Stay Updated

Scowcroft Center Initiatives

GeoStrategy Initiative

The GeoStrategy Initiative serves to directly advance the Scowcroft Center’s core mission by developing sustainable, nonpartisan strategies to address the most important security challenges facing the United States and the world. Its competencies in long-range foresight and strategy development are vital assets to government and business leaders as they navigate a complex and unpredictable world. Through its work, the initiative strives to revitalize, adapt, and defend a rules-based international system in order to foster peace, prosperity, and freedom for decades to come.

Transatlantic Security Initiative

The Transatlantic Security Initiative brings together senior officials and experts from Europe and North America to share insights, strengthen cooperation, and develop innovative approaches to the key challenges facing NATO and the transatlantic community. Through high-profile public convenings, off-the-record strategy sessions, war-gaming, digital engagement, and content-rich publications, the initiative directly advances the Council’s core mission of informing the transatlantic security debate.

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative

The Indo-Pacific Security Initiative develops purposeful programming designed to create an Atlantic-Pacific Community that can adapt, revitalize, and defend the rules-based international order in Asia. The effort is grounded in a dual approach of providing fresh perspectives on traditional issues (regional security and political-economic architecture) while assessing a new agenda of non-traditional topics (cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things) to develop new strategies and policies.

Forward Defense

Forward Defense generates ideas and connects stakeholders in the defense ecosystem to promote an enduring military advantage for the United States, its allies, and partners. Our work identifies the defense strategies, capabilities, and resources the United States needs to deter and, if necessary, prevail in future conflict.

Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative

The Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative, housed within the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, works to advance resilience as a core tenet of US and allied national security policy and practice. Resilience—the ability of individuals, societies, and systems to withstand, recover from, and adapt to shocks and disruptions—is a national security imperative in an increasingly contested world. To help the United States and its allies better prepare for and succeed amid twenty-first-century challenges, the Initiative examines sources of, and develops strategies for enhancing, resilience across key pillars of individual and societal resilience.

Leadership

Staff

Matthew Kroenig

Vice President and Senior Director, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

China Defense Policy

Staff

Tressa Guenov

Director, Programs and Operations and Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Staff

Clementine G. Starling-Daniels

Director, Forward Defense

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Security & Defense NATO

Staff

Markus Garlauskas

Director

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Crisis Management Indo-Pacific

Staff

Torrey Taussig

Director

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Eastern Europe Europe & Eurasia

Staff

Bailey Galicia

Project Assistant

Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative GeoStrategy Initiative

Europe & Eurasia Extremism

Our inspiration: Brent Scowcroft 1925-2020

Neil-R.-Brown

The Scowcroft Center honors the legacy of service of General Brent Scowcroft. The Center embodies his ethos of nonpartisan commitment to the cause of security, support for US leadership in cooperation with allies and partners, and dedication to the mentorship of the next generation of leaders.

Learn more about Brent Scowcroft

Featured Projects

So What’s the Strategy?

Matthew Kroenig, vice president and senior director of the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, interviews senior US and allied officials to explore strategies for tackling the most pressing security challenges facing the United States and its allies and partners.

Watch

NATO Defense Spending Tracker

The Atlantic Council’s Transatlantic Security Initiative has launched a real-time NATO Defense Spending Tracker to offer a clearer and fuller picture of how allies are contributing to collective defense and the development of real military capabilities.

Visit Tracker

For the US and the free world, security demands a resilience-first approach

This report is the foundational document of the Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative and outlines a bold vision to embed resilience as a core pillar of US and allied security.

Read the report

The Tiger Project: War and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific

Named for the tiger—a symbol of courage, strength, and protection in the culture and mythology of many Indo-Pacific countries—the Tiger Project includes the contributions of a wide network of staff and nonresident experts.

View Project

Commission on Software-Defined Warfare

An Atlantic Council commission on improving Department of Defense production and integration of state-of-the-art software solutions

View Project

Global Foresight 2025

The Atlantic Council presents exclusive findings from our survey of leading strategists and experts around the world on how human affairs could unfold over the next ten years across geopolitics, the global economy, climate change, technological disruption, and more.

Read the Report

The National Defense Strategy Project

The Atlantic Council’s National Defense Strategy Project outlines the priorities the Department of Defense should address in its next National Defense Strategy.

