Report Launch - Weaponising Universities:  UK Universities & the Military Industrial Complex
Channel: Campaign Against Arms Trade
Date: 2024-03-03

Download the new report here:  https://caat.org.uk/publications/weaponising-universities-research-collaborations-between-uk-universities-and-the-military-industrial-complex/

Research Coordinator Sam Perlo-Freeman hosts a panel discussing CAAT's new report "Weaponising Universities: Research Collaborations between UK Universities and the Military Industrial Complex"

Okopi Ajonye, the report's author, is a freelance Research Officer with Demilitarise Education. He has a Bachelors Degree in International Relations and a Masters Degree in Economic History from Stockholm University, and a Masters Degree in Security Studies from University College London, whose main research interests are in militarism and peace movements. He has interned with Plan International, a global NGO advancing children's rights, and Humanium Metal from IM Swedish Development Partner, who combats gun violence by transforming illegal seized firearms into peaceful commodities. He has also applied and received funding to research the attitudes of STEM university students towards careers in the military-industrial sector.

Andy Stirling is Professor of Science and Technology Policy at the Science Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex, where he co-directed the 'STEPS Centre' for sixteen years. Working on issues of power, uncertainty and diversity in science and technology (especially around energy and biotech), he has served on a number of UK,  EU and wider governmental advisory committees including (presently) as a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

Victoria Araj is a lecturer in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the Eleanor Glanville Institute, University of Lincoln. Outside academia Victoria has worked with Carnegie Middle East Center, Cambridge Centre for Palestine Studies, and also with a number of UK and Turkey-based refugee and peace-education charities. She is an active member of Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the University and College Workers for Palestine Network. Victoria holds a PhD in Peace Studies from the University of Bradford. Victoria’s current research project is on consciencious objectors, CND and the history of the peace.

River Butterworth (they/them) - Postgraduate Officer at the University of Nottingham Student Union and Demilitarise UoN Organiser

Links mentioned during the discussion:

Ukraine as a "giant war lab"
https://time.com/6691662/ai-ukraine-war-palantir/

Impact of nuclear militarism on energy policy
https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/explore-our-research/business-and-economics/shining-light-on-nuclear-deterrent

UK militarism and climate
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/aug/18/mod-must-act-to-tackle-impact-of-climate-crisis-on-uk-forces-mps-say

Robotics and power supplies
https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/dsei/2021/09/16/uks-future-force-to-lean-heavily-into-robotics-ai-and-hybrid-power/

University of Sussex work on nuclear policy
https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/explore-our-research/business-and-economics/shining-light-on-nuclear-deterrent

Victoria mentioned the Divest USS campaign - that is here: https://divestuss.org/

00:00 Opening with Sam Perlo Freeman
01:50 Introduction
06:01 Okopi Ajonye, the report's author discusses the report
23:44 Andy Stirling
33:53 Victoria Araj
51:32 River Butterworth
01:06:08 Panel Discussion