RESEARCH & Outreach
The intellectual library of strategic foresight.
A curated collection of research papers, media briefings, and deep-dive audio discussions exploring the friction between emerging technology and global stability. These items represent an evolving body of work.
While the subjects range from nanotechnology and disaster response to AI, occupational health, and governance, they all explore how knowledge can help people and institutions make better decisions in times of uncertainty and change.
Highlights
Publications & Research
Gregory Nichols' work spans peer-reviewed scholarship, technical reports, and applied research exploring the friction between emerging technology and global stability.
Featured
Full Publications Archive
Over a decade of publications - peer-reviewd research articles, book chapters, and government reports - spanning emerging technology, national security, and public health.
Running on Empty: Why Society Needs a Reset for Assessing the Development and Use of Technology in Emerging Disruptive Technologies: Transformative Potential and Unintended Consequences. Springer Nature. Expected 2027.
Chapter 9: Emergency Management Considerations of Engineered Nanomaterials in Nanotechnology Environmental Health & Safety: Risks, Regulation, and Management. 4th edition. Elsevier. Forthcoming.
Chapter 10: Risk Communication in A Practitioner’s Guide to Beryllium Hazard Management. 2nd edition. Forthcoming.
Analysis & Commentary
Short-form essays and strategic reflections on emerging technology, public health, and national security.
workforce development
Considerations for the Establishment and Management of a Composites Material Workforce Development Program
Describes the process for setting up the Advanced Composite Employment Accelerator, through a JAIC Grant Program, at Roane State Community College, based in Harriman, Tennessee. (Available for purchase or to SAMPE members).
Invited Presentations
Key invited talks and briefings delivered to academic, governmental, and international strategic communities.
Featured
Inaugural Spark Talk Showcase
Responding to a Faster Future: The Sustainable Safety and Security (S3) Framework
2026 ORAU Annual Meeting of the Council of Sponsoring Institutions
Alcoa, TN | March 17, 2026
symposium
The Beryllium-Associated Worker Registry:
An Underutilized Tool for Occupational Safety and Health Practice and Policy?
Beryllium Health and Safety Committee 6th International Symposium
Las Vegas, NV | October 30, 2024
conference Presentation
Illicit Weapons Production: Assessing Gaps in Additive Manufacturing Security
International Conference on Advanced Manufacturing 2023. Industry 4.0: Security Aspects of AM
Washington, DC | November 2, 2023
Full Presentations Archive
Over a decade of invited presentations spanning emerging technology, national security, and public health.
Nichols, G. Responding to a Faster Future: The Sustainable Safety and Security (S3) Framework. Inaugural Spark Talk Showcase. 2026 ORAU Annual Meeting of the Council of Sponsoring Institutions. Alcoa, TN. March 17, 2026.
Nichols G. Illicit Weapons Production: Assessing Gaps in Additive Manufacturing Security. International Conference on Advanced Manufacturing 2023. Industry 4.0: Security Aspects of AM. Washington, DC. November 2, 2023.
Nichols G. Assessing the Global Risk of Nanotechnology-enabled Weapons Proliferation. Society for Risk Analysis 2017 Annual Meeting. Arlington, VA. December 12, 2017.
Nichols G. Technology and a New Arms Race. USASOC Futures Forum. July 11, 2017.
Nichols G. Emergency Response Implications of the US-EU NanoEHS Scrimmage. EMERGE 2017. Arlington, VA. April 4, 2017.
Hull M, Nichols G. Implications of 21st Century Technology Development on National Security and Emergency Management. 10th Anniversary Homeland Defense/Security Education Summit. Arlington, VA. March 23, 2017.
Leifel J and Nichols G. Nanotechnology and Emergency Response – Don't Be Afraid…Be Aware. 64th Annual International Association of Emergency Managers Conference. Savannah, GA. October 19, 2016.
Nichols G, Leifel, J. Nanotechnology and Security Awareness: A Primer. ORAU Security Awareness Group. Oak Ridge, TN. July 14, 2016.
Nichols G, Leifel, J. Nanotechnology and Security Awareness: A Primer. Department of Energy Security Awareness Special Interest Group (SA SIG) Workshop and Meeting. Oak Ridge, TN. April 20, 2016.
