Stern’s Contributions to National Academy of Sciences Report on Preventing Nuclear Terrorism
Jessica Stern, Research Professor at Boston University’s Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, has made significant contributions to a newly released National Academy of Sciences report on preventing nuclear terrorism. The report, directed by Northeastern University’s Stephen Flynn, assesses U.S. strategies to prevent, counter, and respond to nuclear terrorism.
The National Academy of Sciences, renowned for its commitment to providing independent, objective advice on science and technology, selected Professor Stern, an expert on terrorism and perpetrators of violence, as part of a committee of experts to produce this crucial study. The report prioritizes research addressing urgent contemporary problems of nuclear security, aligning with the Academy’s mission to analyze and advise on critical national security issues.
Stern’s expertise was instrumental in highlighting key evolving aspects of terrorism. Her contributions to the report focused on two critical areas:
- The blurring boundaries between domestic and international terrorism
- The increasingly blurred lines between state and non-state actors in terrorism
These insights are crucial for understanding the complex and evolving landscape of modern terrorism threats, especially in the context of nuclear security.
Mandated by Congress in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, the report provides recommendations for managing nuclear terrorism risks in a changing global landscape. It emphasizes the need for continued vigilance, increased funding, better coordination among government agencies, and the adoption of new technologies to mitigate these threats.
The full report can be found accessed here and and its significance has been highlighted in Northeastern University’s news coverage.
Professor Jessica Stern is a Research Professor at Boston University’s Pardee School of Global Studies. She is the co-author of ISIS: The State of Terror and the author of Denial: A Memoir of Terror, Terror in the Name of God: Why Religious Militants Kill, as well as The Ultimate Terrorists. Learn more about Professor Stern on her faculty profile.