- Sponsor
- The Program in Arms Control and Domestic and International Security
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- 37
Coble Hall - #306 - 5:00 PM Central Time
From the Lab to Capitol Hill: Physicists and the Fight to Reduce Nuclear Risk
Eighty years after the first use of nuclear weapons, the world is entering a renewed period of heightened nuclear risk, marked by erosion of arms control agreements, expansion and modernization of nuclear arsenals, and the absence of sustained diplomatic negotiations among nuclear-armed states. In this context, the scientific community—particularly physicists and nuclear engineers—has a renewed and urgent role to play in shaping public understanding and informing policy responses to the evolving nuclear threat.
This talk introduces the Physicists Coalition for Nuclear Threat Reduction, a network of more than 2,000 physical scientists founded in 2019 to re-engage the physics community in efforts to reduce nuclear dangers. The Coalition builds on a long tradition of scientist-led advocacy dating back to the early nuclear age, including the legacy of the Emergency Committee of Atomic Scientists, which emphasized the responsibility of scientists to inform public debate on existential technological risks.
The presentation outlines the Coalition’s mission, structure, and theory of change: mobilizing physicists as credible messengers to translate technical knowledge into accessible public education and policy advocacy. It describes core activities, including education and advocacy.
Special attention is given to the Coalition’s annual “D.C. Engagement Days,” through which physicists directly engage members of Congress and policymakers on issues such as nuclear testing, force modernization, missile defense systems, and declaratory policy. Beyond organizational activities, the talk situates scientific advocacy within broader questions of ethics, responsibility, and expertise in democratic decision-making under conditions of existential risk.