Scientists Working Group on Biological and Chemical Security
The Scientists Working Group on Biological and Chemical Weapons Control, founded in 1989 at the Federation of American Scientists, moved in November 2003 to the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation to join the Center’s new program on biological and chemical weapons control. At present, the defining goals of the Working Group are reinforcing the norm against biological weapons, broadening the norm to encompass all misuse of biology, and supporting all of components of the Biological and Chemical Weapons Conventions. Major interests include preventing the development of biochemical disabling agents as weapons, promoting international measures to monitor biological weapons-capable activities, promoting global cooperative measures for combating infectious diseases, ethical education of bioscientists, monitoring US biodefense and anti-bioterrorism activities and opposing risky or dangerous biological research.
The Working Group develops working papers and reports on technical and policy issues, publishes papers in peer-reviewed journals, and holds seminars and briefings for U.S. and international officials. Working Group members have extensive experience with biological and chemical weapons issues and have an array of technical expertise that they contribute on a voluntary basis.
The Working Group can be reached by contacting Dr. Greg Koblentz at gkoblent@gmu.edu or Dr. Lynn Klotz at lynnklotz@live.com.
Members of Scientists Working Group
Emeritus Members of Scientists Working Group
Recent Papers and Important Archived Documents
Recent Analysis on Biological and Chemical Weapons
- Why is the Biological Weapons Convention not getting attention? December 7, 2022
- A Plan B to Strengthen Biosafety and Biosecurity November 15, 2022
- The “Frankenviruses” at the heart of the debates, after the emergence of Covid-19 November 7, 2022
- Experimenting With Disaster November 1, 2022
- Virus experiments like Boston University’s covid ‘chimera’ are going to happen. How should we regulate them? October 27, 2022
- Controlling Novichok Nerve Agents after the Skripal and Navalny Incidents October 25, 2022
- When the Absurd Becomes Too Real July 27, 2022
- ISIS planned chemical attacks in Europe, new details on weapons program reveal July 11, 2022
- Amid the Turmoil of Covid, Biosafety Legislation Gets Political June 27, 2022
- Risky ‘gain-of-function’ studies need stricter guidance, say US researchers May 3, 2022
