Research Interests

  • Technology aspects in security policy.
  • Terrorism, particularly nuclear and radiological.
  • Homeland security, nuclear and radiological attack prevention and preparedness
  • Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
  • Nuclear forensics and safeguards research.
  • Missile proliferation and missile defense.
  • Energy policy. 
  • Emerging technologies and the future of arms control.
 

Education and Work 

  • Physics Studies at the Universities of Bremen, Germany and Wales, UK; M. Sc. in Theoretical Particle Physics from the University of Wales Swansea ("Magnetic Monopoles in U(1) Lattice Gauge Theory");
  • Research Associate at the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg, Germany (Technical Analyses of Missile Defence Systems and Missile and Nuclear Proliferation);
  • Research Associate at the Radioacivity Measurements Laboratory/Institute for Environmental Physics at the University of Bremen (Radiological Terrorism, Emergeny Preparedness, Nuclear Forensics);
  • since 2006: Research Fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. 
  • also: Research Affiliate with the Science, Technology, and Global Security Working Group, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (since 2006); Member of the Executive Board of the Bremen Institute for Technology and Society (BITG), and Head of its group on Technology Aspects in Security Policy (since 2004).

 

Publications and Studies

  • Tom Bielefeld, Helmut W. Fischer, The Security of Medical and Industrial Radioactive Sources. Proc. of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management Annual Meeting 2008.
  • Matthew Bunn, Tom Bielefeld, Reducing Nuclear and Radiological Terrorism Threats. Proc. of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management Annual Meeting 2007. (link)
  • Tom Bielefeld, Hassan Abbas, The Khan Job. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientist 63, No 4, July/August 2007, pp 72-73. (link)
  • Tom Bielefeld, H. W. Fischer, Security and Damage Potential of Commercial Radioactive Sources. Journal of Nuclear Materials Management 35, No 2, Spring 2007, pp 14-17.
  • Tom Bielefeld, H. W. Fischer, Medizinische und industrielle Strahlenquellen als radiologische Waffen (Medical and Industrial Radiation Sources As Radiological Weapons). Strahlenschutzpraxis, No 3, August 2006, pp 53-57. (link)
  • Tom Bielefeld, Christian Eurich, Science Roadmapping für Rüstungstechnologie-Folgenabschätzung und präventive Rüstungslontrolle (Science Roadmapping for Defence Technology Assessment and Preventive Arms Control). Technikfolgenabschätzung: Theorie und Praxis, No 2, 2005, pp 128-134. (link)
  • Tom Bielefeld, MEADS: Anforderungen - Fähigkeiten - Rüstungskontrolle (MEADS: Requirements - Capabilities - Arms Control). BITG-Working Paper, March 2005.
  • Tom Bielefeld, Das Verglühen von Flugkörpern beim Eintritt in die Erdatmosphäre (The Burn-Up of Objects During Entry Into the Earth's Atmosphere). Study commisioned by the Fraunhofer Institute for Technological Trend Analysis (INT), 2004.
  • Tom Bielefeld, Götz Neuneck, Raketenabwehr-Optionen für die Bush-Administration: Die technische Dimension (Missile Defence Options for the Bush-Administration: The Technical Dimension). Sicherheit und Frieden, No 2, 2001, pp 89-95. (link)
  • Tom Bielefeld, Götz Neuneck, Raketenabwehr und Internationale Sicherheit (Missile Defences and International Security). Wissenschaft und Frieden, Dossier No 38, July 2001, pp 8-12. (link)
  • Tom Bielefeld, Götz Neuneck, US-Raketenabwehr: Zurück zum globalen Schutzschild? (US-Missile Defence: Back to the Global Shield?) Wissenschaft und Frieden, No 1, Jan. 2001, pp 7-11. (link)
  • Tom Bielefeld, Götz Neuneck, Raketenabwehr: Ende der Illusion? (Missile Defence: The End of the Illusion?) Spektrum der Wissenschaft, No 9, Sept. 2000, pp 92-92. (link)
  • Tom Bielefeld, Simon Hands, John D. Stack, Roy J. Wensley, Magnetic Monopoles as Agents of Chiral Symmetry Breaking in U(1) Lattice Gauge Theory. Physics Letters B416, 1998, pp 150-156. (link)
  • Roy J. Wensley, Tom Bielefeld,  Simon Hand, John D. Stack,  Magnetic Current and Chiral Symmetry Breaking in Quenched QED. Nuclear Physics Proc. Suppl. 63A-C, 1998, pp 709-711.

