Zeena Nisar

Zeena Nisar is a molecular biologist turned policy researcher working at the intersection of economic competitiveness, national security, and emerging technologies. Zeena is currently a Policy Advisor for the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology where she leads policy research on strategic investments, financing, and market demand. Prior to her current position, Zeena was a Technology Policy Fellow with the US Foreign Affairs Committee where she supported export controls, international security, and China-related policymaking across the Department of Defense, the Department of State, and the Department of Commerce. From 2021 - 2022, Zeena was a Schwarzman China fellow with the Wilson Center in DC, where she independently researched and wrote an extensive monograph on cross-border genomic data sharing between the US and China. Zeena holds a BA in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from the University of Colorado and an MS in Global Affairs from Tsinghua University in Beijing. Zeena was a Fulbright fellow in Kyrgyzstan (2019 – 2020), a Schwarzman Scholar in China (2020 – 2021), and is currently a SCSP International Strategy Fellow and Emerging Leader in Biosecurity Fellow.

Zeena Nisar is speaking in her personal capacity. The views and positions expressed are solely those of the speaker, and do not necessarily represent the view or positions of any organization with which the speaker is affiliated.