Tristan Volpe

Tristan Volpe is an assistant professor at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School (Defense Analysis Department) and a nonresident fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. His work bridges nuclear proliferation, emerging technologies, and regional security dynamics in East Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

• Education: Ph.D. in political science from George Washington University; B.A. in political science from UCLA.
• Research Focus: Explores how nuclear latency enables regional powers to extract concessions from superpowers, the impact of 3D printing on nuclear supply chains, and debates over nuclear options in NATO allies like Germany.

Volpe’s recent publications analyze U.S.-South Korea nuclear bargaining, Saudi Arabia’s hedging against Iran, and the geopolitical implications of nuclear marketplace shifts. His nonproliferation work emphasizes incentive packages to dissuade allies from developing sensitive technologies.

• Awards: Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow (2015), Lawrence Scholar at LLNL (2013-2015).
• Consulting: Briefly advised the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation at the U.S. Department of State.
• Topics: AI, arms control, NATO, climate change, and global governance.