The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)3 non-profit, non-partisan research organization dedicated to enhancing international peace and security in the 21st century. The Center was originally formed as the research branch of Council for a Livable World, an organization founded in 1962 by eminent nuclear physicist Leo Szilard and other scientists who pioneered the development of atomic weapons and became concerned about their use and spread. In 1980, the Center evolved into its own non-profit, independent organization. Since then, the Center has retained its focus on nuclear weapons but expanded its activities to include other present and emerging security threats. Along with its sister organization, Council for a Livable World, the Center has been at the forefront of U.S. arms control and national security policy for almost 50 years.