UK PONI Annual Conference - 10 September 2024

Attendees are requested to arrive several minutes before the conclusion of registration to guarantee they are seated for the start of the conference. Welcome refreshments will be available.

Welcome Remarks:
Malcolm Chalmers, Deputy Director-General, RUSI

Opening keynote address:
Josef Pitt-Rashid, Strategy and Policy Director at the Defence Nuclear Organisation, Ministry of Defence

09:30 – 10:10 Presentations

'European Nuclear Deterrence: Navigating Autonomy Amidst Transatlantic Shifts'
Ilenia Bruseghello, MA Student, Erasmus Mundus International Master Degree in Security, Intelligence and Strategic Studies at University of Glasgow, Dublin City University and Charles University

'Embracing Multiple Centers of Decision-Making: The Practical Realities Behind a Greater French & UK Role in NATO's Strategic Nuclear Posture'
Andrew Carroll, Nuclear & Missile Operations Officer, United States Air Force

'Improving the Flexibility of UK Nuclear Deterrence: A Framework for Mitigating Nuclear Escalation'
Timothy Levy, Graduate Safety Engineer, Babcock
Charlotte Levy, Safety Engineer, Babcock

Chair: Lukasz Kulesa, Proliferation and Nuclear Policy and UK PONI Director, RUSI

10:10 – 10:45 Panel Q&A

Refreshments will be available for conference attendees.

11:15 – 11:55 Presentations

'Nuclear Propulsion in Space: A Path to Innovation and Economic Growth for the United Kingdom'
Callum McLoughlin, Graduate Engineer, AWE

'New Nuclear: SMRs and the International Nuclear Legal Framework'
Mackenzie Schuessler, Program Coordinator/Research Assistant, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

'The Price of Power: Unravelling the Security Risks of State-led Nuclear Export Programmes'
Sarah Sobalvarro, BA Student in International Relations, King’s College London

Chair: Jeremy Edwards, Head of Nuclear Security Strategy, UK National Nuclear Laboratory

11:55 – 12:30 Panel Q&A

Lunch will be available for conference attendees.

Chris Heffer, Director of Nuclear Power, Infrastructure and Decommissioning, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Chair: Darya Dolzikova, Proliferation and Nuclear Policy Research Fellow, RUSI

14:00 – 14:40 Presentations

'Cracks in the Foundation: The Eroding Stability of Nuclear Deterrence Doctrines against Emerging and Disruptive Technologies'
Vhaire Kim Gudgeon, Student, University of Bristol

'Is MAD Enough – Revisiting the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI)'
Christopher Reynolds, Group Lead Reactor Physics, Rolls-Royce

'New Technologies That Could Render the Oceans Transparent'
Harriet Boyd, Performance and Effectiveness Analyst, MASS
Jack Selwood, Performance and Effectiveness Analyst, MASS

Chair: Cassie Phillips, Rolls-Royce Industrial Partner Lead to the Submarine Delivery Enterprise

14:40 – 15:15 Panel Q&A

Refreshments will be available for conference attendees.

15:45 – 16:25 Presentations

'Two Paths to 2050 - Opportunities for Civil-Defence Collaboration in the UK Nuclear Enterprise'
Jacob Home, Next Generation Nuclear Industry Council
Jack Kitsell, Next Generation Nuclear Industry Council

'Are Infrastructure and Resource Challenges Standing in the Way of the UK’s Nuclear Goals'
Lydia Squires, Mechanical Engineer, AWE

'The Engineering Skills Gap Within the Defence Nuclear Sector'
Freya Vesey, Process Engineer, Cavendish Nuclear

Chair: Malcolm Chalmers, Deputy Director-General, RUSI

16:25 – 16:55 Panel Q&A

16:55 – 17:00 RAdm John Gower CB OBE Poster Competition Award

Prizes will be announced for the first, second and third winners of the UK PONI Annual Conference poster competition

17:00 – 17:30 Closing Keynote Address
Dr Sarah Hiza, Vice President of Engineering & Technology, Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems (RMS)

Chair: Lukasz Kulesa, Proliferation and Nuclear Policy and UK PONI Director, RUSI

There will be a drinks reception held at RUSI’s Library from 17:30 onwards for all speakers, chairs and participants at the conference.