Lily’s interest in nuclear grand strategy stretches back to her senior international relations thesis, which was on nuclear nonproliferation. She has subsequently emerged as an expert in the field of nuclear security and strategy.

A Ph.D candidate at American University, she is using her time at the Hertie School to finish her dissertation, “Extended Nuclear Deterrence: How Allies Assess Credibility During Credibility Crises.” Lily has won multiple fellowships in recognition of her outstanding scholarship; she’s a 2024-2025 USIP-Minerva Peace and Security Scholar, a Hans Morgenthau Fellow, and a member of the 2024 Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Nuclear Scholars Initiative.

Her other scholarly interests are Russian foreign policy and U.S.-Russian relations. Her recent paper, “The Problem with Presidents: Managing Alliances in the Wake of Elections,” considers how U.S. allies may perceive American nuclear credibility in light of the 2024 election.

Lily has an M.A. in Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. She has previously worked for the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, and the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation.