SKM 2021 – scientific programme

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PV: Plenarvorträge

PV XVI

PV XVI: Evening Talk

Thursday, September 30, 2021, 18:30–19:30, MVL

Max von Laue Lecture: What physicists can do to improve international security? — •Steve Fetter — University of Maryland, College Park, USA

After developing nuclear weapons, physicists were at the forefront in alerting policymakers and the public to the dangers of nuclear war. National academies, non-governmental organizations, and individual scientists helped conceive and promote arms control concepts and develop verification technologies which formed the foundation for treaties that enhanced international security and stability. That foundation is now crumbling, as treaties are discarded and a new generation of nuclear weapon systems is under development. Moreover, new security challenges are arising from emerging technologies, including quantum sensors and computing; artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotics; cybersecurity; small satellites; and gene synthesis and editing. The physics community can play an important role in educating policymakers and the public about these risks and how they can be reduced.