Nichols, G. Emerging Beryllium Risks: How to communicate them and the challenges. Energy Facilities Contractor Group Industrial Hygiene, Safety, and Chemical Management Community of Practice Spring meeting. Virtual. May 13, 2026.
Yada, S, Nichols G, and Hanna, C. AI in Occupational Health & Safety. Beryllium Health and Safety Committee 2026 Spring Meeting. Meyrin, Geneva, Switzerland. April 30, 2026.
Holden V and Nichols G. Effective Beryllium Release Incident Response. Beryllium Health and Safety Committee 2026 Spring Meeting. Meyrin, Geneva, Switzerland. April 30, 2026.
Nichols G, Golden A, Crosby, K. An Introduction to the Beryllium Associated Worker Registry: Past, Present, and Future. Beryllium Health and Safety Committee 2026 Spring Meeting. Meyrin, Geneva, Switzerland. April 30, 2026.
Nichols G. and Yada, S. A New Era in Beryllium Risk Communication. Beryllium Health and Safety Committee 2025 Fall Meeting. Albuquerque, NM. November 19, 2025.
Nichols G, and Golden A. The Beryllium-Associated Worker Registry: An Underutilized Tool for Occupational Safety and Health Practice and Policy? Beryllium Health and Safety Committee 2024 6th International Symposium. Las Vegas, NV. October 30, 2024.
Nichols G. Assessing the Use of Performance Enhancing Substances in Military Populations. Tactical Athlete Human Factors Summit. Auburn, AL. July 27, 2017.
Nichols G. Engineered Nanomaterials in the Energy Sector: Preparing for an Emerging Occupational Hazard. Electric Power Research Institute. 2nd Occupational Health and Safety Conference. Charlotte, NC. May 19, 2015
Howard, S and Nichols, G. Unlocking Data Insights from Radiation Research: An Overview of the Comprehensive Epidemiologic Data Resource. US Department of Veterans Affairs Toxic Exposure Research Working Group (TERWG), Risk Communication Subgroup. July 1, 2025.
Nichols G. Mobilizing Non-traditional Public Health Partners to Mitigate the Effects of Coronavirus Infection and to Reduce the Risk of Emerging Disease. 3rd International Electronic Conference on Environmental Research and Public Health. Virtual. January 2021.
Tasneem K, Akinwande D, Jarrahi-Cinker Z, Huang J, Nisa Q, Stolyarov D, and Nichols G. Bridging the Gap: Public Health Emergencies and Advanced Materials Solutions. Society of Toxicology Graduate Seminar. Virtual. October 2020.
Nichols G and Tasneem, K. Advanced Materials, Toxicology, Testing Facilities, Regulations and more: How to Navigate in COVID Era? AMPT Vision Accelerator. Virtual. July 2020.
Nichols G. Considerations of Intended and Unintended Effects of Performance and Cognitive Modification. Tactical Athlete Human Factors Summit. Auburn, AL. July 27, 2017.
Nichols G. Evaluating the Need for a Standardized Approach to Nanowaste Management. 2015 Sustainable Nanotechnology Organization Conference. Portland, OR. November 9, 2015.
Nichols G. The Use of Engineered Nanomaterials in Environmental Remediation: Environmental, Health, and Regulatory Issues. 13th Annual Tennessee Environmental Conference. Kingsport, TN. March 26, 2014.
Nichols G. Legal and Regulatory Consequences of New PM 2.5 Exposure Research. 12th Annual Tennessee Environmental Conference. Kingsport, TN. March 13, 2013.
Nichols G. Career Deep Dive: Federal Contracting. University of Tennessee Public Health Professional Development Workshop. September 20, 2024.
Schenk K, Krasna H, Chilese M, Lankau, E, Todd J, Barishansky R, Nichols G, and Moreno Arellano A. Action research to transform the public health workforce: Voices from the field. APHA 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo. Atlanta, GA. November 13, 2023.
Pokewaldt AG, Nichols G. Considerations for the Establishment and Management of a Composites Material Workforce Development Program. CAMX- The Composites and Advanced Materials Expo 2014. Orlando, FL. October 2014.
