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Promoting Sustainable Education and Awareness Raising on Biosecurity and Dual use

Publications | Science And Technology For Non-Proliferation Program

Promoting Sustainable Education and Awareness Raising on Biosecurity and Dual use

Giulio Mancini (Landau Network-Centro Volta)
James Revill (Bradford Disarmament Research Centre)

Project on Biosecurity Education

Project Directors:
Maurizio Martellini (Landau Network-Centro Volta)
Malcolm Dando (Department of Peace Studies, University of Bradford)

Sustainable education on biosecurity and dual use for life scientists is increasingly recognised as being an important element of broader efforts to achieve biosecurity. To address this issue, a joint project between the Landau Network-Centro Volta and the Bradford Disarmament Research Centre has been initiated to analyse what currently exists in terms of biosecurity and dual use education, but also how such education can be most effectively achieved in a sustainable fashion.
The purpose of this paper is to elaborate on the findings of a survey on the extent of, and attitudes to, biosecurity and dual use education in European universities, and outline the educational activities undertaken through a network of contacts built through the survey and some of the conclusions drawn from engagement with this network. The paper also outlines the development and optimization of an Educational Module Resource intended to support lecturers in the improvement and implementation of educational material related to biosecurity and dual use. This is further expanded by the authors’ experience derived from implementation tests conducted at universities around Europe, in which material was tested with students and faculty members.

To date, the main results from this evaluative process are that students and faculties are generally unaware of biosecurity and dual use concerns, but nonetheless appear interested in discussing these topics and have initiated challenging debates on the importance of balancing factors such as security, research, secrecy and development. However, serious efforts in terms of developing and promulgating education more broadly across the life science community will require concerted actions which look at education but also at other mutually reinforcing intervention points such as funding bodies, authors and publishers. Moreover, in the longer term it will also be necessary to develop new mechanisms and metrics to determine success in these activities and ensure that educational activities are contributing, along with other legal and regulatory measures, to mitigating the challenge of potential misuse of the life sciences in the 21st century.

Promoting Sustainable Education and Awareness Raising on Biosecurity and Dual use

Thursday, December 10, 2009 3:19:04 PM (W. Europe Standard Time, UTC+01:00)

International Cooperation, Biosecurity and the Education of Life Scientists

Science And Technology For Non-Proliferation Program | Workshops and Events

Side Event to the Meeting of State Parties of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention

International Cooperation, Biosecurity and the Education of Life Scientists

Salle XXIII, Palais des Nations, Geneva

7 December 2009

Organized by

The National Academies, US

National Defense Medical College, Japan

University of Bradford, UK

International Working Group – Landau Network Centro Volta, Italy

Geneva LunchTimeSeminar 2009 Flyer.pdf (25,33 KB)

Monday, December 07, 2009 3:10:09 PM (W. Europe Standard Time, UTC+01:00)

Biosecurity, Biosafety and Dual-Use Risks: Trends, Challenges and Innovative Solutions

Science And Technology For Non-Proliferation Program | Workshops and Events

Biological Workshop and Round Table

Biosecurity, Biosafety and Dual-Use Risks: Trends, Challenges and Innovative Solutions

November 13th - 14th, 2009

Villa del Grumello

Como, Italy

Organized by

International Working Group - Landau Network-Centro Volta (IWG-LNCV), Como, Italy

In cooperation with

Bradford Disarmament Research Centre (BDRC), University of Bradford, UK

With the support of

Prevention of and Fight against Crime Programme
European Commission - Directorate-General Justice, Freedom and Security
US Civilian Research and Development Foundation (CRDF)

International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC)

Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Lombardy Region, Italy

And under the patronage of

National Research Council (NRC), Italy

The IWG-LNCV Biological Workshop and Round Table on “Biosecurity, Biosafety and Dual-Use Risks: Trends, Challenges and Innovative Solutions” was held in two and half working days on 13 and 14 November 2009 in Como, at the Villa del Grumello on Lake Como shores. It was organized following the tradition of annual Workshops on Biosecurity and Biosafety of IWG-LNCV.

The 2009 meetings brought together a group of high level representatives from different backgrounds and converging on the discussion on issues of biosecurity, biosafety and dual use risks. National and international governmental organizations were represented; scientists, researchers and administrators from leading centers of excellence on research and laboratory containment worldwide also participated; academia and scientific universities were also represented with participants including professors of life sciences, course coordinators but also bioethicists and experts of international and penal law; finally, experts on policy making and from the “security community” participated, particularly on scientific and non-scientific aspects of safety, security and prevention.

