nuclear disarmament and remaining political and technical challenges. Step 3 asks students to visualize their own solutions or scenarios for a world without nuclear weapons. The work for Step 3 will become the final student presentation for the Spring Student Conference. Careful strategic planning can allow student groups to choose an overall project theme for all three steps, leading to the final conference presentation.

In the research phase, participants will examine this topic in CIF’s four content domains: scientific/environmental, social/cultural, economic, and political /geopolitical.

Fact finding, state motivations and deterrence

Students will take stock of the current status of nuclear weapons worldwide, including the number of nuclear weapons (both deployed and non-deployed) in both NPT nuclear weapon states and non-NPT nuclear weapon states. They will study factual information such as the scientific aspects of nuclear weapons, including basic weapon types and design, and the effects of nuclear weapon use. Students will also examine the role of nuclear weapons during and after the Cold War and investigate why countries attempt to acquire nuclear weapons, the concept of deterrence, and various current and past efforts to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons, including multilateral, bilateral and unilateral initiatives.

Objectives of the Research Phase

In the research phase, participants will examine this topic in CIF’s four content domains: scientific/environmental, social/cultural, economic, and political /geopolitical. Students should be able to demonstrate a synthesis of knowledge gained in meeting the following objectives:

  1. To know the number of nuclear weapons in the world, who owns them, and what their status is—e.g., stockpiled or deployed, etc.
  2. To understand how nuclear weapons are designed, how they work, and what the effects are of their use. Effects include explosive effects as well as consequences of their use on people and the environment.
  3. To learn the role of nuclear weapons during the Cold War and the dynamics of deterrence.
  4. To analyze why some states pursue nuclear weapons and others do not, including those that give up nuclear weapons and/or the capability to develop them.

Suggested Areas for Research

These areas are provided to help students search for relevant information. Students and teachers are welcome to look beyond this list for information to support the learning objectives and/or the mini-project.

  • The countries that have, are developing, and are suspected of developing nuclear weapons
  • The scientific and technical hurdles to the development of nuclear weapons
  • The motivations for nuclear proliferation
  • Early efforts to control nuclear nonproliferation
  • The Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
  • Membership and growth
  • Objectives and key provisions
  • Verification and enforcement (IAEA safeguards and the UN Security Council Resolutions)
  • Reasons that some countries are not part of the NPT
  • Major Review Conferences
  • Which conferences succeeded and why.
  • Which did not succeed and why.
  • Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT): current status, prospects
  • Fissile Material (Cut-Off) Treaty (FM(C)T) negotiation: current status, prospects
  • Conference on Disarmament: roles, history, membership, current challenges
  • Nuclear Weapon Free Zones
  • US-Russia Bilateral arms control (SALT, INF, START, New START)

Mini-Project 1

The purpose of the first Mini-Project is to apply student learning of the research objectives for Step 1. While student groups should meet all four (4) objectives in the research phase of Step 1, the mini-project presentation should demonstrate understanding of at least two (2) objectives, combining concrete information with abstract concepts. For example, Objectives 1&2 address more concrete, quantitative information, while Objectives 3&4 address more abstract concepts.

Presentation

Mini-Projects should be carefully developed, with attention to presentation. Whether it is a research paper or a 3D model of a weapon design, each mini-project should include a narrative (in writing and/or voice) comprising:

  • The purposeof the project. Make a point! Think of this as the thesis of your story. Every good story has an introduction, plot, characters, setting, climax, and conclusion. What story do you want to tell?
  • A clear point of view. Where do you stand on the issue of disarmament and weapons reduction or elimination? This should be clear.
  • Clear and concise language. Language should be carefully chosen and terminology appropriately used.
  • Organization! Have a clear introduction that sets the tone for the narrative, a clear purpose, concrete support, and a logical conclusion.

The following are suggested forms that the Mini-Project could take. Student groups are welcome to propose their own ideas for the project. However, the project format must be able to be posted on the website.

  • Research paper
  • PowerPoint with voiceover or written narrative
  • Prezi with audio or written narrative
  • Illustrated poster with narrative
  • Video
  • Digital storytelling
  • Voicethread
  • Website or blog
  • 3-D Model with narration
  • Multimedia
  • Any combination of the above

The Mini-Project must meet the following criteria:

  • Be original student work
  • Should be a product of teamwork by all participating students
  • Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the chosen area of the topic
  • Be displayable on the CIF website
  • Include clear and accurate citations for any work borrowed from other sources
  • Be accompanied by a bibliography of works cited (if not a paper).

Identifying progress toward nuclear disarmament, as well as the remaining political and technical challenges

Students will investigate progress toward nuclear disarmament before and after the Cold War. Progress includes the reduction in the number of nuclear weapons from the height of the Cold War through the US-Russian bilateral arms control treaties, unilateral initiatives by some other nuclear weapon states, and disarmament initiatives by other countries as well as civil society. While the prospect of nuclear disarmament was bright when Obama made his Prague speech promising a world free of nuclear weapons, numerous challenges to progress on nuclear disarmament remain. The divisions between nuclear haves and have-nots with regard to treaty obligations are on full display. New proliferation threats have emerged, including enrichment and weapons development activities in Iran and North Korea, respectively; the possible acquisition of nuclear material or weapons by terrorist groups; and the potential modernization of arsenals in official nuclear weapons states.