 

Panels and Invited Talks 

  • The Security of Radioactive Sources in Hospitals and Industrial Facilities. Oral presentation at the 12th International Congress of the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA 12), Buenos Aires, Argentina (October 21, 2008).
  • Detecting Nuclear and Radioactive Materials. Talk given at the 20th International Summer Symposium on Science and World Affairs, Boston, US (July 30, 2008).
  • The Categorization of Radioactive Sources. Invited Panelist Contribution to the Workshop on Reducing the Risk from Radioactive and Nuclear Materials, Institute of Nuclear Materials Management, Washington D.C., US (February 19, 2008).
  • Nuclear Attibution as Security Policy Tool: Possibilities and Limitations. Talk given at the Program in Science and Global Security, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, US (May 16, 2007).
  • Domestic Security of Radioactive Sources. Invited Panelist Contribution to the Workshop on Reducing the Risk from Radioactive and Nuclear Materials, Institute of Nuclear Materials Management, Santa Fe, US (March 21, 2007).
  • Medizinische und industrielle Strahlenquellen als radiologische Waffen (Medical and Industrial Radiation Sources as Radiological Weapons). Talk given at the Arbeitskreis Strahlenschutz der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Medizinische Physik, Bremen, Germany (September 1, 2006).
  • Radioactive Sources Security and Radiological Attack Preparedness. Talk given at the Program in Science, Technology, and Society, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, US (November 18, 2005), at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, US (November 17, 2005), and at the Program on Science and Global Security, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, US (November 16, 2005).
  • Nuclear Forensic Science: An Introduction. Talk given at the 15th International Summer Symposium on Science and World Affairs, Moscow, Russia (July 24, 2003).
  • Missile Defence: A View From Europe. Talk given at the Science and Global Security Program, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, US (February 21, 2002), and at the Security Studies Program Technical Seminar, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, US (February 19, 2002).
  • Raketenabwehr und die Bush-Administration (Missile Defences and the Bush-Administration). Talk given at the Fraunhofer Institute for Technological Trend Analysis, Euskirchen, Germany (Dec. 12, 2001).
  • The Role of the Airborne Laser in Future Strategic Missile Defence Systems. Talk given at the 13th International Summer Symposium on Science and World Affairs, Berlin, Germany (July 26, 2001).
  • NMD and Europe. Talk given at the 12th International Summer Symposium on Science and World Affairs, Moscow, Russia (August 30, 2000).
 

Conference and Seminar Talks

  • Nuclear Forensics and Its Role in Security Policy. Talk given at the International Security Program Seminar, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University, Cambridge, US (November 20, 2008). (link)
  • Detecting Nuclear and Radioactive Materials. Talk given at the Managing the Atom Project's Working Group on Nuclear Terrorism, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University , Cambridge, US (December 19, 2007).
  • Nuclear Terrorism. Talk given at the International Security Program Fellow's Study Group on Terrorism, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University, Cambridge, US (March 30, 2007).
  • Radiological Weapons: What's the Threat? What Can Be Done? Talk at the Institute of Environmental Physics Seminar, University of Bremen, Germany (May 2, 2006).
  • Radiologische Waffen: Sicherheit von Strahlenquellen und Gefahrenabwehr (Radiological Weapons: Sources Security and Attack Preparedness). Talk given at the 13. Fachgespräch zur Überwachung der Umweltradioaktivität, Bonn, Germany (April 5, 2006) and at the Frühjahrstagung der Deutschen Physikalischen Gesellschaft, Munich, Germany (March 24, 2006).
  • Nukleare Forensik: Methoden zur Herkunftsbestimmung von Nuklearmaterial (Nuclear Forensic Science: Methods to Determine the Origin of Nuclear Materials). Talk given at the 2. Symposium Nukleare und Radiologische Waffen, Euskirchen, Germany (September 21, 2005) and at the Institute of Environmental Physics Seminar, University of Bremen, Germany (February 8, 2005).
  • MEADS und NATO-TMD: Perspektiven einer europäischen Raketenabwehr (MEADS and NATO-TMD: Perspectives ona European Missile Defence System). Talk given at the Frühjahrstagung der Deutschen Physikalischen Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany (March 8, 2005).
  • US-Raketenabwehr: Ein Statusreport (US Missile Defence: A Status Report). Talk given at the Frühjahrstagung der Deutschen Physikalischen Gesellschaft, Munich, Germany (March 25, 2004).
  • US-Raketenabwehr: Gegenwärtiger Stand und Perspektiven (US Missile Defence: Current Status and Perspectives). Talk given at the Frühjahrstagung der Deutschen Physikalischen Gesellschaft, Hanover, Germany (March 27, 2003).
  • Detecting Nuclear Warheads. Talk given at the Environmental Radioactivity Seminar, Institute of Environmental Physics, University of Bremen, Germany (Part I, March 18, 2003; Part II, March 25, 2003).
  • Eine Raketenabwehr für Europa? (Missile Defences for Europe?) Talk given at the Frühjahrstagung der Deutschen Physikalischen Gesellschaft, Hamburg, Germany (March 29, 2001).
  • Raketenabwehr und Internationale Sicherheit (Missile Defence and International Security). Talk given at the Open Workshop of the Project Network Preventive Arms Control, Berlin, Germany (March 15, 2001).
  • MEADS and the Emerging Missile Defence Debate in Europe. Talk given at the Conference of Missile Defenses After the US Elections, Berlin, Germany (February 14, 2001).
 

 Personal Links 

  • My wife Nadja Schinkel-Bielefeld is a post-doc in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT: (link)
  • Nadja is also a cake artist. Here are some pictures of her work.
  • Antje Schinkel, Nadja's sister, is a fashion designer and lives in Milan. She has just set up her own fashion label Davanti.