# Matthew Bunn ![Matthew Bunn Bio Photo](/sites/g/files/omnuum3466/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/matthew_bunn/files/faculty_bunn_matt_website_photo2_01.jpg?itok=jAceuDxZ) Matthew Bunn is the James R. Schlesinger Professor of the Practice of Energy, National Security, and Foreign Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. His research interests include nuclear theft and terrorism; nuclear arms control and strategic stability; nuclear proliferation and measures to control it; the future of nuclear energy and its fuel cycle; and innovation in energy technologies. Before coming to Harvard, Bunn served as an adviser to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, as a study director at the National Academy of Sciences, and as editor of *Arms Control Today*. He is the author or co-author of more than 25 books or major technical reports (most recently Revitalizing Nuclear Security in an Era of Uncertainty), and over 150 articles in publications ranging from Science to The Washington Post. You can find him [on BlueSky here](https://bsky.app/profile/matthew-bunn.bsky.social) Matthew Bunn's Google Scholar profile [can be found here](https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=C9piNTgAAAAJ&hl=en) ## Overview of Nuclear Challenges Matthew Bunn, "[The War over Iran’s Nuclear Program–and Global Nuclear Dangers](https://matthewbunn.scholars.harvard.edu/sites/g/files/omnuum3466/files/2025-08/Iran-DarkeningHorizon-7-2025.pdf)," presentation, July 21, 2025. ## The Latest Matthew Bunn, ["The Iran War's Incoherent Peace Deal"](https://nationalinterest.org/blog/middle-east-watch/the-iran-wars-incoherent-peace-deal) *The National Interest,* June 23, 2026 Matthew Bunn, ["Beyond ‘Pax Americana’: How JFK’s lessons on unilateral nuclear restraint show that Trump should do more"](https://thebulletin.org/2026/06/beyond-pax-americana-how-jfks-lessons-on-unilateral-nuclear-restraint-show-that-trump-should-do-more/) *Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists,* June 10, 2026 Matthew Bunn, “[Managing the Dangers of Iran’s Remaining Nuclear Capabilities](https://matthewbunn.scholars.harvard.edu/sites/g/files/omnuum3466/files/2026-05/Bunn-Iran-NuclearACT_May2026_digital.pdf),” *Arms Control Today,* May 2026. "[What it Would Take for the U.S. to Secure Iran's Highly Enriched Uranium,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev0hvfrLmvw)" *60 Minutes,* April 19, 2026. Matthew Bunn, “[Trump’s War on Iran: Grave Dangers and, At Best, Limited Benefits](https://thebulletin.org/2026/02/trumps-war-on-iran-grave-dangers-and-at-best-limited-benefits/),” *Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists,* February 28, 2026. Matthew Bunn, “[Iran’s Nuclear Materials and Equipment Remain a Danger in an Active War Zone](https://theconversation.com/irans-nuclear-materials-and-equipment-remain-a-danger-in-an-active-war-zone-278008),” *The Conversation,* March 17, 2026. Matthew Bunn, "[New START Expired: What Now?](https://www.belfercenter.org/sites/default/files/2026-02/Post-New-START.pdf)" presentation, MTA Seminar, February 9, 2026. Matthew Bunn, "[How to Avoid a New Nuclear Arms Race — At Least for Now](https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/5710718-new-start-treaty-expiration/)," *The Hill*, January 29, 2026. Matthew Bunn, "[Putin Just Gave Trump the Opportunity to Maintain Nuclear Restraint. Will He Seize It?](https://thebulletin.org/2025/09/putin-just-gave-trump-the-opportunity-to-maintain-nuclear-restraint-will-he-seize-it/#post-heading)" *Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists*, September 25, 2025. Mariano-Fiorentino Cuéllar, Ernest J. Moniz, and Meghan O’Sullivan, co-chairs (Matthew Bunn, task force member), [*Preventing an Era of Nuclear Anarchy: Nuclear Proliferation and American Security*](https://www.nti.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Preventing-an-Era-of-Nuclear-Anarchy.pdf), Task Force on Nuclear Proliferation and U.S. National Security, September, 2025. Matthew Bunn, "[1st Step Opportunities for U.S.-China Actions to Reduce Nuclear Dangers](https://matthewbunn.scholars.harvard.edu/sites/g/files/omnuum3466/files/2025-08/US-China-1st-Nuclear-Steps.pdf)," presentation, Dialogue on U.S.-China Relations and Strategic Stability," Shanghai, China, July 7-8, 2025. Matthew Bunn, "[Golden Dome Dangers: An Arms Control Expert Explains How Trump's Missile Defense Threatens to Make the US Less Safe](https://theconversation.com/golden-dome-dangers-an-arms-control-expert-explains-how-trumps-missile-defense-threatens-to-make-the-us-less-safe-258048)," *The Conversation*, June 6, 2025. Matthew Bunn, "[H-Bomb Creator Richard Garwin was a Giant in Science, Technology, and Policy](https://theconversation.com/h-bomb-creator-richard-garwin-was-a-giant-in-science-technology-and-policy-256866)," *The Conversation*, May 16, 2025. Matthew Bunn, "[How India and Pakistan Might Move Forward-And Away from Nuclear Dangers](https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/05/14/opinion/india-pakistan-ceasefire-nuclear-threat/)," *The Boston Globe*, May 14, 2025. Matthew Bunn, "[Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Proliferation, and Nuclear Terrorism – What are the Linkages?](https://matthewbunn.scholars.harvard.edu/sites/g/files/omnuum3466/files/2025-08/Nuclear%20Linkages.pdf)" presentation, Harvard Kennedy School, April 15, 2025. Matthew Bunn, "[Trump is Attacking Free Speech. Don't Let Him](https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/03/28/opinion/trump-free-speech-foreign-students/)," *The Boston Globe*, March 28, 2025. Matthew Bunn and Jason Ren Jeun Lee, "[South Korea Reveals The Dangers of Nuclearization](https://nationalinterest.org/blog/korea-watch/south-korea-reveals-the-dangers-of-nuclearization)," *The National Interest*, March 4, 2025. Matthew Bunn, "[Opportunities for U.S.-China Nuclear Tension-Reduction](https://www.belfercenter.org/research-analysis/opportunities-us-china-nuclear-tension-reduction)," *China International Strategy Review*, January 11, 2025. Matthew Bunn, "[Mitigating Climate Change: How Much can Nuclear Energy Plausibly Do?](https://matthewbunn.scholars.harvard.edu/sites/g/files/omnuum3466/files/2025-08/nuclear-energy-11-2024.pdf)," presentation, Harvard Kennedy School, November 8, 2024. Matthew Bunn, "[Reducing Nuclear Dangers](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adr0532)," *Science*, June 20, 2024. Matthew Bunn, “[Non-Treaty Options for Future Arms Control](https://matthewbunn.scholars.harvard.edu/sites/g/files/omnuum3466/files/2026-05/Bunn-Iran-NuclearACT_May2026_digital.pdf),” presentation, “Reinvigorating Nuclear Disarmament,” Alva Myrdal Center Conference, Uppsala, Sweden, June 18-19, 2024. ## Featured Publications [### Full text can be found here. ](/file_url/266) ![Revitalizing Nuclear Security in an Era of Uncertainty](/sites/g/files/omnuum3466/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/matthew_bunn/files/revitalizing_nuclear_security_cover.jpg?itok=6TylRqin) [### Available from: Cambridge University Press ](https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/preventing-black-market-trade-in-nuclear-technology/BA9D2A1C69113A7F6996EBB283645CD0)More information available [here](https://www.belfercenter.org/publication/preventing-black-market-trade-nuclear-technology). ![Preventing Black-Market Trade in Nuclear Technology](/sites/g/files/omnuum3466/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/matthew_bunn/files/black_markets_book_image_resized.jpg?itok=5pVr6IIm) [### Available from: Cornell University Press ](http://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/?GCOI=80140100868640)More information available [here](https://www.belfercenter.org/publication/insider-threats). ![Insider Threats](/sites/g/files/omnuum3466/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/matthew_bunn/files/insider_threats_cover.jpg?itok=Bz0t64Fz) [### Full text can be found here. ](https://www.belfercenter.org/sites/default/files/files/publication/The%20Cost%20of%20Reprocessing-Digital-PDF.pdf) ![Cost of Reprocessing in China](/sites/g/files/omnuum3466/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/matthew_bunn/files/the_cost_of_reprocessing-cover_resized.jpg?itok=HjTh6fI0) [### Available from: Cambridge University Press ](https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/transforming-us-energy-innovation/63F72CD59AD2EF2CCE241DF6A92FC3CF)More information available [here](https://www.belfercenter.org/publication/transforming-us-energy-innovation-0). ![Transforming U.S. Energy Innovation](/sites/g/files/omnuum3466/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/matthew_bunn/files/transforming_energy_cover.jpg?itok=p0bHnTQF) [### Available from: Cambridge University Press ](https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/foundations-for-a-lowcarbon-energy-system-in-china/enabling-a-significant-nuclear-role-in-chinas-decarbonization/ACB48E4E43F2EE87AE6A0BB4BCB9756F) ![Image of Book Cover for "Foundations for a Low Carbon Energy System in China](/sites/g/files/omnuum3466/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2025-08/9781108842389_0.jpg?itok=7Spr9IbL)