Objectives of the Research Phase

In the research phase, participants will examine this topic in CIF’s four content domains: scientific/environmental, social/cultural, economic, and political /geopolitical. Students should be able to demonstrate a synthesis of knowledge gained in meeting the following objectives:

  1. To understand nuclear disarmament and progress made to reduce the number of nuclear weapons in the world, from the Cold War to the present.
  2. To understand various unilateral, bilateral and multilateral measures to control the numbers, use and proliferation of nuclear weapons.
  3. To analyze how US-Russian bilateral arms control treaties, unilateral initiatives by some other nuclear weapon states and disarmament initiatives by other countries work toward disarmament.
  4. To understand and evaluate the role of civil society in the work toward disarmament.
  5. To evaluate the challenges to nuclear disarmament, including how the dynamics between nuclear weapon states (NWS) and non-nuclear weapon states (NNWS) (the “haves” and “have-nots”), new proliferation threats, non-state actors, and weapons modernization affect progress on disarmament.

Suggested Areas for Research

These areas are provided to help students search for relevant information. Students and teachers are welcome to look beyond this list for information to support the learning objectives and/or the mini-project.

  • Obama administration nonproliferation policies
  • Obama Prague Speech
  • UN Security Council Resolution 1887
  • The “Reboot” of US-Russian relations
  • Initiatives for nuclear disarmament in other countries, civil society
  • Iran’s enrichment and missile programs
  • North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile programs
  • Regional conflict and tension involving nuclear states
  • South Asia
  • Middle East
  • Northeast Asia
  • Terrorist groups and past nuclear- and radiological-related activities and intentions

Mini-Project 2

The purpose of Mini-Project 2 is to apply student learning of the research objectives for Step 2, building on students’ understanding of Step 1. Student groups should meet all five (5) objectives in the research phase of Step 2. In the Mini-Project, students should demonstrate synthesis of knowledge gained by interrelating chosen objectives in Steps 1&2, using concrete detail to support abstract concepts. For example, the project could demonstrate understanding of efforts made to control and/or reduce nuclear weapons (Objectives 1&2 of Step 2), supported by quantitative information about the numbers of nuclear weapons, who has them, and what their status is (Objective 1 of Step 1). Another example is to analyze the role of nuclear weapons today and motivations for states to acquire them (knowledge gained through Objectives 1-5 of Step 2) based on historical understanding of deterrence and the role of nuclear weapons in the Cold War (Objectives 3&4 of Step 1).

Presentation

Mini-Projects should be carefully developed, with attention to presentation. Whether it is a research paper or a 3D model of a weapon design, each mini-project should include a narrative (in writing and/or voice) comprising:

  • The purposeof the project. Make a point! Think of this as the thesis of your story. Every good story has an introduction, plot, characters, setting, climax, and conclusion. What story do you want to tell?
  • A clear point of view. Where do you stand on the issue of disarmament and weapons reduction or elimination? This should be clear.
  • Clear and concise language. Language should be carefully chosen and terminology appropriately used.
  • Organization! Have a clear introduction that sets the tone for the narrative, a clear purpose, concrete support, and a logical conclusion.

The following are suggested forms that the Mini-Project could take. Student groups are welcome to propose their own ideas for the project. However, the project format must be able to be posted on the website.

  • Research paper
  • PowerPoint with voiceover or written narrative
  • Prezi with audio or written narrative
  • Illustrated poster with narrative
  • Video
  • Digital storytelling
  • Voicethread
  • Website or blog
  • 3-D Model with narration
  • Multimedia
  • Any combination of the above

The Mini-Project must meet the following criteria:

  • Be original student work
  • Should be a product of teamwork by all participating students
  • Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the chosen area of the topic
  • Be displayable on the CIF website
  • Include clear and accurate citations for any work borrowed from other sources
  • Be accompanied by a bibliography of works cited (if not a paper).

STUDENT CONFERENCE PROJECT

 

Future Prospects: What should be done to free the world of nuclear weapons?

Students will explore the security benefits and possible risks of reducing or eliminating nuclear arsenals. What are the political and technical obstacles to achieving the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons?  Despite numerous challenges on the path toward a world free of nuclear weapons, many national governments and members of civil society have cooperated in initiatives to promote progress toward this goal.  CIF high school students, the next generation of leaders of nuclear disarmament, need to develop their own vision for a safer future world.

Objectives of the Research Phase

In the research phase, participants will examine this topic in CIF’s four content domains: scientific/environmental, social/cultural, economic, and political /geopolitical. Students should be able to demonstrate a synthesis of knowledge gained in meeting the following objectives:

  1. To analyze both the security benefits and risks of reducing or eliminating nuclear arsenals.
  2. To evaluate the political and technical obstacles to complete global disarmament.
  3. To investigate the factors involved in cooperative efforts by national governments and civil society to promote disarmament.
  4. To develop a vision for, pathway to, or solution for achieving a world without nuclear weapons.

FINAL CONFERENCE PRESENTATION: Your own roadmap to a world without nuclear weapons

Student groups who are participating in the 2013 CIF Spring Student Conference are required to make an oral presentation. The format and topic for this presentation are open, but must be approximately 20 minutes long plus 10 minutes for Q&A, include live speaking roles for students, and be relevant to the year’s topic theme. If students choose to extend their mini-projects for this conference presentation, the presentation should go beyond the scope and depth of the mini-project. Overall, the conference presentation should exceed scope and depth of the mini-projects.

The purpose of the Final Student Conference presentation is to apply student learning of the research objectives for Steps 1-3 to develop a vision, pathway, solution, or scenario for a world without nuclear weapons. While student groups do not need to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of all the objectives in Steps 1-3, the conference presentation should reflect a synthesis of the knowledge gained in the research phase of all three steps.

To develop this project, students should expand their investigations to include (but not be limited to) the possibility of:

  • Going beyond the current Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty regime
  • Moving disarmament forward from the current US-Russia bilateral arms control to a global level
  • Delegitimizing nuclear weapons.