The main aims of the Workshop and Round Table have been:

· To present institutional initiatives to strengthen Biosafety and Biosecurity Frameworks and regimes internationally;

· To present and discuss potential measures to facilitate and ensure the spread and the developing of life science and biotechnology around the world, guaranteeing at the same time safety and security;

· To present various experiences and to discuss the issue of education and awareness raising initiatives for scientists, especially the “new generations”, that are recognized to be essential part of the prevention process in a highly dual use field such as the life sciences;

· To present the activities of research and prevention institutes located in several areas of the world and the potentialities of networking that could facilitate research development and cooperation, and spread safety and security best practice;

· To engage in a discussion on how improve links and cooperation among institutional organizations, industry, professional associations, academic community, and enhance the various parts of the “web of prevention”, including legal frameworks, oversight, education, disease preparedness; and also the move towards new partnerships, public/private and science/security, to promote science development while responding to Biosafety and Biosecurity concerns.

Agenda Bio 2009.pdf (136,92 KB)
List of Participants Bio 2009.pdf (113,51 KB)

Side Event to the Meeting of State Parties of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention
International Cooperation, Biosecurity and the Education of Life Scientists
US National Academies of Science & University of Bradford & National Defense Medical College & Landau Network - Centro Volta

Tuesday, December 01, 2009 1:39:27 PM (W. Europe Standard Time, UTC+01:00)

Sustainable Scientists Engagement Worldwide: Opportunities to Prevent Proliferation by Enhancing Best Practice and Professional Responsibility

Science And Technology For Non-Proliferation Program | Workshops and Events

Sustainable Scientists Engagement Worldwide

Opportunities to Prevent Proliferation by Enhancing Best Practice and Professional Responsibility

October 26th 2009

Società Italiana per l’Organizzazione Internazionale (SIOI)

Palazzetto di Venezia

Piazza di San Marco, 51

Rome, Italy

Organized by

International Working Group - Landau Network Centro Volta (IWG – LNCV), Como, Italy

In collaboration with

G8GP Working Group, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rome, Italy

With the support of

Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rome, Italy

Civilian Research & Development Foundation (CRDF), Washington DC, US

Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), London, UK

International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC), Moscow, Russia

The proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) expertise, or any sensitive knowledge in the chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) areas, remains a serious concern. Preventing the illicit use of such knowledge is one of the most difficult non-proliferation challenges to address, as we are dealing with scientists, engineers and technicians who, in some cases (those doing biological research, for instance), may not consider their expertise and current activities as potentially vulnerable to misuse by others for whom their “proliferation-critical” knowledge could represent a route to developing a WMD capability. They should be made aware that their legitimate work could have dual-use applications and be diverted for malicious purposes.

The human dimension of the proliferation equation should be incorporated as part of the global strategy to address the demand side of the proliferation equation and should be considered not only the lynchpin of the efforts to better address proliferation challenges, but an opportunity to achieve a whole host of foreign policy objectives and other vital interests of the world community.

In this respect, in the framework of the Italian presidency of the Global Partnership against the Proliferation of WMD, a set of Recommendations for a coordinated approach in the field of Global WMD Knowledge proliferation and scientists engagement have been developed by the Italian Presidency Global Partnership Team, in consultation with relevant experts and discussed and welcome by the G8 partners

The objective of the workshop is to analyse the effective and sustainable scientists engagement programs and initiatives worldwide to prevent that their knowledge, in legitimate scientific disciplines, be diverted for unintended illicit purposes. The workshop aims at :

Illustrating the Recommendations for a coordinated approach in the field of Global WMD Knowledge proliferation and scientists engagement cited above;
Examining the multilateral efforts and initiatives for assuring safe and secure spread of CBRN technologies knowledge;
Examining the strategies and opportunities of global and regional security engagement programs;
Presenting academic and recipient countries perspectives;
Identifying gaps and vulnerabilities, which may assist participants to establish or improve their current frameworks and objectives.

Agenda final.pdf (262,48 KB)

Participant_List final.pdf (228,67 KB)

Monday, October 26, 2009 3:24:44 PM (W. Europe Standard Time, UTC+01:00)

International Panel on Biosecurity Education

European Nuclear Cities Initiatives & International Working Group | Science And Technology For Non-Proliferation Program | Workshops and Events

International Panel on Biosecurity Education
Room XXII, Palais des Nations
Geneva, Switzerland
December 3rd, 2008

Organized by
International Working Group - Landau Network Centro Volta (Italy)
American Association for the Advancement of Science (US)
University of Bradford (UK)

Chair’s Introduction
Prof. Maurizio Martellini (LNCV, Italy)

Project on Biosecurity Education in Europe, Landau Network-Centro Volta/Bradford Disarmament Research Centre
Giulio Mancini (LNCV, Italy) & James Revill (BDRC, UK)

Professional and Graduate-Level Programs on Dual Use Research and Biosecurity in the U.S., American Association for the Advancement of Science
Jennifer Sta.Ana (AAAS, US)

Developing Biosecurity Education Materials, Bradford Disarmament Research Centre
Dr Simon Whitby (BDRC, UK)

Question and Answer Session

Report International Panel on Biosecurity Education Geneva ENG.pdf (516,05 KB)

Wednesday, December 03, 2008 1:01:14 PM (W. Europe Standard Time, UTC+01:00)

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