Jacqueline Shire, Investigating Nuclear Dangers

Senior Analyst, Institute for Science and International Security ( ISIS)

Jacqueline Shire’s job is to cut through the uncertainty and misinformation that can lead to war. As tensions mount between the U.S. and Iran, fueled by conflicting ideas about Tehran’s nuclear capabilities and intentions, Jacqueline and her colleagues at the Institute for Science and International Security provide the scientific facts, technical insight and cultural intelligence needed to prevent the kind of rash judgments that have led to wars in the past. With nuclear threats dominating the news today, she has her work cut out for her — tracing the history of Iran’s nuclear program, evaluating North Korea’s nuclear capabilities, and tracking the spread of nuclear technology worldwide. Her goal is to make sure that policymakers and the public have the information they need to accurately assess security risks and act on the most credible information available.

Jacqueline continues to hope that as her children — daughters 11 and 8, and a son, 2 — grow up they will have the opportunity to travel widely and in places such as the great cities of the Muslim world. She laments that such opportunities have become more difficult because of the deep well of mistrust between the U.S. and the Middle East but remains optimistic that with better policies based on better information, trust and respect can be restored.