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Margaret KosalMargaret Kosal, associate professor in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, was quoted in the article "Biotech Future of Promise and Peril Looms Larger and Closer", published Oct. 27, 2020 in The Japan Times.
Kosal gave her input on the proliferation and relative ease of production of biological weapons technology, which necessitates plans for response from countries that may be affected.
Excerpt:
There are security concerns. Biological capabilities are simplifying — in many cases they are DIY (do it yourself) — and proliferating. Margaret Kosal, who focuses on technology issues at the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Tech, warns that: “Advanced technology is no longer the domain of the few. Biological weapons are perceived as (and in some cases, arguably are) relatively cheap and easier to produce, more widely available, and within the capabilities of an increasingly large number of people with access to minimal technical skills and equipment and more concealable dual-use technologies, especially when compared to obstacles in attaining and developing nuclear weapons.” She argues that the U.S. and Japan (and other partners) must develop new models to control the proliferation of these technologies and deter their use for nefarious purposes. Central to the success of any such effort will be inculcating an awareness and responsibility among scientists so that they are attuned to the potential misuse of their work.
