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Nuclear Verification in an Unstable World
VeSPoTec is a project by:
The research consortium VeSPoTec – Verification in a complex and unpredictable world: social, political and technical processes is a cooperation between the RWTH Aachen University, the Forschungszentrum Jülich, the TU Darmstadt and the University of Duisburg-Essen.
Associated partners include the University of Vienna and the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP).
VeSPoTec is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR, formerly BMBF).
What is Verification?
Verification is the process of gathering and analysing information to assess whether other parties comply with their commitments. This way, it allows to build confidence and ensures an effective implementation of international agreements.
Our Mission
VeSPoTec’s mission is to build bridges between the natural and social sciences to strengthen and advance the knowledge on verification in the context of peace and conflict research.
Why an interdisciplinary approach?
Given the complexity and dynamics of the challenge of nuclear verification, the interaction of different disciplinary perspectives is indispensable for understanding the phenomenon and for developing sustainable and applicable solutions. The specificity of the project therefore lies in the synergy of inter- and transdisciplinary work among the partners with their complementary foci on natural, social, political and cultural sciences as well as practice.
Blog
By Kim Westerich-Fellner. From 10-12 September, the Science – Peace – Security ’25 (SPS ’25) Conference was held in Aachen, Germany. The event was hosted by VeSPoTec and organized by Forschungszentrum Jülich. The conference explored how rapid technological advancements are reshaping global peace and
By Josias Bruderer. The US interference in the war between Israel and Iran has hardly shed any light on the blurred situation, let alone made the region safer. Contradictory and divergent reports on the extent of the destruction, remaining facilities and consequences emphasize the lack of clarity. Malte Göttsche, a principal
By Neslihan Yanikömer. In an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape, achieving nuclear disarmament requires more than political will—it demands a robust, realistic framework for implementation and compliance. To explore what such a framework might entail, the VeSPoTec research consortium conducted a 1.5-day tabletop exercise
For previous Blog posts, please click here.
Team
Principal Investigators
Prof. Dr. Malte Göttsche
Coordinator
Science for Nuclear Diplomacy
Peace Research Institute Frankfurt
goettsche@prif.org
Prof. Dr. Stefan Böschen
Human Technology Center
RWTH Aachen
stefan.boeschen@humtec.rwth-aachen.de
Dr. Irmgard Niemeyer
Nuclear Waste Management (IEK-6)
Forschungszentrum Jülich
i.niemeyer@fz-juelich.de
Prof. Dr. Ralph Rotte
International Relations
RWTH Aachen
rotte@ipw.rwth-aachen.de
Dr. Carmen Wunderlich
Institute of Political Science
University Duisburg-Essen
carmen.wunderlich@uni-due.de
Managing Director
Dr. Ana de la Varga
Nuclear Verification and Disarmament
RWTH Aachen
delavarga@nvd.rwth-aachen.de
Administrative Assistant
Melanie Baumann
Human Technology Center
RWTH Aachen
melanie.baumann@humtec.rwth-aachen.de
Scientific Staff
Dr. Laura Mertes
Science for Nuclear Policy
TU Darmstadt
Dr. Ing. Neslihan Yanikömer
Institute of Fusion Energy and Nuclear Waste Management (IFN)
Forschungszentrum Jülich n.yanikoemer@fz-juelich.de
Dr. Kim Westerich-Fellner
Institute of Fusion Energy and Nuclear Waste Management (IFN)
Forschungszentrum Jülich
k.westerich-fellner@fz-juelich.de
Student Assistants
Josias Bruderer, B.A.
Human Technology Center
RWTH Aachen
josias.bruderer@humtec.rwth-aachen.de
Further Partners
See our former team members here.
Advisory Board
Dr. Hassan Elbahtimy
Centre for Science and Security Studies, King’s College
Dr. Angela Kane
Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP)
Dr. Marco Marzo
Brazilian-Argentine Agency for Accounting and Control of Nuclear Materials (ABACC)
Dr. Pavel Podvig
UN Institute for Disarmament Research
Laura Rockwood
Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-proliferation (VCDNP)
Amy Woolf
Royal United Services Institute
Contact
Feel free to contact us at vespotec@rwth-aachen.de for questions and further information about the project.
A look back at the Science – Peace – Security ’25 (SPS ’25) Conference
10.-12.09.2025, Aachen, Germany
We’re looking back to the Science – Peace – Security ’25 (SPS ’25) Conference, hosted by the VeSPoTec research consortium and organized by Forschungszentrum Jülich. Some first impressions on this successful event:
Carmen Wunderlich receives the 2025 Political Science Teaching Award
14.08.2025, Darmstadt, Germany
Congrats to our PI Carmen Wunderlich for receiving the Political Science Teaching Award 2025 for her seminar on nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation & global security! With her exceptional teaching approach, she is empowering students to critically engage with political developments.
Announcement: Tagung Netzwerk Friedens- und Konfliktforschung NRW (09.09.2025 in Bochum)
Bochum, Germany
On Tuesday, 9 September 2025, the annual conference of the Peace and Conflict Research Network NRW will take place, this time at the Institute for Peace Security Law and Humanitarian International Law (IFHV) at Ruhr University Bochum, located directly at Bochum Central Station (IFHV, Massenbergstraße 11, conference room, 6th floor, 44787 Bochum).
Please refer to the flyer for details.
VeSPoTec participates at 68th IAEA General Conference in Vienna
Vienna, Austria
16.09.2024 – 20.09.2024
Members of the VeSPoTec research consortium attended the 68th IAEA General Conference in Vienna. In their capacity as German delegates, they participated in the Committee as a Whole and the Plenary Meetings, where they gained valuable insights. They were particularly impressed and are keen to continue their research, applying the insights gained to their ongoing work. They also took part in a side event, which was organized and moderated by VeSPoTec’s Irmgard Niemeyer and Neshlihan Yanikömer. Julian Schäfer presented at this event.
Inaugural lecture of Malte Göttsche at TU Darmstadt
Darmstadt, Germany
28.06.2024
Prof. Malte Göttsche held his inaugural lecture on June 28, 2024 at TU Darmstadt. Concepts of scientific peace reasearch and recent work of Prof. Göttsche and his group was introduced to a broad audience of students, professors and interested citizens. The lecture was completed by a discussion with Prof. Göttsche and the audience about questions of verification, compliance and responsibilities of scientists regarding the (mis)use of their research.
The lecture falls in line with Prof. Göttsche’s appointment as professor at TU Darmstadt and the assumption of the position as speaker of the CNTR project at PRIF, Frankfurt.
For previous news, please click here.