In an era where technology has, in a sense, outpaced our morality, it is necessary to understand that the ability to use technology for good or for evil is so powerful that we need institutions and policies to deal with it: if you want to use technology to effect positive change in the world, you first need to be equipped with the skills to understand how the world works. As much as nuclear technology and engineering are rooted in physics and radiation, reactors and weaponry, they also involve stories of politics and negotiation, history and diplomacy. The gray decades of the Cold War and today’s evolving landscape of nuclear stability and international relations are inextricable from the technology that drives them. This sort of interdisciplinary symbiosis inspires this class.

Basic skills in nuclear physics

In an era where technology has, in a sense, outpaced our morality, it is necessary to understand that the ability to use technology for good or for evil is so powerful that we need institutions and policies to deal with it: if you want to use technology to effect positive change in the world, you first need to be equipped with the skills to understand how the world works. As much as nuclear technology and engineering are rooted in physics and radiation, reactors and weaponry, they also involve stories of politics and negotiation, history and diplomacy. The gray decades of the Cold War and today’s evolving landscape of nuclear stability and international relations are inextricable from the technology that drives them. This sort of interdisciplinary symbiosis inspires this class. Applying politics and history to nuclear science is essential in international relations: there is the need for technical expertise in policy making, with an interdisciplinary focus. As an introduction to the class, basic concepts of nuclear safety and security, and the differences between the two concepts, are reviewed, including basic technicalities concerning nuclear materials, nuclear weapons design and characteristics, radiation detection. Also, the international framework of agreements that are in force is examined (Treaty of Non-Proliferation, IAEA role, etc.). The course reviews the historical, political, and technical contexts for nuclear policy making, including the development of nuclear weapons by states, the evolution of nuclear strategy, the role nuclear weapons play in international politics, the risks posed by nuclear arsenals, and the policies and strategies in place to mitigate those risks. Equal emphasis is given to political and technical considerations affecting national choices. Considers the issues surrounding new non-proliferation strategies, nuclear security, and next steps for arms control. The approach is widened by dealing with the politics and theories surrounding the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). Primarily focused on nuclear weapons, it extends to chemical and biological weapons. Firstly, we explore the causes of WMD proliferation and non-proliferation, both theoretically and empirically. Secondly, we focus on the consequences of proliferation, both within particular regions and in the international system. The course is completed with some practical case studies, as for instance: 1) A necessary element of verification is reconstructing the history of nuclear weapons production programs, particularly secret ones. Analytical chemistry methods may provide the answer: the science behind alpha radiation and its effects on the microstructure of nuclear hardware. Uranium-238, the most abundant isotope of uranium found in nature, and uranium-235, the predominant isotope used in nuclear weaponry, emit alpha particles of different energies when they radioactively decay. As a result, they deposit energy at different depths, in what are known as bragg peaks, inside the materials that make up physical equipment. In turn, scientists can estimate which isotopes of gaseous uranium are present in nuclear machinery by quantifying the radiation damage inside and applying conservation laws. 2) This field of research have not been immune to recent changes in the politics of nuclear technology and security. The instructor had a hand in developing the Iran nuclear deal, with meetings with Iranian officials. When the United States withdrew from the deal and Trump launched a dialogue with North Korea, another challenging research subject emerged: exploring ways to bring North Korea “into the fold”. In particular, the approach can start to develop cooperative opportunities to increase the safety of North Korean reactors, manage its nuclear waste disposal, and use these efforts as a first step in building trust. 3) Extending its focus beyond nuclear security to “any kind of role technology might have” in existential security. For instance, explore the security considerations of decarbonization technologies. In seeking the optimal path to decarbonizing the electricity sector, the aim is to determine whether decarbonization technologies create or solve security problems. According to Kemp, vulnerabilities in the EU member States electric grid can be secured with improved planning of how new generation and transmission technologies are deployed.

Mixed mode

Team project work development

P.D.2-2 - March