Skip to content

Belén Bianco

Senior Project Advisor at UNLIREC; Former ELN Policy Fellow

Belén Bianco currently is a former Policy Fellow at the European Leadership Network (ELN), where she was dedicated to developing policy solutions through research and analysis. Her work primarily focused on nuclear risk reduction, arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation, and in particular, the impact of emerging and disruptive technologies on nuclear risk.

Prior to her role at ELN, Belén worked at the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) in Geneva, where she implemented a project aimed at strengthening and implementing the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW). Before UNODA, Belén contributed to the Technology and Security Programme at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR).

Her experience also includes a role as a Political Affairs Officer at the Undersecretariat of Nuclear Energy of Argentina from 2016 to 2018. During this time, she focused on nuclear non-proliferation and security and represented Argentina in various international forums, such as the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Nuclear Security Conferences.

Belén has conducted research at several prominent U.S. think tanks, including the Center for Security Studies, the Arms Control Association, and the Center for Security and Emerging Technology.

She holds a Master of Arts in Security Studies from Georgetown University, specializing in unconventional weapons, and also completed a certificate in Diplomatic Studies at the same institution. Her academic foundation includes a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Universidad de San Andrés in Argentina.

Content by Belén Bianco

Podcast

Ok, Doomer! The NEVER podcast – Nukes and new tech

In this special bonus episode of the NEVER podcast – Ok, Doomer!, we take a deep dive into the ELN’s Nuclear and New Technologies project, which aims to identify the impacts of emerging and disruptive technologies (EDT) on nuclear decision-making and present practical steps to mitigate the potentially disruptive effects. Featuring discussions on why it’s best to explore the aggregate impact of EDTs as well as examining them individually, an introduction to the ELN’s Guardrails and Self-Assessment (GSA) Framework for Emerging and Disruptive Technologies (EDTs), and the history of nuclear fail-safe reviews.

Report

Technological complexity and risk reduction: A Guardrails and Self-Assessment Framework for EDTs in NC3 and nuclear weapons decision-making

Emerging and disruptive technologies (EDTs) are changing our lives – including in the worlds of defence and security. The ELN has been working since 2020 to understand how future nuclear crises may be affected by the intersection of multiple rapidly evolving new technologies. Building on years of work, this report presents a new Framework to help guide the safe use of EDTs in nuclear command, control and communications (NC3) systems, aiming to reduce risks and manage escalation.

19 July 2024 | Belén Bianco and Rishi Paul