View Project

Featured commentary and analysis

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

New Atlanticist Jul 31, 2025

Strategic resilience can help prevent tragedy in the next flash flood

By Thomas S. Warrick

Preventing future tragedies will require sustained focus—and resources—from federal, state, and local governments. Here are six steps to take now.
Resilience United States and Canada
Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

New Atlanticist Aug 6, 2025

Europe’s play to keep Trump happy cannot come at the expense of a longer-term strategy

By Torrey Taussig, Josh Lipsky

Even as the EU prioritizes defense and security interests with the US, it could come at the cost of economic and political cohesion in the bloc.
European Union NATO
Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Strategic Insights Memo Mar 12, 2025

The hypersonic imperative

By Michael E. White

Hypersonic weapons and counter-hypersonic defenses will be essential for the United States to deter and, if necessary, prevail in a war against one or more great powers. This is why the Department of Defense and Congress must prioritize the accelerated fielding of these capabilities.
China Defense Industry
Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Report Aug 1, 2025

Defining Canada’s threat landscape: Resetting for a new reality

By Peter Engelke, Ginger Matchett, Samantha Wong

In a changing strategic landscape, Canada must reinforce its national security and confront the threats of geopolitics, climate change, and emerging technology.
Climate Change & Climate Action Defense Policy
Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

New Atlanticist Mar 6, 2025

The real reason Russia invaded Ukraine (hint: it’s not NATO expansion)

By Andrew A. Michta

Russia invaded Ukraine not because of NATO expansion, but because the West failed to back up Europe’s post-Cold War security architecture with hard power.
Europe & Eurasia NATO
Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Report Feb 7, 2025

Toplines: The United States and its allies must be ready to deter a two-front war and nuclear attacks in East Asia

By Markus Garlauskas

The “toplines” from Markus Garlauskus’ report on two emerging and interrelated deterrence challenges in East Asia with grave risks to US national security.
Arms Control China
all commentary & analysis

Featured in-depth research and reports

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Issue Brief Jun 5, 2025

Immediate steps that Europe can take to enhance its role in NATO defense

By Franklin D. Kramer, Kristen Taylor

As NATO members gather in the Hague amid uncertainty about US commitment to the continent and concerns about Russia’s military rebuilding, what can European nations do to deter and, if necessary, defeat threats from Moscow?
Europe & Eurasia NATO
Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Issue Brief Jun 2, 2025

For NATO in 2027, European leadership will be key to deterrence against Russia

By Scott Lee, Andrew Michta, Peter Jones, and Lisa Bembenick

NATO lacks the operational integration, logistics, and joint force capabilities needed to quickly counter Russian mass and tempo near its borders. With the United States increasingly focused elsewhere, how can the Alliance retain military superiority in 2027 without overreliance on US military might?
Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia
Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Issue Brief Feb 20, 2025

Issue brief: A NATO strategy for countering Russia

By Ian Brzezinski, Ryan Arick

Russia poses the most direct and growing threat to NATO member states’ security. This threat now includes the war in Ukraine, militarization in the Arctic, hybrid warfare, and arms control violations. Despite NATO’s military and economic superiority, a unified and effective strategy is essential to counter Russia’s aggression.
Cybersecurity Defense Technologies
Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Issue Brief Feb 13, 2025

Deterring Chinese aggression takes real-time intelligence

By Scott D. Berrier

LTG (R) Scott D. Berrier argues that transforming the Intelligence Communit’s early-warning system and attaining real-time awareness is crucial to deterring Chinese aggression.
China East Asia
Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Report Jan 14, 2025

The next decade of strategic competition: How the Pentagon can use special operations forces to better compete

By Clementine G. Starling-Daniels, Theresa Luetkefend

Clementine G. Starling and Theresa Luetkefend discuss how the Department of Defense and Joint force should more effectively leverage Special Operations forces in strategic competition.
Africa China
Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Report Jul 8, 2025

For the US and the free world, security demands a resilience-first approach

By Elizabeth Sizeland

This report is the foundational document of the Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative and outlines a bold vision to embed resilience as a core pillar of US and allied security. As crises compound, this report calls for investing across individual, institutional, and international levels of resilience to withstand, adapt, and thrive amid disruption. 
Crisis Management Cybersecurity
all in-depth research

Staff

Staff

Imran Bayoumi

Associate Director

Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative GeoStrategy Initiative

Staff

Amy Cowley

Program Assistant

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Conflict North & West Africa

Staff

Maeve Cuddy

Assistant Director

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Staff

Philippe Dickinson

Deputy Director

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Chinese East Asia

Staff

Peter Engelke

Senior Fellow, GeoStrategy Initiative

GeoStrategy Initiative Global Energy Center

Technology & Innovation

Staff

Lauren D. Gilbert

Deputy Director

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

East Asia Human Rights

Staff

Kyoko Imai

Associate Director

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Security & Defense Japanese

Staff

Emily E. Kim

Program Assistant

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Korea Security & Defense

Staff

Curtis Lee

Program Assistant

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Korean

Staff

Theresa Luetkefend

Associate Director

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Policy German

Staff

Alyxandra Marine

Associate Director

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Crisis Management Defense Policy

Staff

Mark J. Massa

Deputy Director

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Policy National Security

Staff

Ginger Matchett

Program Assistant

Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative GeoStrategy Initiative

Africa Americas

Staff

Andrew A. Michta

Senior Fellow, GeoStrategy Initiative

GeoStrategy Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Central Europe Eastern Europe