Conference Presentations should be carefully developed, with attention to appearance, staging, and production. Whether the student group performs a skit or makes a formal presentation, the same elements that applied to the Mini-Projects should be included in the Conference Presentation:

  • The purposeof the project. Make a point! Think of this as the thesis of your story. Every good story has an introduction, plot, characters, setting, climax, and conclusion. What story are you wanting to tell?
  • A clear point of view. Where do you stand on the issue of disarmament and weapons reduction or elimination? This should be clear.
  • Clear and concise language. Language should be carefully chosen and terminology appropriately used.
  • Organization! Have a clear introduction that sets the tone for the narrative, a clear purpose, concrete support, and a logical conclusion.

The following are suggested forms that the Student Conference Presentation could take. Student groups are welcome to propose their own ideas for the presentation to their teachers. All presentation forms should include live student speaking roles at the conference (i.e., Don’t rely only on video or only on a game or interactive activity with the audience. Follow guidelines above for the conference presentation.)

  • PowerPoint, Prezi or other Visual Presentation
  • Skit or play
  • Mini-simulation (role play)
  • Projects that can be projected (but should also include live student roles)
    • Video
    • Digital storytelling
    • Voicethread
    • Website or blog
    • 3-D Model with narration
    • Multimedia
  • Interactive activity with audience
  • Competition
  • Any combination of the above

The Student Conference Presentation must meet the following criteria:

  • Be original student work
  • Should be a product of teamwork by all participating students, including students who cannot come to the Spring Conference
  • Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the chosen area of the topic
  • Include clear and accurate citations for any work borrowed from other sources (as appropriate to the medium)
  • Be accompanied by a bibliography of works cited if no citations are included elsewhere
  • Meet professional standards of oral presentation (more instruction will be provided).

 

 

2012-2013 Teacher’s Workshop Agenda

Wednesday, Nov 28, 2012

 Afternoon Orientation (TBD) only for Japanese Teachers

 Thursday, Nov 29, 2012

8:45AM (PST)-9:00AM (PST)
Welcome Remarks
Dr. William Potter, CNS Director

9:00AM (PST)-9:10AM (PST)
CNS Introduction
Dr. Avner Cohen, CNS Education Director

9:10AM (PST)-9:20AM (PST)
Introduction of the 2012-2013 CIF Project, Organizational and Agenda Issues
Masako TokiProject Manager, Nonproliferation Education Program and CNS Research Associate

9:20AM (PST)-10:40AM (PST)
Lecture 1:Nuclear Weapons in Today’s World: Where are We, and How did We Get Here, And the Future
Dr. Jeffrey Knopf, Program Chair, Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies

10:40AM (PST)-10:50AM (PST) Break

10:50AM (PST)-11:50AM (PST)
Lecture 2: What are Nuclear Weapons? Scientific Perspectives
Dr. Ferenc Dalnoki-Veress, Adjunct Professor & Scientist-in-Residence

11:50AM (PST)- 2:00PM (PST) Lunch Break
(12:15-1:45:CNS seminar by Ambassador James Goodby,  CIF teachers are encouraged to attend)

2:00PM (PST)-3:00PM (PST)
Lecture 3: The Effects of Use of Nuclear Weapons
Dr. George Moore Adjunct Professor & Scientist-in-Residence

3:00PM (PST)-3:15PM (PST) Break

3:15PM (PST)-4:15PM (PST)
Lecture 4: Technical Challenges to Nuclear Disarmament: Offense/Defense Interplay and Hindrance to Getting to Zero
Dr. Yousaf Butt, Scientist-in-Residence

4:15PM (PST)-5:00PM (PST)
Discussions; How to Conduct the CIF Project in Your Classroom. Teacher-led Discussions
Rene Mendoza, Franklin High School

6:00PM (PST)
Hosted Dinner for Teachers at Lallapalooza (474 Alvarado St)

Friday, November 30, 2012

9:00AM (PST)-9:10AM (PST)
Housekeeping and Updates

9:10AM (PST)-10:10AM (PST)
 Lecture 5: Introduction to the Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament Regime (UN, CD, NPT Article VI)
Amanda Moodie, Research Associate, Intl Organization & Nonproliferation Program

10:10AM (PST)-11:10AM (PST)
Lecture 6: From Bilateral Arms Control to Global Disarmament
Dr. Jeffrey Lewis, Director, East Asia Nonproliferation Program

11:10AM (PST)-11:25AM (PST) Break

11:25AM (PST)-12:25PM (PST)
Lecture 7: Political Challenges to Nuclear Disarmament; Domestic, International
Mr. Jon Wolfsthal, CNS Deputy Director

12:25PM (PST)-1:45PM (PST) Group photo, Lunch

1:45PM (PST)-2:45PM (PST)
Lecture 8: The Roles of Non-Nuclear Weapon States in the Vision of a World without Nuclear Weapons
Ambassador Aruni Wijewardane, Director, Intl Organization and Nonproliferation Program)

2:45PM (PST)- 3:30PM (PST)
Lecture 9: Challenge of Verifying the Road to Zero
Dr. Ferenc Dalnoki-Veress, Scientist-in-Residence & Adjunct Professor

3:30PM (PST)-3:45PM (PST) Break

3:45PM (PST)-4:45PM (PST)
Lecture 10: Civil Society and Nuclear Disarmament: Toward Delegitimizing Nuclear Weapons Dr. Avner Cohen, Director, Nonproliferation Education Program

4:45PM (PST)-5:30PM (PST)
Discussions; How to Conduct the CIF Project in Your Classroom. Teacher-led Discussions Masha Serttunc, Santa Catalina High School

Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012

9:00AM (PST)-9:30AM (PST)
Introduction of Useful Resources
Masako Toki, CIF Project Manager

9:30AM (PST)-10:30AM (PST)
Citation, Presentation, How to use the Online Communication Effectively
Lisa Donohoe Luscombe, Education Project Manager

10:30AM (PST)-10:45AM (PST) Break

10:45AM (PST)-12:00PM (PST) 
Discussion on students’ assignments

12:00PM (PST)-1:30PM (PST) Lunch

1:30PM (PST)-2:30PM (PST)
Discussion on Spring Student-Teacher Conference

2:30PM (PST)-3:00PM (PST)
Recap of the workshop
Masako TokiCIF Project Manager

View a PDF version of this document

The CIF Teacher Development Workshop is supported by grants from the US-Japan Foundation  

 

2012-2013 Teachers’ Workshop Concept Paper

 Toward a World without Nuclear Weapons:
Progress, Prospects, and Challenges 

At this critical time in our nuclear history, it is very important for leaders of the next generation to take action to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons. The Critical Issues Forum (CIF) therefore will focus its 2012-2013 program on the twofold question of the feasibility and desirability of a world free of nuclear weapons.  We will explore progress made and challenges that still remain. Participants will examine this topic in CIF’s four content domains: scientific/environmental, social/cultural, economic, and political /geopolitical.

344347_151159_obama_in_prague1Introduction

The idea of nuclear disarmament looked promising when President Obama made his now-famous Prague speech in April 2009, pledging to put an end to Cold War thinking by reducing the role of nuclear weapons in U.S. national security strategy. Early in his first term, President Obama stated his personal commitment to seek peace and security through a world without nuclear weapons. His speech was the first declared commitment of a sitting president to work towards nuclear disarmament since President Truman.

The new momentum toward a nuclear-free world began on January 4, 2007, with an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal by four former major U.S. national security leaders – Henry Kissinger, Sam Nunn, William Perry, and George Shultz – urging public debate within the U.S. and elsewhere to develop a vision and practical steps toward creating a world free of nuclear weapons.  More op-eds by these four statesmen followed, creating an initiative for nuclear disarmament at a very critical time, when the international community was facing new and ongoing nuclear threats – Iran and North Korea – with no new significant arms control reductions between the United States and Russia. Moreover, other nuclear weapon states were not and still are not part of the nuclear arms reduction process.

In reality, achievements toward nuclear disarmament during Obama’s first term were, at best, very modest.  They included the conclusion of the New START Treaty between the U.S. and Russia and a reasonably successful 2010 NPT Review Conference, whose final document contains an action plan for nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament. The Nuclear Posture Review issued in April 2010 also states the need to reduce the roles of nuclear weapons in global affairs.

Gauging progress towards nuclear disarmament is complicated by shifts in the numbers of weapons and in policies governing these weapons. In terms of quantitative reductions, measurable steps have been taken by key nuclear weapon states (NWS) both unilaterally and bilaterally. The NWS collectively reduced the size of their nuclear arsenals from over 70,000 warheads at the height of the Cold War to fewer than 19,000 by 2012. These reductions have been carried out unilaterally by at least four NWS, as well as through bilateral legally binding arrangements between the United States and the Soviet Union/Russian Federation.

However, major challenges to the vision of a world without nuclear weapons remain. First and foremost, it is difficult to perceive, more than sixty years after their invention, how nuclear weapons will cease from being the basis for a number of states’ national security policies and for global stability in general.

World-Nuke-Graph-with-Info-122012

 Source: Ploughshares Fund

Two decades after the Cold War, the approximately 19,000 existing nuclear warheads remain in the arsenals of eight states (China, France, Israel, India, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States). Some 4,400 are actively deployed. A large amount of fissile material, including weapons-useable highly enriched uranium and separated plutonium, still exists in the world today.

Ongoing tension between nuclear “haves” and “have-nots”—states with and without nuclear arsenals—persists over their Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) obligations and continues to stall the disarmament process.

Furthermore, attempts to negotiate legally binding multilateral nuclear disarmament treaties have proved challenging. Fifteen years after it opened for signature, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) banning nuclear explosions has yet to enter into force. Since the U.S. Senate rejected CTBT ratification in 1999, the entry into force of the treaty remains improbable. Furthermore, the Conference on Disarmament (CD) has been locked in perpetual stalemate over Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT) negotiations since 1996. Negotiations on an FMCT have not commenced even 17 years after agreement on the Shannon Mandate (a mandate adopted by the CD in 1995 that proposed the negotiation of a treaty banning the production of fissile material).

missile defense

Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (mda.mil)

Russia and China consider U.S. missile defense to be a factor that could destabilize strategic stability – China is believed to be modernizing nuclear weapons and their delivery systems. The threat of terrorist groups acquiring nuclear and radiological materials is still real.

For these reasons, many people are cynical about the vision of a world without nuclear weapons. They believe that this vision is ultimately unfeasible.

However, certain national governments and members of civil society have cooperated on initiatives to promote progress towards a nuclear-free world. For example, the New Agenda Coalition (NAC) was formed in June 1998 when foreign ministers from Brazil, Egypt, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Slovenia (which later withdrew from the NAC), South Africa, and Sweden issued a statement calling for a new nuclear disarmament agenda, “Toward a Nuclear-Weapons-Free World: Time for a New Agenda.”

The NAC played an instrumental role in convincing the NWS to agree to the thirteen practical steps towards nuclear disarmament in the final document of the 2000 NPT Review Conference.

