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UK Project on Nuclear Issues Annual Conference 2022

This year’s conference offers a next-generation perspective on the state of nuclear issues and how they might evolve amidst an increasingly uncertain security environment

calendarclock - (BST)
locationSt James, London

In-Person Conference Pass

UK PONI Network

Overview

The Annual Conference is a hallmark of the UK Project on Nuclear Issues, having established itself as the premier UK forum for showcasing the expertise of a new generation working on nuclear issues.

By bringing together emerging and established experts from across the nuclear field, the conference promotes a diverse, informed dialogue on pressing nuclear topics. It provides attendees a chance to discuss and debate fresh perspectives by engaging with other nuclear specialists from academia, government, industry, and the military.

This year, the conference seeks to address the current state-of-play and possible future trends in the nuclear field through panel presentations from emerging experts on topics like:

  • The nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament landscape
  • The UK nuclear enterprise and the sustainability of nuclear skills
  • Future nuclear technologies
  • The motivations and implications of China’s nuclear modernisation
     

The conference also features high-profile keynote speakers and opportunities for attendees to attend a small careers fair and make new connections through a lunch and a drinks reception. We are delighted to announce that the first confirmed keynote speaker is Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins, the United States Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security. 

UK PONI is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment, and we encourage attendance by women, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities.

In-Person Conference Pass

UK PONI Network

Agenda

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    Registration

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    Welcome Message

    Professor Malcolm Chalmers, Deputy Director-General and Interim UK PONI Director, RUSI

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    Opening Keynote

    Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, US Department of State

    Chair: Professor Malcolm Chalmers, Deputy Director-General and Interim UK PONI Director, RUSI

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    Panel One: The Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament Landscape

    Sara Bundtzen, Research & Policy Associate, Institute for Strategic Dialogue
    '(Dis)Information Operations on social media: Implications for nuclear regimes and treaties'

    Lucy Millington, Graduate Physicist, Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE)
    'Are nuclear breakout times an effective way of measuring a country’s proliferation risk?'

    Liv Muldal El Baz, Postgraduate Student, King’s College London
    'Strategic stability and the role of space: Challenges and opportunities'

    Chair: Dr Ana Alecsandru, Proliferation and Nuclear Policy Research Fellow and UK PONI Programme Manager, RUSI

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    COFFEE BREAK

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    Panel Two: The UK Nuclear Enterprise and the Sustainability of Nuclear Skills

    Ben Goold, Safety Assessment Specialist, AWE
    Lacey-Jo Marsland, Safety Assessment Specialist, AWE
    'The role of nuclear in UK energy resilience'

    Robbie Lyons, Consultant, PA Consulting
    'Getting ready to learn: How to enable the UK nuclear enterprise to deliver progressive cost improvement'

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    LUNCH

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    Lunch Keynote

    Samantha Job, Director for Defence and International Security, UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

    Professor Malcolm Chalmers, Deputy Director-General and Interim UK PONI Director, RUSI

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    Panel Three: Future Nuclear Technologies

    Alex Langton, Graduate Engineer, AWE
    Kate Taylor, Operations & Technical Support Assistant, NNL
    'Nuclear waste: A burden from the past or a fuel for the future?'

    Aylin Matlé, Research Fellow, German Council on Foreign Relations
    'Cause for concern? The impact of low-yield nuclear weapons on assurance dynamics in NATO'

    Joshua Mulholland, Scientist, UK Ministry of Defence
    Rhiannon McGrady, Senior Business Analyst, UK Ministry of Defence
    'Unconventional uses for non-conventional weapons: a look into exo-planetary applications for the nuclear stockpile'

    Chair: Paul Jagger, Babcock International

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    COFFEE BREAK

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    Panel Four: China's Nuclear Modernisation and Regional Implications

    Zuzanna Gwadera, Research Assistant, King’s College London'
    A window of opportunity for arms control? Evolving Chinese approaches to crisis stability and nuclear escalation'

    Seungcheol Lee, Student, University of Edinburgh
    'Understanding China’s nuclear modernization: Motivations and implications for the global non-proliferation regime'

    Jamie Withorne, Affiliate, Oslo Nuclear Project, University of Oslo
    'Pixelated tigers? Assessing the relationship between OSINT, China, and regional nuclear deterrence'

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    Closing Keynote

A drinks reception will follow the closing keynote for all attendees who wish to join.

How to attend

You can still register your interest to attend the conference by signing up to the waitlist. If you have queries regarding attending the conference email: ukponi@rusi.org.

UK Project on Nuclear Issues

The UK Project on Nuclear Issues (UK PONI) is a cross-generational network of over 1,600 registered members which encourages young scholars and professionals to engage with established experts on contemporary nuclear issues.

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Sponsors

  • Gold Sponsors: Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE)

    Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) are Gold Sponsors of the UK PONI Annual Conference.

  • Gold Sponsors: Lockheed Martin UK

    Lockheed Martin UK are Gold Sponsors of the UK PONI Annual Conference 2022.

  • Gold Sponsors: National Nuclear Laboratory

    National Nuclear Laboratory are Gold Sponsors of the UK PONI Annual Conference 2022.

  • Silver Sponsors

    Babcock, BAE Systems, MASS, Ministry of Defence, and Rolls-Royce are Silver Sponsors of the UK PONI Annual Conference 2022

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