Hagemeyer D, Nichols G. Emerging Training Needs and Issues in Radiological Protection. 32nd International Dosimetry and Records Symposium. Scottsdale, AZ. June 2013.
Poster Presentations
Scientific posters presented at conferences.
One Million People and Millions of Data Points – A Practical Implementation of the Data Lifecycle Using the Million Person Study and Comprehensive Epidemiologic Data Resource
DATA & EPIDEMIOLOGY
61st Annual Meeting of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements
Bethesda, MD | March 2025
The Data Lifecycle and Its Importance to Radiation Epidemiology – A Case Study of Practical Implementation Using the Million Person Study and the Comprehensive Epidemiologic Data Resource
DATA & EPIDEMIOLOGY
International Society of Radiation Epidemiology and Dosimetry (ISORED)
Lyon, France | September 2025
A State of the Art Analysis of Platforms and Technical Challenges in Autonomous Casualty Evacuation
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES & DEFENSE
2024 Military Health System Research Symposium
Kissimmee, FL | August 2024
Developing Best Practices for the United States Department of Defense Rare Earth Mining and Recovery Efforts
CRITICAL MATERIALS & SECURITY
28th Rare Earths Research Conference
Ames, IA | June 2017
Promoting Tissue Regeneration with Low Level Energy Therapy to Minimize Infection Risk
WOUND CARE & TECHNOLOGY
2016 International State-of-the-Science Meeting on Minimizing the Impact of Wound Infections Following Blast-Related Injuries
Arlington, VA | November 2016
NANOTECHNOLOGY & WORKER HEALTH
Cytogenetic Testing of Nanomaterial Workers: Concepts, Methodology, and Limitations
AIHA Asia Pacific OH Conference and Exhibition
Singapore | October 2013
NANOTECHNOLOGY & WORKER HEALTH
Analysis of a US Department of Energy Emergent Technologies Cohort
140th American Public Health Association Annual Meeting
San Francisco, CA | October 2012
Note: All presentations have at least one co-author/co-presenter
Webinar Library
A curated archive of strategic foresight, exploring the intersection of emerging technology, global security, and societal resilience.
Emerging Technology Risk
additive manufacturing
Illicit Weapons Production: Gaps in Additive Manufacturing Security
Regional Advanced Manufacturing Partnership of Maryland (RAMP MD) Additive Manufacturing Webinar Series. January 12, 2024.
Risk Assessment
National Security Risks of Emerging Technologies
DHS, START, MINERVA and SMA Technical Lecture Series Telecon. November 15, 2016.
Human Health & Performance
occupational health & safety
An Overview of Engineered Nanomaterials as Emerging Occupational Hazards in the Energy Sector
Electric Power Research Institute Interest Group for Worker Safety (IGWS) Monthly Webcast. March 26, 2015.
Resilience & Strategic Foresight
Influence & Engagement
Throughout my career, I have been invited to contribute expertise through media interviews, professional panels, moderated discussions, and research collaborations. These engagements reflect opportunities to help translate complex scientific, technological, public health, and policy issues for diverse audiences.
Media Interviews & Expert Commentary
Featured interviews, expert quotes, and commentary in news and professional publications.
- Navigating the convergence of AI and biotechnology: Greg Nichols on innovation, risk and responsible oversight. Then & Now: The ORAU Blog. August 2026.
- What is Coal Ash? Public Health Expert Greg Nichols Explains What Coal Ash Is and What It Can Mean for Your Health. Knoxville News Sentinel. July 2023.
- What is coal ash? Can it harm your health if you're exposed? Experts weigh in. Knoxville News Sentinel. July 2023.
- Over 13 Years, Coal Ash Cleanup Workers Have Endured to Forge a Legacy of Public Good. Knoxville News Sentinel. December 2021.
- The Future of Nanotechnology in Orthopaedics. BONEZONE. December 2015.
- IRB Considerations for Nanotechnology Protocols. IRB Advisor. April 2015.
Expert Panels & Roundtables
Invited panel discussions and professional forums.