Following President Obama’s Prague speech, some national governments have cooperated on initiatives to promote progress towards a world free of nuclear weapons. Other countries have voiced some support for disarmament efforts, including the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan.

In 2008, Japan and Australia established the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND), an independent commission to reinvigorate international nonproliferation and disarmament efforts, and to help shape consensus at the then-upcoming 2010 NPT Review Conference. Japan and Australia joined together again in September 2010 to create the Nonproliferation and Disarmament Initiative (NPDI). The group consists of ten countries (Australia, Canada, Chile, Germany, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates) who aim to facilitate the implementation of measures from the consensus document of the 2010 NPT Review Conference. NPDI strives to support efforts to negotiate the FMCT, increase nuclear safety and safeguards, and encourage entry into force of the CTBT.

Furthermore, since the 2010 NPT Review Conference, the idea of a nuclear weapons convention that outlaws nuclear weapons has gained momentum, with the final document for the NPT Review Conference making reference to such a convention.

NWFZ_Map_smallSource: Center for Nonproliferation Studies

People often argue that nuclear weapons cannot be dis-invented.  However, two other categories of weapons of mass destruction – chemical and biological weapons – as well as landmines and cluster munitions have been deemed illegal and outlawed. Therefore, the idea of de-legitimizing the most destructive weapons in the world, nuclear weapons, is increasingly receiving support in recent years.

This year’s CIF project will take a close look at the vision of world without nuclear weapons, both the challenges and prospects.  We will examine three topics in a three-step process:

  1. Fact finding, state motivations and deterrence

Students will take stock of the current status of nuclear weapons worldwide, including the number of nuclear weapons (both deployed and non-deployed) in both NPT nuclear weapon states and non-NPT nuclear weapon states. They will study factual information such as the scientific aspects of nuclear weapons, including basic weapon types and design, and the effects of nuclear weapon use. Students will also examine the role of nuclear weapons during and after the Cold War and investigate why countries attempt to acquire nuclear weapons, the concept of deterrence, and various current and past efforts to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons, including multilateral, bilateral and unilateral initiatives.

  1. Identifying progress toward nuclear disarmament, as well as the remaining political and technical challenges

Students will investigate progress toward nuclear disarmament before and after the Cold War. Progress includes the reduction in the number of nuclear weapons from the height of the Cold War through the US-Russian bilateral arms control treaties, unilateral initiatives by some other nuclear weapon states, and disarmament initiatives by other countries as well as civil society. While the prospect of nuclear disarmament was bright when Obama made his Prague speech promising a world free of nuclear weapons, numerous challenges to progress on nuclear disarmament remain. The divisions between nuclear haves and have-nots with regard to treaty obligations are on full display. New proliferation threats have emerged, including enrichment and weapons development activities in Iran and North Korea, respectively; the possible acquisition of nuclear material or weapons by terrorist groups; and the potential modernization of arsenals in official nuclear weapons states.

3.  Future Prospects: What should be done to free the world of nuclear weapons?

Students will explore the security benefits and possible risks of reducing or eliminating nuclear arsenals. What are the political and technical obstacles to achieving the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons?  Despite numerous challenges on the path toward a world free of nuclear weapons, many national governments and members of civil society have cooperated in initiatives to promote progress toward this goal.  CIF high school students, the next generation of leaders of nuclear disarmament, need to develop their own vision for a safer future world.

PDF version of the ‘12-’13 Teachers Workshop Concept Paper

2012 CIF Student Conference Presentations

Joint Presentations

Franklin High School (USA) and Gymnasia #164 (Russia)

Global Attitudes Towards Nuclear Energy and Weapons

 

 

American High Schools

York High School

South Korea: The Legacy of Kori and Ulchin

(works cited)

 

Santa Catalina School

What is Cyberterrorism? 

 

 

 Presque Isle High School

Facing the Danger: Confronting New Realities in the Nuclear World

 

 

Choate Rosemary Hall

The Promise, Risk and Challenge of Nuclear Energy: A Case Study of Indian Point Energy Center

 

 

 

Russian High Schools

Seversk Gymnasium

Safety: First and Foremost

 

 

Sarov Gymnasia #2

Safety and Security Culture

 

 

School for Cosmonautics

Nuclear Safety in Ukraine: Lessons Learnt?

Chernobyl Video                      New Generation Power Plant Video

 

Novouralsk

From 9/11 to 3/11

Bosnia and Herzegovina

United World College in Mostar

Pakistan as Nuclear Proliferator

 

 

 

Student Response to Benchmarks – Benchmark 2

Benchmark 2

back to Benchmark 1

American High Schools

Choate Rosemary Hall

 

 

 

Cushing Academy

 

 

 

 Franklin High School

 

 

 

Janesville Academy

 

 

 

La Puente High School

 

 

 

Presque Isle High School

 

 

 

Santa Catalina School

 

 

 

York High School

 

Works Cited
Image Credits

 

Russian High Schools

Lyceum, Lesnoy

 

 

 

Municipal Gimnasia #41, Novouralsk

 

 

 

Lyceum #39, Ozersk

Gymnasia #2, Sarov

Severskaya Gimnazia, Seversk

 

 

 

School #109, Trehkgorny

Municipal Educational Insitution “Gymnasia” #164, Zelenogorsk

 

 

 

The School for Cosmonautics, Zheleznogorsk

 

 

 

Chinese High School

Tsinghau High School

Critical Issues Forum 2009 -2010

Nuclear Nonproliferation: Global Opportunities & Regional Challenges
Benchmarks and Learning Objectives

Introduction

In April 2009 US President Obama gave a powerful speech in Prague, The Czech Republic. In his speech he supported nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament. President Obama stated America’s goal for a world without nuclear weapons. In 2010 countries will review the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). At the Review Conference they will have an excellent chance to make progress toward President Obama’s goal.

