News & talks
Recent notes
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Words of Caution on Making Objects of Security Concern
Winter 2017As we continually develop new areas of technology, how do we think about how that technology might cause harm? In this talk, I draw out some lessons that can be learned from how Americans have built…
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Biosecurity Governance for the Real World
Fall 2016Current efforts to limit the dissemination of dual-use biological research results are rooted in simplistic understandings of how such knowledge becomes dangerous. I argue in an article appearing in…
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Book chapter on ‘Taking Care’ in synthetic biology
Fall 2016Synthetic biology, from its early stages of development, has had an explicit focus on biosafety and biosecurity concerns. These concerns are being identified and addressed in different ways…
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Book Review: Vulnerability in Technological Cultures
Spring 2015This edited volume explores the concept of vulnerability as a useful analytic lens for studying big issues in technological cultures, providing a more compassionate and encompassing framing of issues…
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What’s the Matter with Biosecurity?
Spring 2015In this brief Perspective in the Journal of Responsible Innovation, I discuss the different conceptions of security that are being debated over within the biology, and specifically the synthetic…
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Presentation to the BWC Meeting of Experts Side Event
Summer 2014Every year, the United Nations Biological Weapons Convention has a Meeting of Experts to share updates on developments relevant to the Convention. This year, several colleagues and I presented on…
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Letter to the Editor of Nature on Synthetic Biology
Summer 2014In a recent issue of Nature, there was a special section on moving ‘Beyond Divisions’ in building the future of synthetic biology. While I and many of my colleagues support many ways of moving beyond…
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Report on Multilateral Export Control List Modification Processes Published
Spring 2014My report with the Flemish Peace Institute on Multilateral Export Control List Modification Processes is now published. The first part of the introduction is below.
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Dual Use Research of Concern – Comments on the US Government’s Proposed Policy
Spring 2013source: NSABB
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New Paper: Export Controls and the Tensions Between Academic Freedom and National Security
Spring 2012Now available in the latest issue of Mineva:
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Taking up a new position at Berkeley
Fall 2011I have begun a new position at the University of California, Berkeley, within the new Center for Science, Technology, Medicine, & Society (CSTMS). The Center is a vibrant hub of activity and research…
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Thesis published on the Oxford Research Archive
Summer 2010It is my pleasure to finally announce that my thesis has been published on the Oxford Research Archive
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Button factories and international negotiations
Spring 2010I have long heard that Khrushchev once commented how ridiculous export controls were, saying that anything could be a militarily significant technology, even trouser buttons. “How do you expect a…
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Ambiguity as a tool for both changing and stabilizing classification systems
Spring 2010Last weekend, I attended a conference at Stanford University on “Uncertainty: Ambiguity and doubt in knowledge production”. At it, I presented a paper on how the Wassenaar Arrangement uses ambiguity…
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Heading to Harvard
Spring 2009Sam takes up a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Harvard, split between the Kennedy School’s STS Program and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
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California trip
Summer 2008I recently got back from a trip to California, where I met a few people at UC Berkeley and UC Santa Clara’s Center for Science, Technology, and Society, and gave a talk at the James Martin Center for…