Elena K. Sokova

Executive Director
"This is a nice short quote"

Areas of Research

  • Fissile materials security and control
  • International organisations and regimes in non-proliferation and disarmament
  • Nuclear non-proliferation issues in Eurasia
  • Nuclear non-proliferation and international safeguards
  • Non-proliferation and disarmament education and training

Background

Elena K. Sokova is the Executive Director of the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP). Her primary research areas are international organisations and regimes in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, fissile materials security and control, nuclear non-proliferation issues in Eurasia, as well as non-proliferation and disarmament education and training. Prior to her post in Vienna, Elena served as Deputy Director of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, where she had worked since 1997. Her early career started at the Soviet/Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Elena K. Sokova has authored numerous articles, book chapters, reports, and other publications on non-proliferation and nuclear security. Between 2014 and 2015, she was a member of the Global Agenda Council on Nuclear Security of the World Economic Forum. In 2015, she also chaired a Fissile Material Working Group on ending the use of highly enriched uranium (HEU) in civilian applications. Elena serves on the Advisory Board of International Youth/Student Pugwash and on the Advisory Board of the Young Women and Next Generation Initiative of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium. She also is an International Gender Champion and a Gender Champion in Nuclear Policy.

Education

Elena K. Sokova holds a Master’s degree in International Public Administration from the Monterey Institute of International Studies (2000) and a Law Degree from Moscow State University (1992).

Related Content

Prospects for Nuclear Verification in Times of Uncertainty and Crises 
The VCDNP and the research consortium VeSPoTec convened an expert-level workshop to examine the future of nuclear verification amidst growing times of uncertainty.
10 February 2026 • 
Connecting the Dots: Industry, Space Defence, and Multilateral Space Security
The VCDNP and the European External Action Service (EEAS) organised a panel discussion at the 18th European Space Conference in Brussels to highlight the important contributions that space industry and defence actors can make to UN processes for stability and security in space.
9 February 2026 • 
Deployment of Small Modular Reactors: A Pathway for Nuclear Energy Expansion
High-Level panel discussion at the VCDNP on opportunities and challenges in the global deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs).
22 January 2026 • 
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 • 
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