Alexander Ghionis

Dr. Alexander Ghionis is a Research Fellow in Chemical and Biological Security at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) within the University of Sussex Business School. He is also a non-resident Fellow for UNIDIR's Weapons of Mass Destruction Program, an associate researcher on the German research project CBWNet, and a member of the Chemical Weapons Convention Coalition.

• Research Fellow in Chemical and Biological Security (Sep 2022 - present)
• Fellow, UNIDIR (Mar 2024 - Feb 2025)
• Associate researcher, CBWNet
• Member, Chemical Weapons Convention Coalition

Dr. Ghionis's research focuses on the chemical and biological weapons prohibition regimes, with special attention to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). His current research explores the implications of artificial intelligence for chemical and biological weapons prohibition regimes, examining how 'AI-anxieties' are interpreted and potentially reconciled. He also investigates contemporary challenges facing the OPCW, including civil society engagement, organizational governance, and future priorities.

His doctoral research examined change and continuity in the OPCW through interdisciplinary assessment of international relations, policy studies, and theories of culture and management. His publications span academic journals, book chapters, and policy reports for organizations like UNIDIR and the Harvard Sussex Program, with recent work focusing on AI implications for these regimes, the OPCW-civil society relationship, and the Chemical Weapons Convention Review Conference.

• AI and chemical weapons regimes
• CBW prohibition challenges
• Organizational dynamics in international security institutions
• Emerging technology implications for disarmament

Dr. Ghionis has been actively involved in key conferences including 'Thirty Years of the Chemical Weapons Convention' and 'The Fifth Review Conference of the Chemical Weapons Convention,' where he has presented on critical issues facing the chemical weapons prohibition regime.