The Next Frontier Seminar at BRSL
The Next Frontier Seminar (NFS) is a multi-university fellowship program at BRSL. Through its flagship year-long fellowship and associated programming, NFS identifies and develops exceptional undergraduate and graduate students working at the critical intersection of international affairs and emerging technology. The program prepares a small number of outstanding talents for impactful careers in government, industry, and academia, while fostering durable, cross-institutional relationships among emerging leaders.
About This Program
Frontier technologies are reshaping international affairs, creating unprecedented challenges and opportunities. The founding objective of the Next Frontier Seminar is to meet this moment by identifying exceptionally talented undergraduate and graduate students and developing their skills and perspectives through a rigorous, hands-on program. NFS accepts fellows from a range of backgrounds at our partner universities and combines them into interdisciplinary cohorts. Over the course of a year, fellows develop research projects related to real and pressing issues, working closely with academic mentors, senior practitioners, and field-leading policy experts. While the purpose of the projects is to develop hard skills and global perspectives, many fellows ultimately publish their work in academic journals and policy publications. Nearly all brief their findings directly to policy leaders in their field of interest. As part of our mission to identify excellent talent and to ensure accessibility of our program, NFS charges no fees and covers all associated travel and program expenses for our fellows.
Originally operated as an independent nonprofit organization, the Next Frontier Seminar is distinguished by its inter-university structure and network of expert mentors. The program is directed by NFS Founding Member Daniel Kroth (Program Director and Research Scholar at BRSL) and advised by an inter-university board of our partner institutions. NFS’s new home at the University of California Berkeley provides a deeper academic foundation and greater real-world relevance for fellows’ work. As a leading research hub at the intersection of technology and security, BRSL offers students access to an interdisciplinary community of faculty, researchers, and practitioners actively shaping policy debates, allowing fellows to ground their research in rigorous scholarship while engaging directly with pressing challenges in defense, technology governance, and global competition. At the same time, retaining an inter-university structure ensures that NFS continues to draw on the strengths of multiple academic communities. By convening fellows from leading universities with diverse disciplinary backgrounds and institutional perspectives, the program broadens its intellectual range and exposes students to ways of thinking about technology and security that extend beyond any single campus.
Eligibility
The Next Frontier Seminar admits undergraduate and graduate students from our partner institutions. At present, we accept applications from students at:
- Yale University
- Oxford University
- Stanford University
- The University of California, Berkeley
Undergraduate students must have completed one year of coursework prior to the start of the NFS cycle to which they are applying. Successful applicants for team lead positions are nearly always graduate students.
We welcome applications from students in any field of study so long as the applicant can articulate a clear interest in and aptitude for research related to international affairs and/or technology policy.
Application
Application requirements:
- A one-page statement explaining your motivation for applying to NFS, the career objectives it will advance, and your qualifications to succeed in a rigorous, self-directed research project.
- A CV or resumé
- A single-author writing sample
- A current transcript
- Application form
- A brief project proposal
Applicants may indicate whether they are interested in a team lead role (see FAQs for more on the team lead role) to coordinate a research team’s activities. These roles are typically filled by graduate students, often with relevant professional experience. Applicants for team lead positions will automatically be considered for team positions if they are not selected for team lead roles.
Following the review of these materials, some applicants will be invited to a first-round interview to discuss their interest in and fit for the program. Applicants who advance from this first round interview will be invited to a second round panel interview to discuss their application in detail.
Applications will be reviewed by a panel of experts from across the NFS network and our partner institutions.
Please apply directly on the NFS website.
Admission Criteria
NFS is a competitive program, and in view of this, we invest considerable time in evaluating applications. This allows us to rely less on quantitative metrics (like grades, though successful applicants typically have high marks in coursework) and more on a holistic assessment of the fit of a student’s stated goals with the program and a student’s ability to meet their stated goals.
Applications will be assessed on the basis of the clarity of an applicant’s motivation, their ability to execute their proposed work, and their ability to make the most of the program’s resources. Given this, successful applicants may possess a variety of skills and qualifications. For example, an applicant proposing a quantitative analysis should demonstrate strong capabilities in mathematics, but rigorous preparation in mathematics may not weaken an application proposing to undertake qualitative historical analysis.
We encourage application from a variety of backgrounds. Though many successful applicants have backgrounds in public policy, law, political science, or computer science, many others have backgrounds in the natural sciences, area studies, or fine arts.
Program and Schedule Commitments
NFS is a year-long program anchored by three mandatory in-person events. Over the course of the program, fellows produce one major piece of written work and several related briefings and presentations. Fellows typically produce several shorter pieces over the course of their time in the program.
Participating in NFS is a substantial commitment of time and effort. The program requires considerable self-direction and initiative. Producing high-quality research and engaging with principals can be deeply rewarding, but can also be demanding. Fellows should expect a typical week at NFS to mirror a seminar course, and should expect the lead-up to presentations to involve periods of increased workload alongside preparations for travel.
Program Costs
NFS does not charge fees nor tuition. Travel costs are covered by the program.
FAQ
The NFS Program:
What kinds of research topics does NFS support?
We define international affairs broadly to include topics related to international relations, national and international security, international law, and global governance. In practice, many NFS projects sit at the intersection of these fields and emerging technologies.
We welcome both qualitative and quantitative approaches, as well as interdisciplinary work drawing from fields such as computer science, engineering, economics, history, and the natural sciences. The most successful projects combine rigorous analysis with clear relevance to contemporary policy questions.
NFS welcomes both competitive and cooperative approaches to policy-relevant questions, ranging from traditional “hard” national security topics to challenges such as global climate coordination.
What do NFS fellows do during the fellowship?
Fellows work in small teams at their university to conduct original research on real-world policy challenges, culminating in a major written project, an academic presentation, and policy briefings to experts and policymakers. Many students choose to produce shorter public policy writings like op-eds or essays based on their research.
Can I participate alongside full-time coursework?
Yes, fellows typically participate alongside coursework or graduate research, but the program is a significant commitment requiring consistent effort.
Do fellows receive academic credit?
NFS serves as a finishing research experience and does not offer academic credit. In some cases at some partner institutions, fellows may organize credit through an independent study program based on their contributions to their NFS project and addendum of original work.
Admissions and Application:
My degrees/field of study are not explicitly related to international affairs or science and technology. Can I still apply?
Yes. We value perspectives and approaches from a variety of fields and academic disciplines. We are looking for intellectually curious students who are excited to engage with questions at the intersection of emerging technology and international affairs, regardless of their primary field of study.
Does NFS have a GPA requirement?
No, though admission is competitive and successful applicants typically receive high marks in coursework. We are aware that grading norms may vary between fields and institutions and consider this as part of holistic review.
I have completed the coursework phase of my graduate program. Can I participate in NFS?
Yes, NFS welcomes students at all stages of their degree program.
I do not have an affiliation with one of your partner institutions. Can I participate in NFS?
At this time, NFS is only open to students affiliated with our partner institutions. Because the program is built around close-knit, university-based teams and sustained in-person collaboration, we are not currently able to support participation beyond those institutions.
NFS accepts applications from undergraduate and graduate students. For more information, contact the NFS team at admin@nextfrontierseminar.org, reach out to Program Director Daniel Kroth at dkroth@berkeley.edu, or visit the NFS website: