UK PONI Annual Conference 2026

Attendees are requested to arrive at least five minutes before the conclusion of registration to guarantee they are seated for the start of the conference.

Welcome remarks will be given by Rachel Ellehuus, Director-General, RUSI.

The opening keynote speaker will be announced shortly.

09:40 - 10:20: Presentations

'Allied Anxiety and Nuclear Ambition: Rethinking Proliferation in an Era of Uncertain U.S. Commitments'
Nour Eid 

'Strengthening European Nuclear Deterrence: Better Leveraging the Arsenals of the UK and France' 
Anandi Sweere, VCDNP 

'On Sub-Strategic Nuclear Deterrence: Strategy, Posture, and Credibility'
Eli Glickman, University of Oxford 

10:20 - 10:45 Panel Q&A

Coffee and tea will be available for conference attendees.

This session will introduce the poster competition and how voting will be managed during the day.

11:30 – 12:10 Presentations  

'Drones, Hybrid Pressure and Nuclear Stability: How UAV Intrusions Expose New Vulnerabilities'
Evan Curran-Ross 

'"Nukes Don't Exist": How Fringe Conspiracies and Information Warfare Threaten Nuclear Deterrence'
Annabel Biggs, AWE 

'Securing the Unsecured: Attacks on Nuclear Facilities'
Ali Alkış, Hacettepe University

12:10 – 12:45 Panel Q&A  

Lunch will be available for conference delegates. Attendees will also have an opportunity to view the posters as part of the competition and network.

The lunchtime keynote address will be given by Charlotte Nichols MP, Chair APPG Nuclear Energy

14:15 – 14:55 Presentations 

'Utilising Am-241 from Legacy Civil Plutonium Stockpiles for Long-Duration Deep-Sea Sensor Networks'
Jack Lines, Cavendish Nuclear 

'The Next Generation: Are UK Schools Reinforcing Nuclear Misconceptions?'
Iden Starfire, AWE 

'What the UK Should Learn from the Franco Nuclear Renaissance'
Hugo Clark, Rolls-Royce

14:55 – 15:30 Panel Q&A

There will be a 30 minute break beween panels. Refreshments will be provides to conference delegates.

16:00 – 16:40     Presentations 

'Red Lines in Grey Zones: Russian Nuclear Signalling in the Ukraine War'
Diana Kuznetsova, King's College London 

'Beyond Abstract Assurance: Limited Nuclear Use and Extended Deterrence in Northeast Asia'
Sang Hun Seok, University of Cambridge 

'The New Strategic Vulnerability: Critical Material Dependencies in the Emerging Fusion Economy'
Zewelanji Nalwamba, University of Leicester 

16:40 – 17:10  Panel Q&A

We will announce the poster competition winners and provide closing remarks to the conference.

There will be a networking drinks reception for all conference delegates to attend.