Timothy Ward Nichols

Visiting Professor of the Practice in the Sanford School of Public Policy

Tim Nichols (B.A, UVA; M.A, USF; M.B.A.,NCSU) Tim served as an intelligence officer in the Marine Corps for over 21 years with extensive experience in the special operations, intelligence, and counterterrorism fields. His overseas experience spanned deployments to Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Middle East, East Africa, Central America, and the Pacific. He was designated a Regional Affairs Officer for East Africa. While in Iraq, he directed a joint interagency task force attempting to track and target foreign extremists traveling to Iraq for violent activities. Prior to his retirement from the military, Tim taught courses in Leadership, Ethics, and Management at Duke, UNC, and NC State for four years. In addition to his consulting activities, Tim is currently a research fellow and visiting  professor of the practice in the School of Public Policy at Duke University. He is the executive director of the Counterterrorism and Public Policy Fellowship Program and the Faculty Representative for the Master of National Security Policy Program.  His research interests and teaching responsibilities include  policy analysis, intelligence, interagency coordination, national security, homeland security and counterterrorism policy.

Appointments and Affiliations

  • Visiting Professor of the Practice in the Sanford School of Public Policy

Contact Information

  • Office Location: 128 Rubenstein Hall, Box 90250, Durham, NC 27708
  • Email Address: timothy.nichols@duke.edu

Education

  • A.B. University of Virginia, 1989
  • M.A. University of South Florida, 2000
  • M.B.A. North Carolina State University, 2010

Courses Taught

  • PUBPOL 881: Professional Practice in National Security
  • PUBPOL 804: Policy Analysis II
  • PUBPOL 507S: Intelligence for National Security
  • PUBPOL 505S: National Security Decision Making
  • POLSCI 565S: National Security Decision Making
  • POLSCI 564S: Intelligence for National Security

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