In the past ten years there have been both successes and failures in nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament. The 2005 NPT Review Conference was very disappointing. As a result, there has been growing concern about the future of the NPT regime. The 2005 Review Conference finished without any agreement. This did not mean the Treaty was dead. However, if the 2010 Review Conference also fails, there might be more serious consequences. The NPT currently faces unprecedented challenges.

There are positive signs. Four days before President Obama’s speech in April, Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met. Together they expressed their goal of achieving a world free of nuclear weapons. With this goal in mind, in July 2009 the United States and Russia agreed to negotiate a new treaty limiting the numbers of nuclear weapons each country will possess. This treaty will replace the START treaty that will expire in December 2009. The new treaty will be comprehensive and legally binding. The agreement will reduce the two countries’ nuclear arsenals. The promises made by both leaders lifted hopes for eventual nuclear disarmament. President Obama has also pledged to work hard to get the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) ratified. At the 2009 Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) meeting for the 2010 NPT Review Conference in May 2009, there was a hopeful and positive atmosphere. In addition, after 10 years of no movement, the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva finally came up with its program of work. There is new recognition for the importance of Nuclear Weapon Free Zones. These zones are for both global and regional disarmament. One new zone, the Central Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone, entered into force in March 2009. The Pelindaba Treaty creating the African Nuclear Weapon Free Zone entered into force in April.

However, there are also nuclear weapons challenges in Northeast Asia, the Middle East, and South Asia. These challenges make it difficult for efforts to control the spread of nuclear weapons. One of the biggest challenges is in Northeast Asia. North Korea withdrew from the NPT in 2003. They tested nuclear weapons in October 2006 and May 2009. In the Middle East, Iran continues to enrich uranium in spite of UN Security Council Resolutions. Iran has very unclear intentions. They refuse to obey the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Security Council resolutions. These actions lead many to believe that Iran may be developing nuclear weapons. Also many believe that in the Middle East Israel possesses nuclear weapons. In South Asia, other nuclear-armed states—India and Pakistan—have not joined the NPT, but are commonly considered as de facto nuclear weapon states.

With these positive and negative signs in mind, the 2010 Review Conference will be held at a very important time in NPT history. There will need to be efforts to address the regional tensions in order to achieve the goals of nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament. Regional security will be important to whether countries will be able to produce a successful outcome at the 2010 Review Conference.

This year’s CIF Student Conference will happen in April 2010. The 2010 NPT Review Conference will be held in May. In the 2009-2010 Critical Issues Forum, US and Russian students will study how much progress the world has made toward nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament. They will look at both the positive and negative signs. They will study how regional security issues play a big role in the outcome of the 2010 Review Conference. They will also try to see how far the world is likely to go with nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament.

Benchmark I: Nuclear Weapons and Their Control

In Benchmark I you will examine two objectives from the point of view of the scientific & environmental; social & cultural; economic; political & geopolitical domains. Your task is to clearly demonstrate, in a carefully constructed project, a comprehensive understanding of nuclear weapons in the world today. You will learn about who has nuclear weapons, how many there are, and other information that will aid you in understanding these weapons. In addition, you will gain knowledge of past, present, and future ways to control these weapons, including multilateral, regional, and bilateral agreements as well as unilateral measures. You will learn about the treaties that countries have negotiated to control these weapons. The project must be your own work, with clear and correct citations for any work you borrow from others. All work not your own, including photos, graphics, multimedia, charts, and graphs must be credited within your text and in a bibliography.

Objectives

One: The first objective is to be able to describe what nuclear weapons are and identify who has, or wants to acquire them. This knowledge will help you explain what proliferation is. In this objective you will also explore the history of decisions that these weapons need to be controlled and why.

Two: The second objective is to be able to summarize the agreements, treaties, organizations, and other mechanisms that have been used to control nuclear weapons. This will help you to be able to explain how these mechanisms are used, monitored and verified.

Suggested Areas for Research

In order to understand and write about the objectives, you will want to do research in the following areas. Note that these are suggested areas of research. These are NOT your tasks. You may choose to look at any, all, or none of these areas. The information you gain from doing research in these areas will help you to construct your project. Your only task is to create a project that shows you understand the two objectives.

  • Definitions of words related to nuclear proliferation
  • The countries that have, are developing, and are suspected of developing nuclear weapons
  • The scientific and technical hurdles needed to create nuclear weapons
  • The motivations for nuclear proliferation
  • Early efforts at nuclear nonproliferation
  • The NPT
    • Objectives and key provisions
    • Verification and enforcement (IAEA safeguards and the UN Security Council Resolutions)
    • Membership and growth
    • Reasons why some countries are not part of the NPT
    • Review Conferences
      • Which conferences succeeded and why.
      • Which did not succeed and why.
  • CTBT (current status, prospects)
  • Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT) (current status, prospects)
  • Nuclear Weapon Free Zones
  • Bilateral arms control (START)
  • Other nonproliferation measures such as export controls, and Proliferation Security Initiatives (PSI)
  • UN Security Council Resolution 1540

Critical Issues Forum 2010 – 2011

Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Weapons in the Middle East
Benchmarks and Learning Objectives

Introduction

The Middle East is important to both global security and global economy. In the 2010-2011 Critical Issues Forum (CIF), as students you will investigate nuclear nonproliferation in the Middle East. You will look at the growth of peaceful nuclear energy programs in the region. You will investigate efforts to establish a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone (NWFZ) in the Middle East.

