Matthew Costlow is a Senior Analyst at the National Institute for Public Policy. His areas of expertise are in nuclear deterrence, missile defense policy, arms control, and Russian and Chinese nuclear doctrine. His work has been published by Comparative Strategy, Strategic Studies Quarterly, and the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. He has also published numerous opinion pieces in the Institutes Information Series as well as the Wall Street Journal, War on the Rocks, Defense News, and Defense One.

While working for the National Institute, Matt graduated in 2012 from Missouri State University with an M.S. in Defense and Strategic Studies. His thesis, “Gunboat Diplomacy in the South China Sea” was chosen for publication at the U.S. Air Force Institute for National Security Studies. He is currently a PhD candidate at George Mason University and is writing his dissertation on the intersection of leadership perceptions and war termination in World War II. From 2019-2021, Matt served as a Special Assistant in the office of Nuclear and Missile Defense policy, Department of Defense. His responsibilities included authoring and editing Congressional testimony for senior leadership on nuclear and missile defense topics, writing reports to Congress, drafting speeches to domestic and foreign audiences, and ensuring strategic communications were consistent with official U.S. government policy.

While at the Pentagon, Matt also briefed numerous senior officials up to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, explained U.S. policy to multiple allied delegations, and produced nuclear-themed tabletop exercises. For these and other accomplishments, Matt was presented with the Office of the Secretary of Defense Award for Exceptional Public Service. From 2012-2019, Matt worked as an Analyst at National Institute, specializing in many of the same areas he currently writes on. Before 2012, he researched cybersecurity, emergency management, and foreign airpower acquisition at the Congressional Research Service. Prior to that, he worked at SAIC on federal and state emergency management best practices.

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