Staff

Audrey Roh

Program Assistant

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Cybersecurity Japan

Staff

Jonathan Rosenstein

Program Assistant

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Policy Nuclear Deterrence

Staff

Abigail Rudolph

Program Assistant

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Staff

Sydney Sherry

Assistant Director

Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative GeoStrategy Initiative

Politics & Diplomacy Resilience & Society

Staff

Kimberly Talley

Associate Director

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

NATO Security & Defense

Staff

Kristen Taylor

Assistant Director

Transatlantic Security Initiative

Europe & Eurasia European Union

Staff

Sarah Wallace

Program Assistant

Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative GeoStrategy Initiative

French Human Rights

Staff

Alexander Young

Project Assistant

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Europe & Eurasia

Content

Report

Apr 11, 2025

The imperative of augmenting US theater nuclear forces

By Greg Weaver

The United States and its allies and partners face an impending change in the threats they face from nuclear-armed adversaries: a strategic environment marked by two nuclear peer major powers.

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia

Strategic Insights Memo

Apr 11, 2025

Industrial integration for global defense resilience: Pathways for action

By Abigail Rudolph, Steven Grundman

The ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have exposed significant vulnerabilities in the industrial capacity and capabilities of the United States and its allies. A lack of speed, scale, and resilience in industrial production hampers the ability to sustain operations in these campaigns.

Defense Industry Defense Policy

In the News

Apr 10, 2025

Daryl Press interviewed for ABC News article on B-2 nuclear-capable bombers

By Atlantic Council

On April 3, Forward Defense nonresident senior fellow Daryl G. Press was interviewed for an ABC News article entitled, “Satellite images show multiple US B-2 nuclear-capable bombers deployed to Indian Ocean.” In the article, Press was quoted as saying, “The movement of the aircraft to Diego Garcia definitely sends a signal to Iran about the extent […]

Defense Policy Iran

In the News

Apr 10, 2025

General Kevin P. Chilton in Air & Space Forces Magazine

By Atlantic Council

On April 4, Forward Defense distinguished fellow Kevin P. Chilton was featured in an Air & Space Forces article by Greg Hadley entitled, “Space Superiority Takes Center Stage.” Gen. Chilton is cited arguing for more “openness, saying there cannot be deterrent value in having offensive capabilities in space if the Space Force isn’t allowed to talk about […]

China Defense Policy

Issue Brief

Apr 10, 2025

Win fast or lose big against China

By Bradley T. Gericke

MG Bradley Gericke, US Army (ret.), argues that the US must prepare to win quickly in a conflict with China to deter war and avoid the high costs of protraction.

China Conflict

In the News

Apr 8, 2025

Lt Col Edward Brady, USAF, commentary published by War on the Rocks

By Atlantic Council

On April 4, Forward Defense Senior Air Force Fellow Lieutenant Colonel Edward Brady published a commentary on War on the Rocks, entitled, “Greenland’s Military Possibilities for the United States.” The article argues that Greenland is a critical strategic asset for US Arctic defense and global power projection and recommends cost-effective investments in surveillance, infrastructure, and […]

China Defense Policy

In the News

Apr 8, 2025

Michta in Lithuanian National Radio and Television on the necessity of US-European cooperation on defense 

On April 4, Andrew Michta, senior fellow in the GeoStrategy Initiative, was interviewed by Lithuanian National Radio and Television on the status of transatlantic relations, NATO, and European defense as the Trump administration challenges the status quo. He argues that close relations between Washington and Brussels are vital to preserving European security and countering Russian […]

Europe & Eurasia NATO

In the News

Apr 8, 2025

Braw published in Foreign Policy on America’s rare earth policy concerning Ukraine

By Elisabeth Braw

On April 8, Transatlantic Security Initiative senior fellow Elisabeth Braw was published by Foreign Policy in an article arguing that the US should recycle it’s own critical minerals instead of crafting an exploitative deal for taking minerals in Ukraine.

In the News

Apr 2, 2025

Gen Kevin P. Chilton, USAF (ret.), featured on the Mitchell Institute’s Commander panel

By Atlantic Council

On March 31, Forward Defense distinguished fellow Kevin P. Chilton was featured on the Mitchell Institute’s panel, “Setting the Nuclear Deterrence Record Straight: Commanders’ Perspectives.” On the panel, he joined former US Strategic Command commanders Gen. Robert Kehler, USAF (Ret.), and Adm. Charles A. Richard, USN (Ret.), to discuss the realities of nuclear deterrence today. Additionally, […]

China Defense Industry

New Atlanticist

Apr 1, 2025

The Department of Defense has a user experience problem

By Hannah Hunt

To solve military technology user experience challenges, the Defense Department must align its software development practices with the needs of warfighters.

Defense Industry Defense Policy
Load More

Events

Online Event Tue, September 2, 2025 • 4:00 pm ET

Envisioning the threat to Taiwan: A cross-strait and beyond seminar
Civil Society Indo-Pacific Media National Security