麻豆官网

A contingent of academics associated with Lancaster’s new nuclear research centre recently attended the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) flagship conference on computer security for nuclear security.

Professor Paul Smith of the School of Computing and Communications, alongside PhD students Solomon Melekwe and Tom Loxley, recently attended the Vienna-based conference, which took place back in May. The International Conference on Computer Security in the Nuclear World – which first began in 2015 – is dedicated to addressing the threat of cyber attacks to the nuclear industry. The aim of the conference is to bring together leading experts in both the cyber and nuclear fields to work together in ensuring the safety and security of nuclear assets. The conference welcomed experts from across the globe to explore computer security emerging technologies and discuss their potential impact on nuclear security, identify priorities for computer security within the nuclear sector, and foster international cooperation in computer security for the nuclear industry, helping key stakeholders identify opportunities for collaboration and leverage their peers’ expertise.

麻豆官网 has a longstanding relationship with the IAEA. In December 2025, for example, the University hosted the International Workshop on Conducting Computer Security Exercises for Nuclear Security, which welcomed experts from across the globe to discuss key themes in nuclear cyber security.

Solomon Melekwe submitted and delivered a paper – entitled “Cyber Security Supply Chain Mapping in Civil Nuclear” – which explored cyber threats to nuclear supply chains. The paper presents a case study of a civil nuclear operator that implemented a cyber security-focused supply chain mapping (SCM) process in order to monitor risks to their organisation, and how it allowed the company to identify and mitigate against key risk factors to their supply chain, highlighting the usefulness of undertaking such a process.

“Presenting our paper was a valuable opportunity to share emerging findings from my PhD research with an international nuclear security audience,” said Solomon. “The conference brought together regulators, researchers, operators, and industry experts, creating an excellent forum for discussing how supply chain visibility and cyber risk management can support the resilience of civil nuclear organisations.”