Fusion &
Security
at William & Mary
A new energy era.
Fusion could transform how we power the world. Its development also raises questions about the spread of nuclear weapons.
Fusion Test
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FUSION & SECURITY
Explore the connection
A more secure
One field.
Research for a
Two communities.
Troy A. Cullen
Fusion energy
Fusion &
THE SECURITY QUESTION
A shared scientific foundation.
Some of the materials, technologies, and expertise behind fusion energy can also support nuclear weapons programs.
These connections take different forms. Understanding where they matter is essential to distinguishing real risks from assumptions.
Our responseOUR RESPONSE
A more secure
fusion future.
We bring fusion science and nuclear policy together to understand those differences and develop practical ways to reduce the risks.
Our work connects technical research with the people shaping safeguards, export controls, and responsible technology development.
Explore the pathwaysTHE PROLIFERATION QUESTION
One field.
Different pathways.
The security implications of fusion depend on what a facility uses, what it produces, and what people learn.
01 / MATERIALS
Sensitive materials
Fusion fuel cycles can involve weapons-relevant materials such as tritium. Fusion neutron sources could also be used to produce fissile material if suitable materials are introduced.
What would effective monitoring look like?
02 / KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge transfer
Fusion research builds expertise in plasma and high-energy-density physics. Experiments, computer models, and hands-on experience can also contribute to weapons-relevant capabilities.
Which kinds of knowledge matter most?
03 / PROCUREMENT
Cover for procurement
Civilian fusion programs need specialized equipment and materials. Those legitimate needs could provide cover for acquiring dual-use items intended for a weapons program.
How can controls distinguish legitimate use from misuse?
Different technologies require different responses.
OUR WORK
Research for a
secure fusion future
We bring fusion science and nuclear policy into the same conversation, developing tools to support a secure fusion future.
Map the risks.
Build a framework for assessing proliferation risks across fusion technologies, institutional settings, and potential pathways to misuse.
Connect the expertise.
Convene fusion scientists, nonproliferation researchers, and policy practitioners to test assumptions and identify the questions that matter.
Inform the response.
Translate technical findings into practical options for safeguards, export controls, and responsible technology development.
THE RESEARCH PRIMER
STUDENT RESEARCH · 2026Start with the research
Explore the scientific foundations of fusion and the security questions surrounding its development in our student-written research primer.
Read the primerTHE PEOPLE
Physics & policy
POLICY & NONPROLIFERATION
Jeffrey Kaplow
Co-principal investigator
Associate Professor of Government
Jeff studies nuclear proliferation and international security. A former U.S. government analyst and author of Signing Away the Bomb, he directs NukeLab at William & Mary’s Global Research Institute.
More about Jeff
PLASMA PHYSICS & FUSION
Saskia Mordijck
Co-principal investigator
Class of 1955 Associate Professor of Physics
Saskia studies plasma physics and fusion energy. A Fellow of the American Physical Society and NSF CAREER award recipient, she brings expertise in fusion science and experience connecting research with energy policy.
More about SaskiaRESEARCH BUILT WITH STUDENTS
Two communities.
A shared research effort.
NukeLab
NukeLab is an undergraduate research lab at William & Mary’s Global Research Institute. Students apply social science research to questions of nuclear security, proliferation, and deterrence.
For this project, student researchers contribute to literature reviews and the development of our risk assessment framework.
Literature review contributorsPatrick McDonald, Sinead McWeeney, and Lebron Parsell
Explore NukeLabTroy A. Cullen
Emerging Technology Fellows
The summer program brings together students from different disciplines to investigate how emerging technologies affect international security. Fellows work as a research team with faculty mentors and outside experts.
The program honors Troy A. Cullen, a NukeLab researcher and member of the inaugural fellows cohort. Troy combined his interests in history and international security with a commitment to making the world safer.
Summer 2026 fusion research teamQuinn Drennan, Vera Pande, and Lily Wershbale
About the fellows programCONNECT
Help shape what comes next
We welcome conversations with researchers, fusion developers, policy practitioners, and organizations interested in supporting this work.
OUR PARTNER
Global Research Institute
William & Mary
GRI supports the project’s seed year and partners with us to connect academic expertise with real-world policy challenges.
Explore GRIBECOME A PARTNER
Partner with us
We’re building connections across fusion science, industry, and nuclear policy. Get in touch to discuss research collaboration, share expertise, or support our students.
Start a conversation