Abstract

Technology dependencies pose significant risks to national security, primarily, though not solely, through their potential for disruption of technology used in critical infrastructure and services. Moreover, there is a concentration of dependencies on certain states/firms/technologies that could be leveraged in times of conflict or geopolitical tension. This is further complicated by the rapid pace of technological advancement, which presents unknown risks that could be exploited by adversaries.  With this in mind and the tense geopolitical climate of our times, we have invited esteemed speakers to talk about critical systems and mitigation strategies for risks that are derived from dependencies on technology.

About the Speakers

Dr Zena Assaad is a Senior Research Fellow in the School of Engineering at the Australian National University. With a background in aerospace engineering and aviation safety, she previously worked in both regulatory and operational roles bridging civil and military airspace. Her research focuses on human-machine teaming (HUM-T), autonomy, and the safety frameworks needed to ensure trust and reliability in robotics and AI systems, particularly in defence contexts.

Ms Emily Benson is Head of Strategy at Minerva Technology Futures, where she advises clients on geopolitical risks that affect trade and investment decisions related to advanced technologies. She concurrently serves as a non-resident associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C.  She previously served as a Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of Commerce in a unit focused on geopolitical risk in critical supply chains. She also directed the Project on Trade and Technology at CSIS and worked in legislative affairs and international trade law in the transatlantic context. Her work has been featured in publications such as the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal, and on television, including the BBC, Bloomberg, and CNN. She received her joint BA in international affairs and political science from the University of Colorado and her MA in political science from the University of Geneva in Switzerland.

Mr Johan David Michels is a researcher with the Cloud Legal Project and Microsoft Cloud Computing Research Centre at Queen Mary University of London. His current research covers blockchain, cybersecurity, and data protection. He previously worked at Ofcom and the United Nations in telecoms policy and international criminal law. His research includes sovereign cloud for Europe.