Simon Miles Named New Director of Graduate Studies for the Master of National Security Policy Program at Duke Sanford

Sanford is pleased to announce the appointment of Simon Miles as the new director of graduate studies (DGS) for the Master of National Security Policy Program (MNSP) at the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy.  His term is set to begin on July 1, 2026, and will extend through June 30, 2031.  A historian of strategy and diplomacy, Dr. Miles is an associate professor at the Sanford School. His research and teaching leverages the lessons of the past to better understand and answer today’s national security challenges, with a focus on Russia and Europe as well as the United States. 

Interim Dean Manoj Mohanan expressed his enthusiasm for Miles’ appointment and gratitude for the outgoing DGS, Tim Nichols.  

"We are thrilled to have Simon step into the Director of Graduate Studies role for the MNSP program," said Mohanan. "He is a scholar who can draw deep insights from the past and translate those insights into guidance to tackle the most pressing national security challenges facing us today. That combination makes him an ideal leader for this remarkable program.” 

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"I am excited to take on the role of Director of Graduate Studies for the MNSP program at Sanford," said Miles. "This hybrid program offers a unique opportunity for those currently working in national security to grow and develop as leaders. The MNSP offers our students an invaluable opportunity to hone their analytical and leadership skills as well as to dig into the background of today’s problems and explore solutions. With our standout faculty of scholars and practitioners, we really can give our students from the military, civilian, and private sectors the tools they need to grapple with a dangerous world and its pressing challenges. I am looking forward to helping them learn and grow in the important work they are already doing to keep our world secure.” 

Miles will succeed Tim Nichols, who has served with distinction as the MNSP Director of Graduate Studies for five years. Nichols’ tenure has been marked by a steadfast commitment to student success, interdisciplinary academics, and building a strong alumni network, ensuring the program nimbly responds to the evolving national security policy landscape. 

“I am deeply grateful to Tim Nichols, who has been the inaugural MNSP director.  Tim’s vision, hard work, and leadership shaped and grew the program during his tenure,” noted Mohanan.  “The foundation that Tim built, and the relationships that he cultivated inside and outside of Sanford, will serve students and faculty for years to come.”  

Reflecting on his time as DGS, Nichols commented, "I have enjoyed every milestone in the journey – to include conceptualizing a program, earning faculty and university support and approval, recruiting graduate students, and implementing our program curriculum. The Sanford School is blessed with talented faculty and staff who devote themselves to the preparation of future leaders in the national security arena.   I feel privileged to have serve as the founding Director of Graduate Studies for this program.” 

The Sanford School of Public Policy is among the nation’s leading public policy schools, and offers undergraduate, master’s and doctoral-level degrees in public policy, international development policy and national security policy. The school’s MNSP program -- designed specifically for mid-career professionals -- is an executive, hybrid program addressing traditional, unconventional, and emerging challenges to keep our world secure.