Pathfinder: A National Security Essay Contest
Pathfinder: A National Security Essay Contest
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1 Vacancy
Job Description
Overview
Pathfinder run by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) and Breaking Defense is a writing competition for graduate students and early-career professionals. Responding to a prompt authors should analyze a national security challenge and suggest a way to address it inwords. This competition will give the next generation of national security leaders an opportunity to have their writing and analysis published and promoted by both CNAS and Breaking Defense.
To enter applicants should submit their rsum and their essay by Sunday September 28 at 11:59 p.m.
Prompt
Amid growing competition with China war between Russia and Ukraine ongoing conflict in the Middle East domestic security challenges and growing economic uncertainty there is a lot on policymakers plates. What is a national security challenge that isnt talked about enough How can the U.S. policymaking community address it in a bold innovative and bipartisan way
Guidelines
- Applicants must either be enrolled in graduate schoolOR an early-career professional (one to five years of experience excluding military service).
- Applicants must be a U.S. citizen enrolled in a U.S. educational institution or legally reside in the United States.
- Complete applications include:
- Rsum
- 8001000-word essay that analyzes a national security challenge and offers at least one actionable policy recommendation.
- The essay must be the applicants own ideas research and writing. It must not have been published elsewhere and will be exclusive to this CNASBreaking Defense collaboration. To cite their research authors should add hyperlinks to the sources throughout the text rather than footnotes/endnotes.
- The essay mustnot include any content generated by a generative AI tool unless it is as an element of research on AI itself. (For example the author may use generative AI tools to generate text for illustrative purposes to demonstrate the qualities of AI-generated content. This text must be quoted and cited as being AI-generated.)
Judging Rubric
- OriginalityDoes the author offer an original but practical analysis of and solution to a national security challenge
- QualityDoes the author write in a clear and persuasive manner Does the author analyze a national security challenge in a logical way Does the author support their arguments with reputable sources
- ActionableDoes the author provide at least one concrete and specific recommendation that policymakers can act upon
- Knowledge of subject matterDoes the author demonstrate knowledge of the subject matter in both their essay and their rsum
Prizes
- The first-place winner will receive a $1000 honorarium.
- The second-place winner will receive a $500 honorarium.
- The third-place winner will receive a $250 honorarium.
- All three winners will have their pieces edited and published by CNAS and Breaking Defense. All three winners will also receive an invitation to attend the CNAS 2026 National Security Conference in person.
Employment Type
Full Time
