Cablegate: Tdy Jefferson Fellows: Keep Them Coming

VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMO #5189 3021408
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 291408Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4907

UNCLAS MOSCOW 005189

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR STAS-Fedoroff and ISN/CTR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TSPL APER RS
SUBJECT: TDY JEFFERSON FELLOWS: KEEP THEM COMING

1. (U) Summary: Embassy Moscow supports amending the Jefferson
Science Fellow program to include an 8-10 week TDY at the end of the
Fellowship year. Our first TDY Fellow, Dr. Katherine Radtke,
contributed significantly to the advancement of U.S. science and
technology goals in key areas like nanotechnology and
nonproliferation. Her expertise and previous work with Russian
scientists allowed her to expand our contacts in the scientific
community and engage them on technical issues. We would welcome
future Jefferson Fellows. End summary.

2. (U) Dr. Katherine Radtke, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) just
completed a nine-week TDY with Embassy Moscow. The TDY was an
extension of her Jefferson Science Fellowship (JSF), where she spent
a year working in the Bureau of International Security and
Nonproliferation in the Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction.
(The JSF program is designed to bring senior science and engineering
faculty to State for one year to work on policy issues.) Dr.
Radtke's areas of expertise include drug design and development,
organic chemistry, and the nonproliferation of chemical and
biological weapons. For the past six years she has served as a
consultant on the DoD/HHS Cooperative Threat Reduction program in
Russia on smallpox projects.

3. (U) Dr. Radtke expanded our science and technology engagement and
reporting. For example, she ably represented the U.S. at
expert-level meetings on bioterrorism and nonproliferation, chemical
and biological weapons, problems with USG access to Russian
scientific institutes, and negotiations to move forward with joint
smallpox projects. Dr. Radtke's experience gave her instant
credibility with her interlocutors from the Russian scientific
community and Ministry of Health. Her technical expertise allowed
her to take discussions much further than expected.

4. (U) While in Moscow, Dr. Radtke completed a report on Russia's
evolving nanotechnology policy - a major host government initiative.
Her understanding of the science behind the topic helped her
explain Russia's goals and structure being put in place to achieve
them. Dr. Radtke also undertook several public diplomacy outreach
initiatives, including addressing students at Moscow State
University and the American Center who are interested in the U.S.
scientific establishment.

5. (U) Dr. Radtke's accomplishments in nine short weeks have made us
enthusiastic supporters of the Jefferson Science Fellows program.
We strongly encourage TDY assignments of Jefferson Science Fellows
to an embassy at the end of their Fellowship year. Not only does
the USG benefit directly, but the Fellows gain a fuller perspective
of U.S diplomacy abroad that they can take back to their
universities and to students who might consider State Department
careers.

Burns

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