In all of your work, you will address your objectives through the CIF Domains: science & environment; society & culture; economics; politics & geopolitics.  You will see how these domains influence the conflicts in the region. You will also see how the domains create possibilities for positive change.

You will give special attention to Israel, Iran, and Syria, but you will also consider other leading countries in the region such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia.  You will investigate how outside powers, including the United States, the European Union, Russia, and China can promote or obstruct solutions to the nuclear problems.

Benchmark I – Background

The Middle East is one of the most unstable regions in the world. Disagreements over territory, religion, culture, oil, water, and other issues often lead to conflict. Many countries in the region are exploring the use of nuclear power to meet their energy needs. Several countries with worries about security and other countries with political ambitions have turned to nuclear weapons. However, there is also new international momentum for controlling the spread of nuclear weapons. There are even efforts for banning these weapons from the Middle East altogether.

In Benchmark I, your task is to demonstrate clearly, in a carefully constructed project, a comprehensive understanding of nuclear energy in the Middle East today. First, you will learn about the history of the Middle East, including the roles of colonialism, nationalism and the changes after two World Wars. Next, you will learn about the nuclear fuel cycle and will gain knowledge about the dual use nuclear energy. The project must be your own original work, with clear and correct citations for any work you borrow from others. If the work is not your own, including photos, graphics, multimedia, charts, and graphs you must credit it both within the text and in a bibliography.

Objectives for Benchmark I

One: Many historians date “Modern History” in the Middle East from the end of World War I. The first objective is to gain knowledge of major trends and events in the Middle East. This knowledge will help you understand the national, cultural, and other motivations driving the countries in the Middle East today. In this objective, you will explore topics such as the two World Wars, colonialism, nationalism, oil, and the conflict of religion ideologies. You will begin to see the similarities and differences among the countries of the Middle East. You will see how these similarities and differences have become sources of conflict in the region.

Suggested Topics for Research

  • The countries that make up the Middle East
  • World War I, the end of the Ottoman Empire, and The Treaty of Versailles
  • The roles of Britain, France, and Italy; The Sykes-Picot agreement, The Balfour Declaration, The McMahon Correspondences
  • Independence Movements before and after World War II; the end of colonialism
  • The State of Israel and the series of Arab-Israeli Wars
  • The United Arab Republics, Nasser, and the Suez Canal
  • United Nations actions and resolutions
  • The Iranian Revolution and the war with Iraq
  • The Two Iraqi conflicts
  • Palestine and Terrorism
  • Arab-Palestinian-Israeli Peace Talks
  • Nuclear energy, nuclear weapons, nuclear “wannabes” in the area

Two: The second objective is to be able to understand the phases of the nuclear fuel cycle, paying particular attention to the dual use nature of this cycle. You will investigate the design of nuclear reactors. You will begin to learn about international monitoring and the control of nuclear activities. This knowledge will help you to explain how Middle Eastern countries can approach nuclear energy for domestic purposes or divert this energy to weapons.

Suggested Topics for Research

  • The stages of the nuclear fuel cycle; the possibility of proliferation
  • Types and classifications of nuclear reactors; safety and security; advantages and disadvantages
  • Nuclear fuel – enrichment and reprocessing; levels of enrichment for different purposes
  • Dual use technology in the nuclear industry
  • International monitoring and control of nuclear activities in the Middle East; or lack thereof

Benchmark II – Nuclear Activity in the Middle East

Israel’s nuclear arsenal is called “the world’s worst-kept secret.”[1] Iran says it is not developing nuclear weapons, but the United States, the European Union, and many of Iran’s neighbors are not convinced. Syria has some nuclear technology, but refuses to provide further information. Iran has a power reactor and Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are planning nuclear power. Today, no country in the Middle East uses nuclear power. However, more countries in the region want to establish nuclear energy programs. There are countries and companies that could supply nuclear technology to the region. They insist that their activities will be under IAEA safeguards. All of these issues raise the possibility that more countries could seek to develop nuclear weapons.

In Benchmark II, your task is to demonstrate clearly, in a carefully constructed project, a comprehensive understanding of nuclear activities, civilian or military in the Middle East today. In addition, you will investigate countries outside the region that do, or can, contribute to nuclear activities in the Middle East today. The project must be your own original work, with clear and correct citations for any work you borrow from others.  If the work is not your own, including photos, graphics, multimedia, charts, and graphs you must credit it within your text and in a bibliography.

Objectives for Benchmark II

One: The first objective is to show your knowledge of the countries in the Middle East that have, or are interested in, nuclear activities. You must demonstrate the motivations for this interest, as well as knowledge of the capability of these countries to acquire and use nuclear energy.

Suggested Topics for Research

  • Countries that have shown interest in developing nuclear energy, their motivations, capabilities
  • Countries that have developed nuclear energy to some extent, their motivations, capabilities
  • Countries identified with nuclear weapons, interest, suspicions; motivations, capabilities
  • The capacity for nuclear activity in the Middle East, infrastructure, personnel, resources
  • Motivations for particular countries

Two: The second objective is to be able to show knowledge of countries outside the Middle East and how and why these countries do, or can contribute to nuclear ambitions within the region.

