Ambassador Robert Joseph is a Senior Scholar at the National Institute for Public Policy. Until March 2007, Ambassador Joseph was Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security. In this capacity, he reported directly to the Secretary of State as the principal State Department officer for non- and counterproliferation matters, arms control, arms transfers, regional security and defense relations, and security assistance. His management responsibilities included oversight of three major bureaus headed by Assistant Secretaries of State: International Security and Nonproliferation, Political and Military Affairs, and Verification, Compliance, and Implementation.

Previously, from January 2001 through November 2004, Dr. Joseph served on the National Security Council as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Proliferation Strategy, Counterproliferation, and Homeland Defense. In this capacity, he was responsible, under the supervision of the National Security Advisor, for developing and coordinating U.S. policies and strategies for preventing, deterring, and defending against threats to the United States from weapons of mass destruction. Earlier, he was Principal Deputy Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Forces and Arms Control.

Dr. Joseph was also the founder and Director of the Center for Counterproliferation Research at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. His awards include the National Defense University President’s Award for Individual Achievement and the National Nuclear Security Administration Gold Medal for Distinguished Service. He also received the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Civilian Service (and Bronze Palm), and multiple Senior Executive Service Meritorious Achievements citations. In 2006, he was the recipient of the annual Ronald Reagan Award for his contributions to U.S. missile defense.