I am a Senior Research Scholar at the Berkeley Risk and Security Lab in UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy, where I conduct research and teach on the interface between science, technology, and global security policy.

My research focuses on social expectations of new technologies’ performance, and the ways in which these expectations shape the development, governance, and use of those technologies. I focus primarily on technologies of war, as their grave implications prompt widespread hopes, fears, and visions of technological revolution. My recent work addresses the security implications of hypersonic missile technologies, the technical challenges of nuclear disarmament, and the ethical roles of engineers in advising policymakers on technological risks.

I also conduct experimental research on the atomic-scale physics of complex materials in extreme environments of temperature, pressure, and irradiation. This work contributes to the development of high-performance alloys, safer nuclear fuels, and techniques for tracking smuggled nuclear materials.

I teach undergrad and graduate courses on social science research methods, scholarly writing, and technology policy. I have advised policymakers at a range of institutions, including the US Congress, the UK Ministry of Defence, and the UN Disarmament and International Security Committee.

I previously worked at Stanford University and Harvard University. I am a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations and hold a PhD from the University of Michigan.