About / CV

Samuel Evans is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University, jointly with the Harvard Kennedy School’s Program on Science, Technology, and Society, and the School of Engineering and Applied Science.  He recently completed his doctoral research within the Institute for Science, Innovation, & Society (formerly the James Martin Institute for Science & Civilization) at the University of Oxford.  His doctoral research, supervised by Professor Steve Rayner, was on the Wassenaar Arrangement, an international informal group that works to prevent destabilising accumulations of conventional arms and dual-use technologies in regions of concern.

Research Interests

  • The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies
  • ambiguity, uncomfortable knowledge, and  the social construction of ignorance
  • wicked problems
  • science & technology studies
  • international security

Publications & Presentations

  • “Imaginaries of State Security”, paper given at the Science Democracy Network annual meeting, in conjunction with the British Royal Society’s 350th celebrations, Kavli House, UK, 28-30 2010.
  • “The Bounds of Applicability of Export Controls”, paper given at The Rightful Place of Science? conference at CSPO, Arizona State University, 16-19 May 2010.
  • “Finding Common Ambiguity: what is left out of dual-use technology definitions”, paper given at the Uncertainty: Ambiguity and Doubt in Knowledge Production conference at Stanford University, 23-24 April 2010.
  • “Technological Ambiguity in Export Controls: A tool for legitimacy?”, invited presentation to the Cornell University Peace Studies Program, jointly sponsored by the Cornell Department of Science & Technology Studies, 11 March 2010.  (PDF of slides; Streaming quicktime movie of the slides)
  • “Technological Ambiguity & the Wassenaar Arrangement” DPhil thesis, University of Oxford, submitted Trinity Term 2009.
  • “How do we prevent the malicious use of technology? Can we?” Presentation the the New College Graduate Colloquium, University of Oxford, 22 October 2008.
  • “Is it possible to define technologies to be controlled?” Talk given to the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies, California on 26 August 2008.
  • “Governing trade in dual-use items: the problem of definition“  Paper prepared for The 2008 Oxford/Sciences-Po Doctoral Seminar on Regional and Global Institutions in the 21st Century, 1 May 2008.
  • “‘You want to control technology? Fine, give me a list.’ ‘It’s not that easy, sir.’”, Talk given to the James Martin 21st Century School Advanced Research Seminar Series, University of Oxford, 16 November 2007.
  • “International Relations, Cultural Theory, and STS: Can these children learn to play together?”, Presentation given to the James Martin Institute Work in Progress Seminar, University of Oxford, 15 May 2007.
  • “The Wassenaar Arrangement: The unsexiest of international regimes”, Invited talk given to CPASS Speaker Series, Georgetown University, 11 April 2007.
  • “Governing the Unknown Knowns: A reply to Jerry Ravetz”, Presentation given to the James Martin Institute Work in Progress Seminar, University of Oxford, 31 October 2006.
  • “Defining Dual-Use: An international assessment of the discourses around technology”, Talk given to the ESRC New Directions in Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation Workshop, King’s College London, 27 February 2006.
  • “Pluralistic Tools for Policy Analysis”,  Talk given to the Mid-Summer YSSP Workshop, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Austria, 20 July 2005.
  • Evans, Samuel A. (2004) The Governance of Technology at the World Trade Organization: a cultural theory framework. Dissertation for the degree of Masters of Science in Management Research, University of Oxford.
  • Bryant, R. G., S. A. Evans, E. R. Long Jr., R. L. Fox (2000) “Thermal and Mechanical Characterization of NASA High Displacement Actuators For Satellite Instrumentation.” Smart Structures and Materials 2000: Industrial and Commercial Applications of Smart Structures Technologies, Proceedings of SPIE Vol. 3991. 195-200.

Research Experience & Employment

  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard University (2009-2010)
  • Professional Development Coordinator, Saïd Business School (2007-2008)
  • Visiting Researcher, Security Studies Program, Center for Peace and Security Studies, Georgetown University   (2006-2007)
  • Research Assistant to Sir Crispin Tickell, Policy Foresight Programme (2004-2008)
  • Young Scientist Summer Program, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) (2005)
  • Tutor in International Security, Stanford House, University of Oxford  (2005-2006)
  • Teaching Assistant, Oxford MBA Programme course on “Technology and Innovation Strategy”  (2004-2005)
  • Copy Editor, Dr. Alan Ryan      (2004-2005)
  • Summer  Scholar, NASA Langley Research Center (1999-2001)

Awards

  • Next Generation Science and Technology Policy Leader (2010) Awarded by the Consortium for Science, Policy & Outcomes, Arizona State University.
  • Dan Gowler Award (2004)  Awarded for the best dissertation in the Management Faculty, University of Oxford.

Education