10 - 12 September 2025

In recent years, rapid technological advancements have fundamentally transformed the international security landscape, presenting significant risks and complex challenges to global stability. The swift progression of military and dual-purpose technologies, including artificial intelligence, advanced data analytics, and nascent biological and chemical capabilities, poses significant challenges in monitoring their development and potential applications. Verification entails determining treaty compliance through systematic information gathering, analysis, and interpretation to assess adherence to mutually agreed-upon limitations. The intricate nature of emerging technologies has added new layers of difficulty to the already intricate verification task. These multifaceted difficulties demand innovative, interdisciplinary solutions to ensure effective verification mechanisms in the evolving technological realm.

The Science - Peace - Security '25 conference seeks to explore the profound impact of these technological developments on peace and security, with a special emphasis on the role of verification in managing and mitigating risks associated with conventional arms and weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), including nuclear, biological, and chemical threats. However, the conference will also provide a platform for broader discussions on how technological progress influences the dynamics of global peace, security, and conflict.

The conference is organized by VeSPoTec, the regional research consortium focused on addressing the challenges of nuclear disarmament and arms control verification in an increasingly complex and unpredictable world. VeSPoTec unites RWTH Aachen University, Forschungszentrum Jülich, the University of Duisburg-Essen, and the Technical University of Darmstadt, along with associated partners including the University of Vienna and the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP). Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), VeSPoTec is committed to integrating technical, political, and social insights to develop innovative verification approaches. The Science - Peace - Security '25 conference embodies the consortium’s mission to bridge the gap between science, technology, and policy to address pressing global security challenges.

The conference is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), and the German Research Association for Science, Disarmament, and International Security (FONAS).

Participation in the conference is free of charge.

Supported by:

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION WILL START 15 MARCH 2025

Themes

1. Non-proliferation, Arms Control and Disarmament in Fast Pace of Political Change: In the context of today's complex geopolitical environment, what are the evolving challenges of the arms race, arms control and disarmament?
2. Evolving Verification of WMD in Non-Proliferation, Arms Control and Disarmament: How can emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain, and remote sensing transform verification processes in WMD non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament?
3. New Frontiers in Arms Control and Disarmament: How have arms control treaties and confidence-building measures (CBMs) evolved amid rapid technological advancement, taking into account historical verification efforts and strategies for adapting future verification systems to emerging technologies and global challenges?
4. Trust, Transparency, and Governance in Verification: How do technical and social factors interact in building trust between states through effective verification, including the role of transparency, international governance, and political dynamics in shaping verification regimes?
5. Governance and Dual-Use Technologies: What are the implications of dual-use technologies for global security, including their development alongside governance frameworks, political challenges, and legal mechanisms that balance innovation and security?
6. Ethical and Political Dimensions of Verification: What are the ethical and political challenges of using advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, drones, and big data in verification systems, considering their geopolitical impact, risks such as false positives, and the balance between technological innovation, surveillance, and ethical governance in arms control?
7. Technological Innovations in Crisis Prevention and Conflict Resolution: How can emerging technologies play a role in preventing conflicts, building resilience, and fostering international cooperation?

Submission Guidelines

We invite abstract submissions for oral presentations, panel discussions, and posters. The portal will be open for submissions on March 15. We particularly encourage contributions that align with the themes outlined in the Conference Themes section. Alongside ongoing research, we welcome innovative and thought-provoking ideas, including novel policy approaches or emerging research questions that can stimulate meaningful discussion.

Submissions are encouraged to synthesize interdisciplinary perspectives, such as combining political analysis with technical assessments, or examining the sociopolitical implications of new technologies. The conference aims to foster a robust dialogue between academics, policymakers, think tanks, and practitioners, promoting a multidisciplinary approach to contemporary security challenges.

• Irmgard Niemeyer, Head of Division, Nuclear Safeguards and Security, Forschungszentrum Jülich
• Malte Göttsche, Professor, Technical University of Darmstadt, Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF)  
• Stefan Böschen, Professor, Human Technology Center, RWTH Aachen University
• Ralph Rotte, Professor, Institute of Political Science, RWTH Aachen University
• Carmen Wunderlich, Senior Researcher, Institute of Political Science, University Duisburg-Essen
• Moritz Kütt, Senior Researcher, Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy, the University of Hamburg
• Grant Christopher, Co-Program Director for Verification and Monitoring, the Verification Research, Training, and Information Centre (VERTIC)
• Cecilia Gustavsson, Associate Professor, Division for Applied Nuclear Physics, Uppsala University, Alva Myrdal Centre for Nuclear Disarmament
• Gunnar Jeremias, Research Associate, Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker-Centre for Science and Peace Research (ZNF), University of Hamburg
• Kadri Reis, Research Associate, Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF)  

Blocks of rooms have been reserved for participants at three hotels in Aachen city:

1. Hotel ibis Marschiertor Friedlandstraße 6-8, 52064 Aachen (reservation until 30 July)
2. Mercure am Dom, Peterstraße 1, 52062 Aachen (reservation umtil 13 August)
3. Hotel INNSIDE by Melia, Sandkaulstraße 20, 52062 Aachen (reservation until 20 August)

Please book your accomodation by using the following link:

Accommodation SPS 2025

If you would like to book for a longer duration of stay contact:

c/o aachen tourist service e.v.

Phone: +49 241 18029-50
Email: info@aachen-convention.de

A bus shuttle service to Forschungszentrum Jülich will be offered from these hotels.