Three Experts Join CNAS Natural Security and Asia-Pacific Security Programs

The Center for a New American
Security (CNAS) is pleased to welcome three distinguished experts to its senior
research team: Dr. Nancy Brune, Senior Policy Analyst at Sandia National
Laboratories; Oriana Skylar Mastro, a Northeast Asia and China expert and
doctoral candidate in the Politics department at Princeton University; and Dr.
Ely Ratner, Associate Political Scientist at the RAND Corporation on leave at
the China Desk at the State Department.

Dr. Brune joins CNAS as a Non-Resident Senior Fellow and was previously the
Director of Research and Policy at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Institute for Security Studies, where she directed the Energy Security Policy
Initiative. She is currently on the international advisory board of the Journal
of Energy Security, and has worked on issues of renewable energy, the smart
grid and energy storage. "Nancy's extensive research on issues of energy
security, the energy-water-security nexus and the impacts of climate change
will be an enormous asset to our Natural Security program," said CNAS Vice
President and Director of Studies Dr. Kristin Lord. "CNAS has strived to
highlight energy, natural resources and climate change as issues that deserve
serious attention from the national security and defense community, and Nancy's
deep expertise in these areas will further our research in this critical
field."

Ms. Mastro is a Center for Strategic and International Studies Pacific Forum
Sasakawa Peace Fellow, a 2012-2013 University of Virginia Miller Center
National Fellow and a United States Air Force Reserve Officer. She joins the
CNAS Asia-Pacific program as a Fellow. "Oriana brings deep expertise as a
leading scholar on U.S.-China policy and fluent Mandarin skills. She is
also an Air Force Reserve Officer, and so she understands first-hand the
importance of the military perspective in her field of research," said CEO
Nathaniel Fick.

Dr. Ratner will join CNAS as a Fellow in September when he completes his
Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellowship, which he is
currently pursuing in the Office of Chinese and Mongolian Affairs at the
State Department as the lead political officer covering China's external
relations in Asia. "Ely's experience conducting research and long-term analysis
on the rise of China, the People's Liberation Army and East Asian security will
be a tremendous asset to the Center's Asia program," said Dr. Lord.
"At a time when U.S. policymakers and military leaders are increasingly
looking at the national security challenges and opportunities in Asia, Oriana
and Ely's expertise in this area will significantly enhance our ability to
provide cutting-edge analysis of this critical region."



Click here for Dr.
Nancy Brune's full biography.

Click here for
Oriana Skylar Mastro's full biography.

Click
here for Dr. Ely Ratner's full biography.

The Center
for a New American Security (CNAS) is an
independent and nonpartisan research institution that develops strong,
pragmatic and principled national security and defense policies. CNAS leads
efforts to help inform and prepare the national security leaders of today and
tomorrow.



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