Speaker Biographies
Ali Alkis
Anandi Sweere
Annabel Biggs
Diana Kuznetsova
Eli Glickman
Evan Curran-Ross
Hugo Clarke
Iden Phoenix Starfire
Nour Eid
Sang Hun Seok
Zewelanji Nalwamba
Working at the intersection of nuclear security, armed conflict, and policy, Ali Alkis is a nuclear security professional from Türkiye and a Junior Associate Fellow at the NATO Defense College. He is pursuing a PhD in Political Science at Hacettepe University in Ankara and is an Emerging Nuclear Security Leader with the Nuclear Threat Initiative. He also contributes to Harvard University’s Ukraine Nuclear Security Working Group.
His work focuses on nuclear security and nonproliferation. Since 2023, he has developed the concept of “nuclear piracy” to describe the coercive appropriation and instrumentalisation of civilian nuclear facilities by state actors during armed conflict, and to highlight gaps in existing nuclear security and governance frameworks. In August 2026, he received the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management Early Award in recognition of his contributions to nuclear security research and policy.
Annabel Biggs is a Computational Physicist and holds a First-Class Honours MSci in Mathematics and Physics from the University of Bath. After spending three years working as a Software Developer, she now works in Nuclear Security at AWE.
Although her professional background is technical, Annabel has always been interested in social studies and international politics. Growing up with a mother who taught Sociology, she spent many dinner-table conversations discussing the role of the media in society. As a result, she has found watching the rise of social media and its role in amplifying fringe ideas particularly fascinating. Annabel has now applied this interest to the nuclear sector by researching how the postmodern information environment impacts nuclear deterrence.
Diana Kuznetsova is a Research Assistant at Stanford’s Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) and a Research Fellow at the King’s College London EVIDENCE Network. She recently completed her MA in Intelligence and International Security at King’s College London. Diana is an IAEA Marie Skłodowska-Curie Scholar.
Over the past five years, she has worked with the Ukrainian government, leading think tanks, and international organizations on issues related to international security, geopolitics, defence policy, and emerging technologies. Her research interests include nuclear and AI security and policy, defence technology, emerging technologies, and the intersection of technology, geopolitics, and national security.
Eli Glickman is a candidate for an MA in War Studies at King's College London, where he studies as a Marshall Scholar. He is also a researcher at the Centre for Nuclear Strategy and Security, also at King's. Eli's main research interests are in nuclear strategy, force structure, and air warfare.
He has previously held research positions at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London and the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington, DC. Eli holds an MSt in military history from St. Hilda's College, Oxford and a BA in political science from the University of California, Berkeley.
Hugo holds a master’s in mechanical engineering from the University of Bristol, where his research included assessing predictive models for stress corrosion cracking in nuclear fuel cladding. His final dissertation explored using time reversal in ultrasound to focus energy on inaccessible locations.
He began his career at Rolls-Royce, specializing in the design and substantiation of power generation equipment. Currently, Hugo is a Design Engineer in a future product design team, where he develops technology and advanced designs for heat exchanger products. While his work is technical, he takes a keen interest in history and geopolitics.
Iden Starfire started her STEM career in 2024, on a graduate programme developing as an Applied Physicist. Prior to working in her current role, Iden has gained experience in both the education field, as well as in law enforcement with Thames Valley Police.
Entranced by science and engineering from a young age, Iden studied Planetary & Space Physics at Aberystwyth University, achieving a first-class master’s degree. Her drive and desire to help develop a greener and brighter world has given Iden a particular interest in efforts to net-zero. Recognising the importance of civil nuclear power and her passion for science communication, this led to her UK PONI research topic on determining whether the UK school system is teaching nuclear science and technology clearly and fairly.
Nour Eid is an independent researcher on Middle Eastern Geopolitics, specializing in arms control and nonproliferation in the Gulf and a senior consultant in Forensics Investigation and Integrity based in Paris. She graduated with a master's degree in International Security from Sciences Po Paris and wrote her master thesis on the Saudi Nuclear Program, focusing on the diverging Saudi and Emirati approach to the 123 Agreement.
She previously held positions at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, the Energy for Growth Hub in Washington DC and the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs in Beirut. She is involved in Track 1.5 and Track 2 discussions on issues revolving around Arms Control and Energy Security in the Middle East. She also holds a bachelor’s degree from the American University of Beirut in Political Science and International Law.
Sanghun Seok is a PhD candidate in East Asian Studies at the University of Cambridge. Drawing on his previous experience as a South Korean career diplomat, his doctoral research examines nuclear politics in post-Cold War Northeast Asia from an international relations perspective informed by historical analysis.
His research interests include nuclear proliferation and deterrence, the role of language and narratives in international politics, and broader East Asian security. Alongside his doctoral research, he engages with policy communities, and his work has appeared in The RUSI Journal, The Diplomat, and NBR, among others. He has also been quoted in media outlets including the South China Morning Post, CNBC, and Newsweek. He is a Senior Associate Fellow at RUSI.
Zewelanji Nalwamba is an International Relations graduate from the University of Leicester, currently interning with the Nuclear Deterrence Network. Her research focuses on the geopolitics of emerging energy technologies, including nuclear fusion, critical minerals such as lithium, and the strategic implications of evolving clean energy supply chains.
Her academic interests lie at the intersection of international security, nuclear technologies, and China's global influence. Her dissertation examined China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its impact on security and development in the Global South, with particular attention to the role of nuclear energy and technology within broader debates on infrastructure, development, and global power.