Sponsored Research

The Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU) promotes the production of new evidence that will inform the practice of security cooperation. DSCU sponsors research that meets standards of scientific rigor and aligns substantively with Department of Defense priorities. DSCU’s Young Institute executes the sponsored research program and is committed to ensuring that findings are shared widely to advance the study of security cooperation and evidence-based decision making. 

Research Proposals

DSCU is currently accepting grant proposals for theoretical, empirical, and data-building research that develops the body of knowledge on security cooperation. The grants competition is open to all researchers anywhere in the world. A Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO) is posted on Grants.gov, with details on project eligibility, research priorities, and the application process.

Funded Projects

Following rigorous, multi-round reviews of applications, DSCU has awarded the following grants and cooperative agreements for research on a wide range of security cooperation topics. DSCU is able to sponsor these research projects due to support from both appropriators and authorizers in Congress to fulfill the mandate in 10 U.S.C. 384. 

DSCU Research Grants
Project Title
Research Team

Security Cooperation Value Propositions: A Handbook for Practitioners 

Dr. Daniel Byman and Mr. Alexander Palmer 

Defense Acquisition and Contracting Approaches: Implications for Foreign Military Sales 

Dr. Jerry McGinn and Mr. Seamus Daniels 

Hegemon’s Curve: Defense Production, Market Power and Influence in the Global Arms Trade 

Dr. Jonathan Caverley 

The Value Arms Ecosystem: New Data on Stockpiles, Production Capacity, and Transfers 

Dr. Vasabjit Banerjee and Dr. Benjamin Tkach 

NATO Joint Acquisition: A History 

Mr. Robert Foxcurran 

Contested Logistics and Combined Operations: Lessons from World War II 

Dr. Ryan Grauer and Dr. Rosella Cappella Zielinski 

Contingency Access: Can Peacetime Security Cooperation Secure Wartime Access? 

Dr. Rachel Metz 

Niche Militaries and Alliance Burden-Sharing 

Dr. J Andres Gannon 

Partner Domestic Politics and U.S. Influence 

Dr. Alexandra Chinchilla 

The Doctrine Factor in Ukraine’s Employment of US Arms Transfers 

Dr. Robert Hamilton 

Formal and Informal Security Assistance: Improving Aid and Training Programs 

Dr. William Reno and Dr. Ryan Burke 

Train the World: Security Assistance and Influence in International Relations 

Dr. Renanah Joyce 

Evaluating U.S. International Military Education with Turkey and Tunisia 

Dr. Sharan Grewal and Dr. Monica Toft 

Assessing the Impact of Chinese Professional Military Education Activities in Latin America 

Dr. Meia Nouwens and Dr. Roman Ortiz 

Swords into Plowshares into Swords: A History of Building Partner Forces in Somalia 1991-1994 

Dr. Frank Sobchak 

Contact

If you are interested in learning more about DSCU-sponsored research, please "sign up here." To contact the Grants team, email dsca.dscu.grants@mail.mil.