Arms control and foreign policy research organization in the Kennedy School at Harvard
The Robert and Renée Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, also known as the Belfer Center, is a research center located at the Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States.
From 2017 until his death in October 2022, the center was led by director Ash Carter, former U.S. Secretary of Defense and co-director Eric Rosenbach, a former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense.[1] Its current executive director is Natalie Colbert.[2] The current Director is Meghan O'Sullivan.[3]
History
Belfer was founded in 1973[4] by biochemist Paul M. Doty as the Program for Science and International Affairs within Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences[5] to provide analysis on arms control and nuclear threat reduction. Following a grant from the Ford Foundation, the program was re-established as the Center for Science and International Affairs, becoming the first permanent research center at the newly formed School of Government.
In 1997, following further endowment, the center was renamed as the Robert and Renée Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs in honor of Robert A. Belfer, founder of Belco Oil & Gas Corporation.[6]
In 2012, the Stanton Foundation provided funds for a paid Wikipedian in residence at the Belfer Center. This became controversial due to links between the Belfer Center and the Stanton Foundation (the directors of each are a married couple) and public concerns about conflict-of-interest editing on Wikipedia.[7] The center is organized into subgroups with specific areas of focus.[8][9]
A 2021 investigative report by student group Fossil Fuel Divest Harvard found that many of the center's climate initiatives were funded in part by fossil fuel companies, and that the center had allegedly taken several steps to cover up that fact.[10][11][12]
Board members
Center board members include:
- Graham Allison, former Director, Belfer Center, Douglas Dillon Professor of Government, Harvard Kennedy School
- Lewis M. Branscomb, Professor emeritus of Public Policy and Corporate Management
- Albert Carnesale, former Harvard University provost
- Ashton B. Carter, Chair of International Relations, Security & Science faculty, physicist, who served as the 25th United States Secretary of Defense (until his death in October 2022)
- John M. Deutch, former Director of Central Intelligence
- John P. Holdren, John Heinz Professor of Environmental Policy
- Joseph Nye, University Distinguished Service Professor
Advisory board
The center has an international advisory board. Members include:[13]
