Brett Edwards

Dr Brett Edwards is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Bath's Politics, Languages & International Studies department, affiliated with the Made Smarter Innovation Centre for People-Led Digitalisation and the Centre for the Study of Violence. His research focuses on the intersection of technology, governance, and security, particularly addressing biological and chemical weapons governance, humanitarian intervention, and the security implications of emerging biotechnologies. He employs qualitative, constructivist methodologies to examine norm formation and authority dynamics in technical governance.

Before his current role, Dr Edwards held positions including a Wellcome Trust-funded fellowship at the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (2013) and an ESRC-funded project on technology assessment in chemical/biological weapons regimes. His interdisciplinary background includes a PhD analyzing synthetic biology governance (2014) and an MA in Biotechnological Law and Ethics.

His recent research outputs emphasize strengthening chemical/biological non-proliferation regimes post-pandemic, Syrian chemical weapon accountability, and dual-use biotechnology ethics. Key projects include advancing digitalisation in defense (2021-22) and publishing the book Insecurity and Emerging Biotechnology (2020). Awards include the Wellcome Trust fellowship recognizing his policy-oriented research.

Edwards actively engages in policy advocacy through submissions to UK government inquiries and maintains the Technology Security and Ethics Research Group blog, fostering dialogue on security ethics issues.