Murry Smith

1. What do you do?

I am a National Security Analyst for the Global Security Directorate (GSD) at Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), one of several contractors operating the Savannah River Site on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy. I have a few different roles within GSD, but the two main roles include serving as a subject matter expert in international security and nuclear nonproliferation, as well as several internal program and strategy support functions.

At SRNL, “we put science to work.” As a political scientist in a technical organization, I help make that happen by bridging the gap between cutting-edge applied research and development and the policy challenges that SRNL’s research serves to address. Within the broader landscape of international affairs, my job is to anticipate strategic surprise, understand current and future national security challenges, and help apply our technical solutions to the global security challenges you do (and do not) read about in the paper.

My time at Georgia Tech, a brief summer at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology in South Korea, and working for the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs laid the foundation for my subject matter-specific work. My time in the private sector as a consultant and working for the Office of the Athletic Director at Georgia Tech after four years as a walk-on football student-athlete laid the foundation for my program and strategy work.

2. What’s the coolest part of your job?

I have the opportunity to follow my professional dream and help carry forward Sen. Nunn’s legacy of saving the world from weapons of mass destruction. SRNL plays a critical role in maintaining a safe, secure, and reliable nuclear deterrent and reducing global nuclear threats.

I get to work with and next to the scientists and engineers who bring nuclear safeguards, treaty verification, satellite sensors, nuclear waste handling, and so much more from concept to reality. From an interdisciplinary perspective, getting to work on policy at SRNL is potentially the coolest place you could possibly work on nuclear nonproliferation challenges.

3. Why are you passionate about it?

The opportunity to join GSD was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. SRNL has a 70-year history tied to global security missions, and it’s an incredible honor to be a small part of this next chapter.

There are two main reasons I love having the opportunity to serve in this role.

First, most people who know me know the easiest way to get me spun up is to mention anything related to international nuclear nonproliferation or international security. Studying this field and its challenges is a personal passion, and this role is a unique opportunity to apply that passion to a professional endeavor.

Second, there is a fulfilling sense of community that comes with being in a field where everyone knows one another or is only a degree of separation removed. That sense of community gives me a shared purpose and mission that athletics gave me as a student-athlete.

Anyone who navigated that transition out of athletics appreciates what losing a sense of shared purpose and mission can mean on a deeply personal level. Being a part of an organization with that sense of purpose and community is an incredible driver for a passionate and fulfilling career.

4. Which skills from your IAC degree have helped you be successful in this career?

I want to emphasize two skills: communication and technical fluency. Leaning into the technical aspect of a Georgia Tech education and an IAC degree is vital for fully realizing its value.

There’s a terrifying element in leaning into the hard sciences, learning to code, or other Institute-level offerings, especially when HOPE or other scholarships are on the line. Without being self-deprecating, my natural skill sets are far more suited to the social sciences. I steered as clear as I could from technical courses for as long as possible. Thankfully, I eventually got through those courses with the help of incredible tutors and classmates who are now dear friends.

The facet of an IAC degree that includes technical education from one the greatest public engineering institutions in the world sets IAC alumni leagues apart from every other liberal arts program in the country. When you combine technical foundations with the emphasis across IAC offerings in communication , you have a great recipe for a successful career in any field.

Speaking specifically to Nunn School alums, the ability to speak intelligently to technical issues, understand complex topics, communicate them in terms understandable to a broader audience, and serve as the interface at the intersection of technology and policy sets us apart in the job market. Being able to understand and help others navigate complex technical challenges is priceless and an awesome foundation for launching the incredibly fulfilling careers I have seen so many peers embark on.

The interdisciplinary education you receive through an IAC degree from Georgia Tech, with solid technical grounding, will equip any graduate to launch themselves into a successful career, either in a field they are passionate about or in a field where you can find incredibly fulfilling opportunities and experiences.

5. What’s your #1 tip for students and alumni interested in your field?

Be a teammate and be kind. In an organization like a national laboratory, we’re working towards common missions and goals, and you have to bring a relentless teammate and walk-on mentality to the table.

That does not mean setting aside your entire self-interest and needs, but it does mean showing up every day asking, “ok, what am I doing to move us forward today? Where can I add the most value?” Oftentimes, your answer will not be something “fun.”

As a walk-on football player, sometimes that meant pulling five times in a row against a guy who knows you’re pulling towards him and will go on to the NFL. As a professional, sometimes that means having to edit a contracting report.

There’s a quote attributed to a few different people (Anne Galloway, Charles Gordan, or Emily Bernhardt at Duke) that makes the rounds on academic Twitter every now and then, but I love the quote and it reinforces that relentless teammate mentality — “Everyone here is smart, distinguish yourself by being kind.”

Everyone is smart, that’s incredibly true at a school like Georgia Tech or a national lab, but it’s far too easy to lose sight of each other as individuals and people in the pursuit of success. To me, being a relentless teammate and being kind means paying it forward, not only to others but also to yourself.

You pay it forward by speaking with students and alumni, connecting people to professional opportunities where you can, and taking a genuine interest in their success. Most importantly, engage people in good faith, learn to ask good questions, and learn to offer feedback and criticism in a manner that does not make them feel small. You pay it forward to yourself by vigorously stewarding and taking care of your own mental health and well-being (to the greatest extent possible with the tools and resources at your disposal). Being kind, a resource, and a teammate for others is incredibly challenging if you do not watch out for your own well-being.