Interview
8 years as an ambassador fighting WMD terrorism | Bonnie Jenkins (2019)
- Core Career Focus: Bonnie Jenkins served as the Special Envoy and Coordinator for Threat Reduction Programs in the Obama administration (7.5 years), focusing on preventing the spread of chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological (CBNR) weapons.
- Current Roles: She is a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University, and the founder of Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security (WCAPS).
- Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA): Jenkins helped launch this initiative, which utilizes a "whole-of-government" and "whole-of-society" approach involving the State Department, DoD, CDC, USDA, USAID, and multilateral bodies like the WHO to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats.
- Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR): Originally established by Nunn-Lugar after the Cold War to secure Soviet nuclear materials, CTR programs have expanded beyond Russia to Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America due to evolving threats.
- Russia's Withdrawal: Russia expressed reluctance to continue CTR cooperation around the end of the Obama administration, viewing it as a relic of the past; this withdrawal reduced US ability to verify facility security and maintain on-ground relationships.
- Treaty Withdrawal Concerns: Jenkins cites US withdrawals from key arms control treaties (e.g., Iran Deal, INF Treaty) as a significant threat to the future of global arms control, creating a precedent where agreements are discarded rather than renegotiated.
- Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) Weaknesses: The BWC lacks a formal verification mechanism or surprise inspection capabilities (unlike the Chemical Weapons Convention or IAEA), relying on a three-person implementation support unit, making enforcement difficult.
- Nuclear Security Summits: Jenkins identifies the Nuclear Security Summits as a major success for rapidly galvanizing world leaders to secure nuclear materials globally within a short timeframe.
- Risk Assessment: She prioritizes climate change, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, and infectious diseases as high-probability global threats with devastating cumulative effects, distinct from the lower-probability but high-impact nuclear risks.
- Tactical Nuclear Weapons: The development of "mini-nukes" or tactical nuclear weapons creates escalation risks because the delivery platforms often overlap with those for larger strategic warheads, making it difficult for adversaries to distinguish threat levels.
- Diplomatic Norms: Jenkins notes that recent US administrations have broken unwritten diplomatic norms, such as avoiding personal insults toward foreign leaders and maintaining continuity of treaty obligations across different political administrations.
- Career Entry Advice:
- Government: Direct government service is the highest-leverage career path for policy impact, though it often requires stepping stones like fellowships (e.g., Presidential Management Fellowship) or internships in DC.
- Scientific Expertise: Technical backgrounds in biology, nuclear physics, and chemistry are critical for arms control; the AAAS Science and Technology Fellowship is a key pathway for scientists entering policy.
- Network Building: Success in DC relies heavily on networking, attending events, and utilizing social media to build visibility, as the federal hiring process can be opaque.
- WCAPS Mission: Her organization addresses the lack of diversity in international security, which is currently dominated by a "traditional white male" culture, by offering mentorship, podcasts, media training, and a pipeline program starting from junior high school.
- Diversity Impact: Jenkins argues that diverse voices (particularly women of color) bring unique perspectives rooted in personal experiences with racism and discrimination, leading to better-informed policies and preventing "blind spots" in global threat assessment.
- Personal Background: Jenkins holds a PhD in International Relations (UVA) and a JD, served 17 years in the Navy Reserve (including time in Naval Intel), and is a vegan.
- Future Outlook: She remains hopeful but cautious about global trends, noting that while no new states have acquired nuclear weapons in years, the unpredictability of leadership and the erosion of diplomatic norms pose significant risks.