Dr. Sarah Case Lackner

Senior Fellow
"This is a nice short quote"

Areas of Research

  • Security of nuclear and radiological materials and facilities globally against malicious non-State actors
  • Emerging and disruptive technologies and their effect on nuclear energy production, safety, security and nonproliferation
  • The role of parliamentarians and other non-expert policymakers in nuclear safety, security and nonproliferation
  • Role of international organisations and multilateral negotiations in nuclear security
  • Interfaces between nuclear safety and nuclear security

Background

Dr. Case Lackner joined the VCDNP as a Senior Fellow in September 2023.  She was previously a Senior Nuclear Security Officer in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’s Division of Nuclear Security, where she served as the Scientific Secretary for the Nuclear Security Guidance Committee and the Director General’s Advisory Committee on Nuclear Security.  She was also Co-Scientific Secretary of the 2022 Conference of Parties to the A/CPPNM.

Prior to arriving at the IAEA, Dr. Case Lackner served in the US Department of State as a Physical Scientist in the Office of Nuclear Energy, Safety, and Security, advising primarily on international nuclear security matters, and in the Office of China and Mongolian Affairs. She previously served as Senior Programme Officer on the US National Academy of Sciences’ Board on Nuclear and Radiation Studies, organising panels, meetings, and publications related to nuclear security.

Education

Dr. Case Lackner received her PhD in Physics from the University of Chicago in 2007. Previously, she completed a BA in Physics with honours at Columbia University.

Related Content

Frontier AI and Nuclear Security: Evolving Risks and Mitigation Strategies
The VCDNP and the Frontier Model Forum held a panel discussion to discuss the evolving risks and mitigation strategies at the nexus of frontier AI and nuclear security.
16 December 2025 • 
Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear Security Governance: Addressing the Risks of Frontier AI 
VCDNP’s Dr. Sarah Case Lackner and AI safety researcher Zaheed Kara authored a report on the risks of frontier AI to the security of nuclear materials and facilities, featuring insights from a series of consultations held between the nuclear security and AI communities.
Nuclear Security in a Changing World: Exploring Evolving Nuclear Security Risks Associated with the Internet of Things and AI
The VCDNP convened a workshop in October 2025 to explore evolving nuclear security risks associated with the integration of interconnected devices and artificial intelligence systems into nuclear facilities and considered possible policy, regulatory, and technical solutions.
22 October 2025 • 
Artificial Intelligence Models and Systems 
In the first brief of the new Emerging Tech series, Senior Fellow Dr. Sarah Case Lackner and AI researcher Zaheed Kara explain the origins, benefits, shortcomings, and potential future developments of AI models and systems.
7 October 2025 • 
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