Christopher J. Watterson

Dr Christopher J. Watterson is a Visiting Research Fellow at King’s College London’s Centre for Science & Security Studies (CSSS) and a Research Fellow at the University of Sydney’s United States Studies Centre. His primary affiliation is with King’s College London, where he focuses on nuclear non-proliferation, strategic trade controls, and sanctions implementation. He holds a PhD from the University of Sydney, complemented by a Master of International Security and a Bachelor of Science (Honours).

His research emphasizes North Korean nuclear and missile development, evasion of economic sanctions in East Asia, and China’s role in non-proliferation. He has secured £800k+ in research funding and advised governments globally. Key projects include analyzing China’s strategic trade policies and maritime sanctions evasion mechanisms.

Publications span nuclear policy, sanctions efficacy, and maritime security, with recent work addressing nuclear weapons’ role in limited warfare and the implications of open maritime registries for sanctions evasion. He regularly engages with international agencies like the UN and contributes to public discourse on nuclear security through features like Lights, Camera, Deterrence: What Oppenheimer tells us about nuclear security.

His academic contributions include a doctoral thesis on post-nuclear weapon foreign policy aggression and a focus on integrating historical and contemporary security challenges. He collaborates widely, with research highlighted in policy reports and media outlets.