- Certified in Public Health Information Session, National Board of Public Health Examiners. Panelist. October 2025.
- NNCI Nanotechnology Entrepreneurship Challenge Showcase. Distinguished Panelist. May 2025.
- Impacts of Infectious Diseases on the Military: Lessons Learned. Homeland Defense and Security Information Analysis Center. Panelist. November 2022.
- Entrepreneurship in the Tennessee Valley Corridor. Tennessee Valley Corridor National Summit. Panelist. June 2016.
- University of Tennessee MPH Career Workshop: Job Search Strategies. Panelist. November 2014.
Leading conversations among researchers, practitioners, and emerging leaders.
- STEM Management and Leadership in the Federal Landscape. ORISE Postdoctoral Mini Symposium. Moderator. September 2024.
- From Lab to The Literal Field: Custom-Fit, 3D-Printed Medical Devices and Wearable Sports Gear. Homeland Defense and Security Information Analysis Center (HDIAC). Host. December 14, 2023.
- Wearables for Physiological Monitoring and the Department of Defense. Homeland Defense and Security Information Analysis Center (HDIAC). Host. March 22, 2018.
Research Contributions & Expert Consultation
Research projects and publications informed through interviews, consultation, and subject matter expertise.
- Latent Variable Environment, Time, and Symbiotic Concepts Through 2045. US Army War College. Interview contributor. May 2022.
- Vacuum Infusion Process Study Guide. American Composites Manufacturers Association. Contributor. 2019
- A Pilot Assessment of Occupational Health Hazards in the U.S. Electronic Scrap Recycling Industry. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. Acknowledged contributor. 2015.
Teaching & Lectures
Over a decade of supporting undergraduate, graduate, and profesisonal education.
Guest Lectures
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES & DEFENSE
Real-world Application: Nanotechnology and National Defense
Introduction to Public Health course
University of Tennessee, Department of Public Health, Knoxville, TN | March 24, 2023
worker health & safety
The Beryllium Story: And How Nanomaterials Could Follow a Similar Path
Graduate Seminar in Public Health
University of Tennessee, Department of Public Health, Knoxville, TN | October 29, 2015
workforce development
Early Career Advice for MPH Grads
Graduate Seminar in Public Health
University of Tennessee, Department of Public Health, Knoxville, TN | February 6, 2014
environmental health & disaster response
Kingston Fossil Plant Coal Ash Spill: Case Study
Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Management course
University of Tennessee, Department of Public Health, Knoxville, TN | February 16, 2023
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
The Business of Nanoscience
The West Virginia University Seminar in Nanoscience
West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV | October 27, 2015
environmental health & disaster response
The TVA Fly Ash Spill: Community Medical Screenings
Fernbank Science Center & Georgia Institute of Technology
Oak Ridge, TN | May 30, 2012
worker health & safety
Contemporary Worker Health and Safety Issues
Managing Human Resources course
West Virginia University Chamber College of Business & Economics. Morgantown, WV | April 21, 2021
environmental health & disaster response
The TVA Fly Ash Spill: Community Medical Screenings
University of Kentucky, Central Appalachian Regional Education and Research Center
Oak Ridge, TN | March 17, 2014
Short Courses
worker health & safety
Technology Transformation in the Workplace: Ensuring Health and Safety When There Are No Rules
Safety Fest TN 2024
Oak Ridge, TN | May 1, 2024
worker health & safety
Worker Safety When There Are No Rules
Safety Fest TN 2015
Oak Ridge, TN | September 14, 2015
worker health & safety
Worker Safety When There Are No Rules
Safety Fest TN 2017
Oak Ridge, TN | September 13, 2017
exposure science
The Intersection of Dosimetry, Biostatistics, and Epidemiology in the Context of Radiation Health Risk Studies
34th International Dosimetry and Records Symposium
Annapolis, MD | June 3, 2015
worker health & safety
Worker Safety When There Are No Rules
Safety Fest TN 2016
Oak Ridge, TN | September 12, 2016
Course Development
exposure science
Understanding Radiation Health Risk Studies and How to Communicate Them
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
North Bethesda, MD | 2011-2012