Dr. Oelrich is the senior fellow for the Strategic Security Program at the Federation of American Scientists. His introduction to national security began at the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA). Dr. Oelrich left IDA for a one-year fellowship at the Center for Science and International Affairs at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. On his return to Washington DC, he accepted a position as a senior analyst at the Office of Technology Assessment. After returning to IDA, he focused on several research sectors on environmental restoration and development for military lands. Oelrich received his Ph.D. from Princeton University in chemistry.