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