For several decades, we have benefitted from the warmth and wisdom of our wonderful colleague, Owen R. Coté Jr. Owen was devoted to the journal and contributed a large measure of his boundless energy and high brilliance to its cause. He was known for his encyclopedic command of nuclear and military issues, and he possessed a fine analytic mind that enabled him to dissect and diagnose arguments with unusual insight, skills that were invaluable to the journal. His contributions to this enterprise were sustained and immense. He was utterly serious about our work but also brought to our deliberations an appealing enthusiasm and a mischievous sense of humor. It was easy to enjoy working with Owen. At his home base at MIT, Owen was seen as the heart and soul of the Security Studies Program. He leaves behind generations of graduate students and research fellows whom he befriended and mentored. To be sure, many who knew Owen left MIT impressed by his knowledge and intellect. But they also harbored a permanent affection for a man whose generous spirit and endearing persona had enriched their experience and captivated their hearts.
Our friend Owen passed away in June of 2024 after a long and very difficult battle with cancer. He fought valiantly, with truly remarkable grace, grit, and humor. He leaves behind a wide network of friends filled with enormous sadness, a community deeply grieving. Owen was a great colleague. It says something about his devotion to the journal that he spent a portion of his last year reading International Security manuscripts in his hospital bed, usually in considerable pain. His professional contributions will of course be missed. But even more, Owen was a dear friend, a special person, committed, caring, funny, with a gift for friendship and a desire to help. His passing is an enormous loss. And for those of us here at International Security, we must now face both the unimaginable need to carry on without Owen and the impossible task of replacing him.
—The Editors