“I must constantly jump between technical issues and the policy world,” writes Ladha. “From my time at Tech, I took away a few key lessons that have served me well in life. First, I learned how important it is to not constrain oneself, especially early on in one's career. Because the Sam Nunn School [of International Affairs (INTA)] fits so nicely into the larger Tech community, I took advantage of those mandatory computer science and mathematics courses that seem, at first glance, to be irrelevant to the INTA curriculum. But rather than take them at face value and get through them just to fulfill a requirement, I took the time to learn more about the subject material. This approach, combined with my INTA education, provided me with the foundation I needed to take a private sector consulting job after graduation that sent me to live in India for the better half of a year working on offshoring and outsourcing issues."

"Second, I took advantage of the many benefits that come with studying in a smaller but well-established program. Many of these benefits are latent - immediate access to faculty, more intimate class sizes, etc. But to really get the most out of my INTA education, I attended every event possible - from the Cypriot ambassador to the US speaking about the possibility of Turkey's accession to the EU, to a former US Foreign Service officer sharing his thoughts on the future of the Middle East. I listened, took notes, asked good questions, and networked."

"Finally, I got the name recognition that comes as a direct result of the tireless work of the Nunn School's faculty and staff. The School recently launched a PhD program and was accepted to APSIA as a full member. This last note is extremely critical, because it lends the School an enhanced degree of visibility and credibility that I have been able to leverage time and again. Of course, Senator Nunn's 2007 op-ed with Henry Kissinger, William Perry, and George Shultz in the Wall Street Journal hasn't hurt, either!”

Ladha manages online communications for the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), and writes a nuclear-themed blog at his own site.

Photo:  Ladha, at far right, is pictured with President Obama