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SUMMARY:How do you deliver the deterrent without testing?  - Dr Robert Loc
 k
DTSTART:20260219T160000Z
DTEND:20260219T180000Z
UID:TALK244846@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Helene Jones
DESCRIPTION:AWE is charged with designing\, manufacturing\, assembling and
  caring (through-life) for the nuclear warheads that the UK deploys as par
 t of the Continuous at Sea Deterrent (CASD). Since the late 1950s we have 
 developed and maintained the knowledge and capabilities to meet that task.
  Core to this is the Science and Engineering expertise and unique capabili
 ties that are needed to probe\, measure and understand the behaviour of a 
 nuclear warhead through its complex lifecycle to ensure that it is safe\, 
 reliable and available. Between 1952 and 1991 the UK could underpin its co
 nfidence in its warheads through direct testing. A testing moratorium and 
 the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) came into effect. The CTBT prohib
 its direct testing of nuclear explosives. The UKs nuclear scientists and e
 ngineers anticipated this geopolitical event and were ready with technique
 s and approaches that could finish the job of putting the Trident Mk4 nucl
 ear warhead into service. In the intervening period these techniques and t
 he required tools have evolved to meet the greater challenge of managing t
 he stockpile through life and to prepare for a future warhead which has ne
 ver been tested directly. The UK through DNO and AWE are continuing to inv
 est in ensuring and innovating these scientific tools to meet the nuclear 
 deterrence and security challenges now and into the future. \n\nBIO:\nRobe
 rt joined AWE in 1995 in the Design Mathematics\nDepartment after earning 
 a Physics degree from Imperial\nCollege London.​\nHis work has focused o
 n CTBT-compliant science-based\nstockpile stewardship\, particularly using
  multi-physics CFD\nalgorithms to study extreme plasma and high-pressure\n
 hydrodynamic phenomena.​\nRobert began his career shortly after the UK c
 eased\nnuclear testing in 1992\, aligning his research with non-\ntesting-
 based nuclear stewardship.​\nHe earned a PhD in Applied Mathematics from
  Imperial\nCollege in 2007 while working at AWE.​\nSince 2011\, Robert h
 as held several senior scientific roles\nwithin AWE\, contributing to lead
 ership in science and\ntechnology.​\nIn 2023\, he was appointed Chief Sc
 ientist at AWE\,\noverseeing the organisation’s scientific strategy\, te
 chnical\ngovernance\, and standards.​\n\nThis is one of two speakers fea
 tured at this event. 
LOCATION:CUED\, LT 6
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