Center for War Studies

BASIC and Programme Manager of BASIC's programme on Risk Reduction. She is an expert in NATO, including NATO-Russia relations, nuclear non-proliferation and the Arctic and she leads BASIC's work in these areas. Gry has published in high impact journals such as Marine Policy and International Journal, and she is the coeditor of The Palgrave Handbook of Non-State Actors in East-West Relations. She has also authored policy reports and policy briefs providing advice directly to governments. Gry holds a PhD in Cold War history from the University of Copenhagen and was awarded a postdoc grant by the Carlsberg Foundation and the Danish Ministry of Defence to undertake research into nuclear non-proliferation at the Danish Institute for International Studies. Prior to joining BASIC, she has also been Visiting Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Cold War History Research Centre in Budapest and a Visiting Researcher at the Centre for Science and Security Studies, King's College, London. Dr Chiara Cervasio is a Policy Fellow at BASIC and Programme Manager of BASIC's Programme on Nuclear Responsibilities. Chiara's expertise is in nuclear diplomacy and trust-building, nuclear risk reduction, and crisis management and de-escalation practices, especially in Southern Asia. Chiara is also interested in investigating security dynamics in the Arctic. Chiara has published in high impact journals, such as International Relations, and regularly writes policy briefs and reports on nuclear risk reduction, China-India / India-Pakistan relations, and the Arctic. Chiara has provided talks at Wilton Park (UK FCDO) and at the MINDS briefing expert series for the Government of Canada (DND) and has presented her research at several conferences, such as the British International Studies Association (BISA), the International Society of Political Psychology (ISPP), and the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR). Chiara holds a PhD in Political Science and International Relations from the Institute for Conflict, Cooperation and Security (ICCS) at the University of Birmingham. Her PhD focused on distrust reduction and crisis management in contemporary China-India relations. Mhairi McClafferty is a Policy Fellow at BASIC, having joined the organisation in August 2022 as Policy Intern, where she works on the Nuclear Responsibilities and Risk Reduction programmes. Her research focuses on nuclear diplomacy, conflict resolution, and exploring nuclear weapons policy from humanitarian and gender perspectives. Mhairi holds a Master's degree in Diplomacy and International Security, as well as a Bachelor's degree in History from the University of Strathclyde. She also participated in the Erasmus Exchange Programme, attending the University of Groningen during her undergraduate studies. BASIC is a London-based think tank that promotes meaningful dialogue amongst governments and experts in order to build international trust, reduce nuclear risks, and advance disarmament. We have a global reputation for convening distinctive and empathic dialogues that help states overcome complex strategic and political differences. Our established networks and expertise, developed since 1987, enable us to get the right people in the room and facilitate effective, meaningful exchange between siloed and often hostile political communities.