Dr Ian J. Stewart
Dr Ian J. Stewart is an export-controls, strategic-technology and international-security specialist with experience spanning government, policy research, international capacity building and private-sector advisory work.
His work focuses on how governments and organizations control and protect sensitive technologies in an era of strategic competition and rapid technological change. His principal areas of expertise include export controls, sanctions, research security, nonproliferation, artificial intelligence and semiconductor policy.
Experience
Dr Stewart is trained as a nuclear engineer and previously worked for the United Kingdom government, where he was responsible for technical, end-use and end-user assessments of dual-use export licence applications.
In that role, he evaluated transactions involving sensitive goods, software and technology; assessed proliferation and national-security risks; and worked with technical, legal, intelligence and policy counterparts across government. His responsibilities included the application of catch-all controls and the assessment of cases involving potentially sensitive end users and end uses.
He now works internationally with governments, companies, universities, research institutions and professional organizations. His work includes:
- advising on export-control policy and implementation;
- supporting sanctions and proliferation-finance compliance;
- strengthening national export-control and licensing systems;
- developing research-security and technology-protection frameworks;
- assessing risks associated with international research and technology collaboration;
- designing and evaluating AI-enabled compliance and analytical workflows;
- delivering specialist training and executive briefings.
Dr Stewart regularly works with partners across Europe, Asia and the United States and brings together practical regulatory experience, technical understanding and policy analysis.
Areas of expertise
Dr Stewart has particular expertise in:
- export controls in the context of US–China strategic competition;
- controls on artificial intelligence, advanced computing and semiconductors;
- semiconductor manufacturing equipment and strategic supply chains;
- military, strategic and weapons-of-mass-destruction end-use controls;
- intangible technology transfers and foreign-national access;
- research security and international collaboration risk;
- sanctions evasion and strategic procurement networks;
- proliferation finance;
- export-control implementation across the Asia-Pacific;
- EU dual-use controls and economic-security policy;
- the use of artificial intelligence in trade compliance and nonproliferation;
- the design and evaluation of AI-enabled analytical systems.
Current roles
Dr Stewart is President of FusionLabs LLC, through which he develops specialist analysis, training, datasets and AI-enabled tools relating to export controls, research security, nonproliferation and strategic technology.
He is also Executive Director of the Washington, DC office of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies.
His FusionLabs activities are independent, and views expressed through this site do not necessarily represent the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Middlebury College or other organizations with which he is affiliated.
Export Controls State of Play
The Export Controls State of Play series reflects Dr Stewart’s approach to analysis.
The quarterly briefing combines policy and regulatory developments with an assessment of how export controls are implemented in practice by governments, companies and research institutions. It focuses on what is changing, why it matters and what decision-makers should be considering next.
Professional enquiries
Dr Stewart is available for:
- private executive and compliance briefings;
- conference and event speaking;
- specialist training;
- policy and programme advisory work;
- independent reviews of export-control, research-security and AI-enabled compliance approaches.
For professional enquiries, contact: