Todd Sechser

Todd Sechser is Professor of Politics and Public Policy at the University of Virginia, holding the Pamela Feinour Edmonds and Franklin S. Edmonds, Jr. Discovery Professorship. He is affiliated with the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and the Department of Politics, and serves as a Senior Fellow at the Miller Center of Public Affairs.

His research centers on international security, with expertise in nuclear deterrence, coercive diplomacy, and foreign policy. He explores how states use military threats in international crises, the role of emerging technologies in strategic stability, and the dynamics of political violence. His interdisciplinary approach bridges political science and policy analysis.

Dr. Sechser's recent publications examine military signaling in crisis bargaining, psychological responses to real-life violence, and the global implications of emerging technologies. These works reflect a consistent focus on strategic behavior, conflict dynamics, and the evolving nature of international threats.

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
• John M. Olin National Security Fellow, Harvard University
• Award-winning Ph.D. dissertation, Stanford University

Dr. Sechser is the principal investigator of the Program on Strategic Stability Evaluation and director of the Democratic Statecraft Lab, where he leads collaborative research on nuclear weapons and international security. He directs the Honors Program at the Batten School and advises students in political science and public policy. His research has been funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Stanton Foundation, and the U.S. Air Force. He also contributes to public discourse through writing in the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and other major media outlets, and consults regularly with government and military agencies.

He leads the Democratic Statecraft Lab, which conducts rigorous academic and policy-relevant research on democratic leadership, U.S. foreign policy, and international security challenges in the 21st century.