Professional Affiliation

Research Fellow at the Center for Strategic Research at the Institute for National Strategic Studies at National Defense University

Expert Bio

Dr. Mahsa Rouhi is a Research Fellow at the Center for Strategic Research at the Institute for National Strategic Studies at National Defense University. Her research and expertise focuses on nuclear policy and security strategy in the Middle East, particularly Iran. She is currently working on a project on grand strategy, security and nuclear decision making in Iran.  Prior to joining the National Defense University, Mahsa Rouhi was a Research Fellow in the Non-proliferation and Nuclear Policy program at the International Institute for Strategic Studies where she co-directed a track two project on the Geopolitics and Nuclear Issues in the Middle East and she continues to engage as an associate. She was a post-doctoral fellow with the Managing the Atom project at Belfer Center from 2016-2018 where she continues to engage as an associate. She received her Ph.D. from King's College, University of Cambridge, UK. She received her B.A. in Economics from Shahid Beheshty University in Tehran, Iran, and her Master's Degree in Political Theory from the University of Sheffield, UK.  

Dr. Rouhi's analysis and commentary has been published by Foreign Policy, NYT, The Guardian, Boston Globe, The National Interest, and other academic and policy journals.