Polish-born Zbigniew Brzezinski served as Carter’s national security advisor. A former professor at Harvard University and then Columbia University, Brzezinski specialized in knowledge about the Soviet Union, its various nationalities, and its totalitarian government. In 1981, Carter awarded his advisor the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A highly respected advisor, Brzezinski won a place on the Chemical Warfare Commission during the Reagan Administration. He is the author of numerous books on foreign policy.