William Potter

Professor; Director, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies

William Potter
Office
499 Van Buren Street, Rm. 234
Tel
(831) 647-4154
Email
wpotter@middlebury.edu

Potter was trained as a Soviet specialist and wrote his first book on the technology, economics, and politics of nuclear nonproliferation. He soon became fascinated by parallels in Soviet and U.S. nuclear export and nonproliferation policy and the degree of cooperation between the two Cold War adversaries in the sphere of nonproliferation. As such, he was one of the very few scholars knowledgeable about both Soviet affairs and the dangers of nuclear weapons spread when the Soviet Union collapsed. He parlayed that knowledge and an interest in “open source” (unclassified) data collection to build what soon became the largest research and training center on curtailing the spread of weapons of mass destruction in the world—the Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS). 

He also launched the first major graduate concentration in nonproliferation studies, which subsequently became the MA in Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies. He is best known for his work on disarmament and nonproliferation education, including the use of simulations in pedagogy, and his research on multilateral nuclear negotiations in the context of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). He also has served as a delegate at every NPT Review Conference and Preparatory Committee meeting since 1995. In addition, he has served on numerous committees of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and for five years was a member of the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters. 

In 2021 he received the Therese Delpech Memorial Award from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in recognition for his role in “Fostering the people and the policies for a safer world.” In 2024 he was appointed Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research.

Courses Taught

Course Description

This course is a simulation of the third NPT Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) meeting, which will be held in New York from April 28-May 9, 2025. The focus of the next PrepCom is hard to anticipate, but it is apt to be especially contentious as it is charged to present recommendations to the next NPT Review Conferenced scheduled for 2026, including with respect to nuclear disarmament, nonproliferation, and peaceful uses of nuclear energy, as well as regional security. Among major subjects likely to be debated are: the pace of and potential for meaningful nuclear disarmament, arms control, and nuclear risk reduction; further strengthening of the NPT review process; the erosion of nuclear norms accentuated by imprudent rhetoric about nuclear weapons use and attacks on and foreign occupation of civilian nuclear facilities; the integrity of nuclear security assurances; the deployment of nuclear weapons outside of national territories, sharing of naval propulsion technology; viability of nuclear-weapon-free zones; DPRK nuclear brinkmanship; Iran’s nuclear intentions; the future of the CTBT; the potential for nuclear terrorism; and the prospects for peaceful nuclear use. The base point for the simulation is the “real world” at the time of the course.

Terms Taught

Fall 2022 - MIIS, Fall 2023 - MIIS, Fall 2024 - MIIS

View in Course Catalog

Course Description

This course is a simulation of the third NPT Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) meeting, which will be held in New York from April 28-May 9, 2025. The focus of the next PrepCom is hard to anticipate, but it is apt to be especially contentious as it is charged to present recommendations to the next NPT Review Conferenced scheduled for 2026, including with respect to nuclear disarmament, nonproliferation, and peaceful uses of nuclear energy, as well as regional security. Among major subjects likely to be debated are: the pace of and potential for meaningful nuclear disarmament, arms control, and nuclear risk reduction; further strengthening of the NPT review process; the erosion of nuclear norms accentuated by imprudent rhetoric about nuclear weapons use and attacks on and foreign occupation of civilian nuclear facilities; the integrity of nuclear security assurances; the deployment of nuclear weapons outside of national territories, sharing of naval propulsion technology; viability of nuclear-weapon-free zones; DPRK nuclear brinkmanship; Iran’s nuclear intentions; the future of the CTBT; the potential for nuclear terrorism; and the prospects for peaceful nuclear use. The base point for the simulation is the “real world” at the time of the course.

Terms Taught

Fall 2025 - MIIS

View in Course Catalog

Areas of Interest

Much of Potter’s research has related to issues of multilateral nuclear diplomacy, US-Soviet/Russian arms control negotiations, illicit nuclear trafficking, and forecasting proliferation developments. His research is informed by his extensive experience as a participant in negotiations related to the NPT, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone. These issues also figure prominently in his teaching. His personal mission—“training the next generation of nonproliferation specialists at home and abroad”—also serves as the overarching mission of CNS.

Academic Degrees

  • PhD in Political Science, University of Michigan
  • MA in Political Science, University of Michigan
  • BA in Government, Southern Illinois University

Professor Potter has been teaching at the Institute since 1989.

Publications

Dr. Potter has contributed chapters and articles to over one hundred and twenty scholarly books and journals.

Books

  • Death Dust:  The Rise, Decline, and Future of Radiological Weapons Programs (2023)
  • Nuclear Politics and the Non-Aligned Movement: Principles vs. Pragmatism (2012)
  • The Four Faces of Nuclear Terrorism (2005); Tactical Nuclear Weapons: Options for Control (2000)
  • Nuclear Profiles of the Soviet Successor States (1993)
  • Soviet Decisionmaking for Chernobyl: An Analysis of System Performance and Policy Change (1990)
  • Nuclear Power and Nonproliferation: An Interdisciplinary Perspective (1982)

Editor

  • The Four Faces of Nuclear Terrorism (2005)
  • Tactical Nuclear Weapons: Options for Control (2000)
  • Nuclear Profiles of the Soviet Successor States (1993)
  • Soviet Decisionmaking for Chernobyl: An Analysis of System Performance and Policy Change (1990)
  • Nuclear Power and Nonproliferation: An Interdisciplinary Perspective (1982)

Co-Editor

  • Once and Future Partners: The United States, Russia, and Nuclear Non-Proliferation (2018) 
  • Preventing Black-Market Trade in Nuclear Technology (2018)
  • Forecasting Nuclear Nonproliferation in the 21st Century (2 volumes, 2010)
  • Engaging China and Russia on Nuclear Disarmament (2009)
  • The Global Politics of Combating Nuclear Terrorism: A Supply Side Approach (2009)
  • Dangerous Weapons, Desperate States (1999)
  • Dismantling the Cold War: U.S. and NIS Perspectives on the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program (1997)
  • Soviet Decisionmaking for National Security (1984)
  • The Nuclear Suppliers and Nonproliferation (1985)
  • Continuity and Change in Soviet-East European Relations (1989)
  • International Missile Bazaar: The New Suppliers’ Network (1994)

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