Dr. Sergei Khrushchev

As a Senior Fellow at the Watson Institute for International Studies, Dr. Sergei Khrushchev focuses his research on the former Soviet Union’s transition from a centralized to a decentralized society, as well as its transformation from a central to a market economy and its international security during this transition. One of his points of interest is the creation of a criminal society in Russia as a consequence of the mistakes in the early stages of market reformation. He is also interested in the history of the Cold War and the turning points in relations between the US and the Soviet Union in the Khrushchev, Eisenhower, and Kennedy periods. Another focus of Dr. Khrushchev’s interests is the history of Soviet missiles and space development, in which he played an active role, from 1958-1968. He has been notably involved in various projects including the development of the "Proton," the world’s largest space booster.

Dr. Khrushchev has been a Senior Fellow since 1996 and a Senior Visiting Scholar from 1991-1996 at the Thomas J. Watson Jr. Institute for International Studies. In 1990, he was a Fellow at the Institute of Politics, John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. From 1968-1991, he served at the Control Computer Institute in Moscow, rising from Section Head to First Deputy Director in charge of research. From 1958-1968, he was an engineer, then Deputy Section head in charge of guidance systems for missile and space design. He provides detailed analysis on the Cuban Missile Crisis, exploring the strategic parallels between Cuba for the USSR and West Berlin for the USA, and discusses the reasons behind the near miss of nuclear war during this period.

Dr. Khrushchev holds a Soviet doctoral degree from the Ukrainian Academy of Science, a Ph.D. from Moscow Technical University, and an M.A. with distinction from the Moscow Electric Power Institute. His academic achievements have been recognized with several prestigious awards including the Lenin Prize, the Prize of the Council of Ministers of the U.S.S.R., the Hammer and Sickle Gold Star, and the title "Hero of Socialist Labor."

Currently, he is teaching at Brown University and lecturing at the Naval War College in Newport, RI. He remains a regular commentator for the American media on topics related to Russia and its history. Dr. Khrushchev is the author of several books including "Khrushchev on Khrushchev" (1990), "Nikita Khrushchev: Crisis and Missiles" (1994), and "Nikita Khrushchev and the Creation of a Super Power" (2000), which are published in 12 languages worldwide. His presentations on the complexities of US-Soviet relations and the history of the Soviet space program are well-regarded, drawing positive feedback from diverse audiences, including educational and military institutions.