Suggested Topics for Research

  • Countries with a history of exporting nuclear technology
  • The economics of nuclear technology on a company level, on a national level
  • Nuclear “spheres of influence”
  • Nuclear technology as a “weapon” in international politics
  • Active or passive encouragement of nuclear proliferation or nonproliferation

Benchmark III: Nonproliferation Efforts in the Middle East

There are worries about nuclear proliferation in the Middle East and these worries have contributed to tensions in the region. However, there have also been several important efforts to ease these tensions. For example, in 1974, Iran and Egypt proposed a Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone in the Middle East. In 1991, Israel, Egypt, and other countries in the region agreed to talks on arms control and regional security. In 1995 and 2000, the NPT Review Conferences both expressed support for a NWFZ in the Middle East. With leadership from the United States and Egypt, the 2010 NPT Review Conference included an agreement to hold a conference on a Middle East NWFZ in 2012.

In Benchmarks I and II, using the CIF domains (science & environment; society & culture; economics; politics & geopolitics) you gained insight into the history of the Middle East. You learned about the nuclear fuel cycle, reactors, and the dual uses of these technologies. You also learned about nuclear activities in the Middle East today and what might happen in the future. Finally, you learned about other countries (and companies) that are interested in expanding their influence in the region by supporting the development of nuclear energy.

For Benchmark III you will synthesize, analyze, and evaluate what you have learned. You will do additional research to create your own meaning about events and concerns regarding nuclear activities in the Middle East today. When you put all of this research together, you will make, and be able to support, judgments about these activities.

Objective for Benchmark III

Your final task is to demonstrate clearly, in a carefully constructed project, a comprehensive understanding that addresses four different approaches to the proliferation problem in the Middle East: 1) safeguards, 2) sanctions, 3) a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone, and 4) a military option. Your project will address this topic through as many of the CIF domains as possible.

(NOTE: It is conceivable that some of the domains will not fit your work.) The project must be your own original work, with clear and correct citations for any work you borrow from others.  If the work is not your own, including photos, graphics, multimedia, charts, and graphs you must credit it within your text and in a bibliography.

Suggested Topics for Additional Research

  • Past and present steps toward nonproliferation in the Middle East
  • The roles of the IAEA, the NPT and other organizations and treaties
  • Nuclear Weapons Free Zones, history, establishment, processes, barriers

Reference:
[1] Cohen, A. (1998). Israel and the bomb. New York: Columbia University Press.

Lecture PowerPoint Presentations

December 2011-2012 Teacher Workshop Speaker Presentations

Nuclear Safety and Security

About the CIF Project

Introduction and Discussion of the 2011-2012 CIF Benchmarks, Sue Ann Dobbyn and Stephen C. Sesko, CIF Consultants, Thursday introduction, [119KB, .PPTX file]

Using Evaluation to Improve Student Performance, Stephen Sesko and Sue Ann Dobbyn Jones, CIF Consultants (Saturday Session 1) [2.3MB, .PPT file]

Content Lectures

Challenges in Nuclear and Radiological Security (Nuclear Terrorism), presented by Miles Pomper, CNA Senior Research Associate, Washington DC Office (Content Lecture 3) [3.0MB, .PPT file]

Challenges in Nuclear Safety, presented by Dr. Ferenc Dalnoki-Veress, Scientist in Residence and Adjunct Professor (Content Lecture 5) [56.5MB, .PDF file]

Connection between Nuclear Saferty/Security and Nuclear Nonproliferation/Disarmament, presented by Patricia Lewis, CNS Deputy Director, Scientist in Residence (Content Lecture 4) [541KB, .PPTX file]

Governance, International Management of Nuclear Safety and Security, presented by Miles Pomper, CNA Senior Research Associate, Washington DC Office (Content Lecture 7) [143KB,.PPTX file]

Nuclear and Radiological Security Challenges: A Case of Eurasia, presented by Margarita Sevcik, CNS Education Program Deputy Director (Conetnt Lecture 90 [512KB, .PPTX file]

Nuclear Energy Overview, presented by Karen Hogue, CNS Graduate Research Assistant, MANPTS student (Content Lecture 1) [7.7MB, .PPTX file]

“Nuclear Renaissance” Overview, presented by Miles Pomper, CNA Senior Research Associate, Washington DC Office (Content Lecture 2) [4.0MB,.PPT file]

Nuclear Safety and Security in East Asia, presented by Stephanie Lieggi, enior Research Associate and Steven Anderle, CNS Graduate Research Assistant, MANPTS student (Content Lecture 8) [ 1.6MB, .PPTX file]

Nuclear Spent Fuel Management, presented by Dr. Ferenc Dalnoki-Veress, Scientist in Residence and Adjunct Professor (Content Lecture 6) [3.4MB, .PPTX file]

Using Geospatial Analysis Tools for Nonproliferation Research, 3D Modeling Handout, presented by Tamara Patton, CNS Graduate Research Assistant, MANPTS student) [741KB, .PDF file]

Radiation Leak at San Onofre

San Jose Mercury News

Workers have installed inspection equipment inside a reactor at the San Onofre nuclear power plant to help find a leak. UT San Diego ( http://bit.

Student Responses to Benchmarks – Benchmark 1

Benchmark 1

See Benchmark 2

American High Schools

 

Cushing Academy

 

 

 

Choate Rosemary Hall School

 

 

 

Franklin High School

 

 

 

Janesville Academy

 

 

 

La Puente High School

 

 

 

 Presque Isle HS

 

 

 

Santa Catalina School

 

 

 

York School

 

 

 

Russian High Schools

Gymnasia – 109, Trekhgorny

 

 

 

Linguistic Gymnasia – 164, Zelenogorsk

 

 

 

The School for Cosomonautics, Zheleznogorsk

 

 

 

Municipal Gimnasia #41, Novouralsk

 

 

 

Gymnasia #2, Sarov

Severskaya Gimnazia, Seversk

 

 

 

Lyceum, Lesnoy

 

 

 

Lyceum #39, Ozersk

 

Chinese High School

Tsinghua High School