Hamzah Daud

Hamzah Daud is a rising junior studying International Relations and Political Science. This summer he’s working at the State Department on issues of nuclear policy and nonproliferation, and is interested in promoting international security. Hamzah spoke with us about his decision to study IR and how to make the most of research opportunities at Stanford.

Terrible foreign policy and security decisions shaped my childhood and my worldview. I spent a sizable part of my life in Karachi, Pakistan where I experienced the effects of botched U.S. foreign policies up close as our family navigated violent protests and riots, the assassination of the prime minister, and the fear of bombings. We eventually moved back to the United States, but those chaotic early years imprinted in me the importance and impact of U.S. foreign policy decision making. 

However, because of my family’s modest means, most of my public service during high school was limited to local organizations and causes. I was not able to travel abroad or to Washington, D.C., and explore the international issues that I was passionate about. Now, being so fortunate as I am to study at Stanford, I wanted to take advantage of the opportunities this school provides and decided to fully engage with the subject.

This summer I will be interning at the U.S. Department of State in the Office of Nuclear Energy, Safety, and Security (NESS). NESS develops U.S. policy related to peaceful nuclear cooperation, nuclear safety, nuclear export controls, and the protection of nuclear materials and facilities, in furtherance of U.S. nuclear nonproliferation goals. Last summer, and during this past academic year, I was a research assistant to Professor Scott Sagan working on nuclear weapons-related work. I thoroughly enjoyed working with him, and this internship is an extension of that newfound interest in nuclear security policy.

I’ll be studying abroad in Florence this fall, so I’m incredibly excited about the adventures that lay ahead there.