Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory



The Center for Global Security Research (CGSR) was established at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in 1996 to serve as a bridge between the science, technology, and national security policy communities. It focuses on emerging national security challenges in the areas of deterrence, assurance, and strategic stability.

CGSR’s Objectives

  • To explore the dynamics of potential 21st century strategic conflicts (i.e., those with a potential nuclear aspect) and to formulate ideas about how to achieve U.S. deterrence and other objectives in such conflicts.
  • To explore the sources and characteristics of strategic competition in the emerging security environment and to formulate organizing concepts to enhance the competitive position of the United States and its allies and partners over the long term.
  • To identify whether and how technically-based approaches can address new challenges to national and international security.
  • To catalyze broader national and international thinking about the requirements of effective deterrence, assurance, and strategic stability in a changed and changing security environment.
  • To assist in the development of new generations of experts motivated by a clear view of the changed and changing security environment.

CGSR's Approach

The center has three main lines of effort.

  • Listen and Learn: the Center convenes seminars with outside speakers to better understand national policy priorities and national and international developments bearing on the lab’s missions.
  • Support: the Center provides analysis and expertise to laboratory leadership in support of strategic planning and to national leadership in policy development and implementation.
  • Intellectual Leadership: the Center convenes workshops, commissions research, and generates publications aimed at advancing thinking about contemporary and emerging national security challenges related to strategic conflict.

The Center’s work is conducted on an entirely unclassified basis. It is also multidisciplinary and entirely nonpartisan in character.

CGSR Brochures


The Center has strong partnerships with many other organizations in the United States and abroad. These help to ensure that its work is informed by a diversity of perspectives and interests. In 2016, CGSR inaugurated a monograph series, the Livermore Papers on Global Security. The series is designed to provide in-depth analysis of major emerging challenges in the security environment and their implications.


Thrust Areas

The analytical work of the center is organized around five main thrust areas. These are:


For more information, contact CGSR at cgsr-info@llnl.gov (925) 422-6141