George Balston

George Balston is Programme Co-Director for Defence & Security at The Alan Turing Institute, where he leads an international program applying data science and AI to national security, cyber security, and defence challenges. He concurrently serves as Founding Director of the Centre for Emerging Technology and Security (CETaS), a policy advisory body within The Turing. Additionally, he holds affiliations as an Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and an Honorary Research Fellow at University College London (UCL).

His research focuses on interdisciplinary domains including:

• Security Applications: AI-driven solutions for national defence, cyber threats, and climate-related security risks
• Technology Policy: Governance frameworks for emerging technologies and privacy-enhancing systems
• Innovation Methodology: Optimization of government R&D pipelines and deployment of analytical capabilities

He actively contributes to high-impact initiatives including the Royal Society's working group on Privacy Enhancing Technologies and provides expert counsel to UK Government entities on technology implications for national security. His work bridges technical development with policy formulation, emphasizing real-world deployment.