Dear Distinguished Scholars

Because your work may involve interaction with students in academic, think tank, or similar settings, I have the pleasure of advising you that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) is seeking about 30 highly motivated graduate students or exceptional seniors interested in careers in intelligence analysis to study and work with currently serving analysts during an intensive two-week residential seminar in Washington DC.

Students will interact with front-line analysts working high profile intelligence issues, engage with senior Intelligence Community (IC) managers, with senior policymakers and eminent experts, and make site visits to IC agencies for in-depth analytic sessions. The hands-on seminar, the first such exercise sponsored by the ODNI, will be held July 13 through July 24, 2009 in Washington DC and will address the theme: "Political Instability - International Systems in Transition."

Travel expenses, room and board, course materials and a $1,000 stipend will be paid. The seminar's co-sponsors are the Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Analysis/National Intelligence Council Chairman, and the Office of the Intelligence Community Centers of Academic Excellence.

Information and application forms comprising the attached 28 page pdf may also be downloaded at: http://www.dni.gov/cae/index.htm

The application deadline is April 30.
Following is a letter from the sponsors: # # #
Office of the Director of National Intelligence Washington, DC 20511
April 7, 2009
Dear Colleague,

One of the strengths of our nation's Intelligence Community (IC) is the intellectual breadth of our analysts. On a daily basis, IC analysts apply substantive expertise, rigorous critical thinking and diverse viewpoints - much of which they developed in academia - to address challenging national security questions.

In our effort to continue to attract talented officers, we are pleased to announce the launch of the National Security Analysis Summer Seminar (NSASS), July 13-24, 2009 in Washington, D.C. The seminar will provide exceptional graduate students with a hands-on intelligence analysis experience, in the hope of attracting them to a career in intelligence .

Students will have the opportunity to interact with front-line analysts working high-profile intelligence issues, become familiar with key analytic methodologies and apply them to case studies and simulations. Students will also participate in IC site visits where they can engage senior IC managers in discussions to gain perspective on the role analysis plays in supporting senior policymakers.

Our partners at the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies of the Paul H . Nitze School of Advanced International Studies of The Johns Hopkins University have developed a creative curriculum and interactive learning experiences in collaboration with senior officials at the National Intelligence Council. We plan to select 30 talented graduate students from a competitive group of applicants to participate in the seminar.

The two week program is described in more detail in the attached announcement. Participants' domestic travel to Washington D.C., and lodging, meals, materials and a stipend, are covered.
We appreciate your assistance in identifying exceptional students who would benefit from this unique program and encouraging them to complete the attached NSASS application, which is also available online at www.dni.gov/cae/index.htm If you have any questions, you may reach the seminar planning team at dni-cae@ugov.gov
Thank you,

Peter Lavoy
Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Analysis
Chairman, National Intelligence Council
Ronald Sanders