Dr Christopher Hobbs
Research Fellow
Centre for Science and Security Studies (CSSS)
Department of War Studies
King's College London
Strand Bridge House
Strand, London WC2R 2LS
Email: christopher.hobbs@kcl.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 7848 1433
Fax: +44 (0)20 7848 2748
Research interests
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WMD terrorism
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Nuclear security and non-proliferation
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Science and technology of nuclear weapons
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Information security
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Open Source Intelligence (OSINT)
Biography
Dr Christopher Hobbs is a Leverhulme Research Fellow at the Centre for Science and Security Studies (CSSS) within the Department of War Studies at King’s College London (KCL). He was a King’s Business Innovation Fellow for the Department of War Studies from 2010 to 2011. Prior to taking up his current fellowship he was Deputy Director of the International Centre for Security Analysis at KCL, from 2007 to 2010, during which time he undertook an ESRC funded business placement fellowship at the Olive Group, an integrated risk management company. From 2006 to 2007 he worked as a research associate at the International Policy Institute.
He has a Ph.D in physics from the University of London, for which was shortlisted for the Tadion-Rideal Prize for Molecular Science, and an MPhys from Oxford University. .
Doctoral Supervision
Dr Hobbs is happy to offer doctoral supervision in the following areas:
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WMD terrorism/ security
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Nuclear and WMD proliferation
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Verification of international arms control treaties
Teaching and Training
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Science and Security of Nuclear and Biological Weapons
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Current Issues in Science and Security
Dr Hobbs also coordinates a United Nations funded professional development course in nuclear security education, developed through the International Nuclear Security Education Network (INSEN) details of the most recent course can be found here
In 2009 Dr Hobbs ran a course on Open Source Intelligence, Proliferation and Counter Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED) at the European Defence Agency.
Dr Hobbs has also developed and delivered short courses on OSINT techniques including online search and information retrieval, online security best practices and web 2.0 technologies.
Funding
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UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) - £25,000 (2012).
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International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) – €150,000 (2011-2012)
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European Defence Agency - €33,000 (2009)
Recent Publications
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Christopher Hobbs and Matthew Moran, ‘Further proliferation in the Middle East is not inevitable’, Euro-Atlantic Quarterly, April 2012.
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Christopher Hobbs, ‘Understanding the recent IAEA report on Iran’, Physics & Society, Vol. 41, No. 2, pp. 21-23, April 2012.
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Bowen, Wyn Q., Matthew Cottee and Christopher Hobbs, 'Multilateral cooperation and the prevention of nuclear terrorism: pragmatism over idealism', International Affairs (2012) Vol.88, No.2, pp.349-368.
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Christopher Hobbs and Matthew Harries, ‘Nuclear Deterrence: Enduring Relevance but Growing Need For Re-Evaluation’ in Harsh Pant (ed.), Handbook of Nuclear Proliferation, (London: Routledge, December 2011)
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Christopher Hobbs, ‘Current and future risks posed by unprotected radioactive waste sites in Central Asia’, Contributing paper to Chapter 2 of the 2011 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction.
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Christopher Hobbs and Alastair Patterson, ‘Mitigating against cyber attacks by regaining control of your digital shadow’, World Defence Systems, 2011.
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Christopher Hobbs and Matthew Cottee, ‘Methods for Improving IAEA Information Analysis by Reducing Cognitive Biases’, Paper delivered at the Symposium on International Safeguards: Preparing for Future Verification Challenges, 1-5 November 2010, Vienna.
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Christopher Hobbs and M. Harries, ‘South Korea and Spent Fuel Reprocessing: Sovereignty, Security and Policy Options for the New Nuclear Age’, RUSI Journal, Vol. 154, No. 5, October 2009.