Contact Stephen Johnson
- Email: s.johnson@cranfield.ac.uk
- Twitter: @cbrnesteve
- Blog: https://sinkingblackswans.com/
- ORCID
- Google Scholar
- ResearchGate
Areas of expertise
- CBRN Focus Areas
- Computing, Simulation & Modelling
- Counter-IED
- Defence Systems Engineering
- Defence Training Analysis
- Systems Engineering
Background
Steve was commissioned in to the British Army serving with 33 EOD Regiment (Royal Engineers) on a Short Service Limited Commission before a full career with the Royal Tank Regiment and Joint CBRN Regiment. This included service in Northern Ireland, Iraq, Falkland Islands, Belize, Canada and Germany. He continues to serve in the reserves as a technical officer.
He left regular military service to join the Foreign and Commonwealth Office spending time in London and the Middle East (he is a fluent Arabic speaker). He then worked in Security and Defence consultancy at System Consultant Services Ltd before being head hunted by Thales UK to work on CBRN detection systems. He developed a new type of mobile sensing vehicle (CAS-I) and assessed innovations in detection systems including bees, Deep UV and novel CZT structures for radiation sensing.
Steve spent 2 years working for the leading CBRNE journal, CBRNe World, as deputy editor and head of consulting. He built an explosive detection test house from scratch, co-authored two books on CBRN technologies and had incredible access to CBRNE specialists around the world as he interviewed, visited or helped develop workshops for them. Most recently he resigned as Deputy Editor, taking a position as News editor.
Following developments within his research on the impact of terrorism attacks he was recruited to Intelligence Management Services Ltd where he was Director of Consulting and worked with most of the major players in insurance as well as supporting work on intelligence analysis training and software.
Current activities
Stephen Johnson was the Course Director for the MSc in Forensic Explosive and Explosion Investigation, which explores other hazardous incidents e.g. CBRN and Fire. He actively works with Police, Fire, OGDs and International Organisations on themes of terrorism, CBRNE, intelligence and forensic science. This has included the FCO, ICRC, London Fire Brigade, SO15 and the International Institute of Criminal Investigation. He has taught on or delivered the following courses:
Hazardous Forensics
Forensic Intelligence and Exploitation
Forensic Investigation of Explosives and Explosive Devices
Fire and Explosion Investigation
Counter IED Capability
Royal Engineer Force Protection Course
Terrorism Risk Management and Mitigation
He regularly lectures on Police CBRN courses around the UK, Imperial College London (On explosive devices), University of Rome Tor Vergata and previously at Georgetown University.
Steve's research investigates the exploitation of forensic evidence for intelligence purposes and ranges from CBRNE detection through to Open Source Intelligence. He has supported research with a wide range of British and American and International Universities. On CBRN he worked with Sussex, Bath and LSE on CBRN investigations in Syria. A significant phase of research was funded by Pool Re (The Government Terrorism Re-Insurance Pool), on modelling the impact and forecast of terrorism attacks.
Steve serves on a wide range of working groups, panels and advisory boards. He has provided comment for the media on CBRNE and terrorism.
He has spent the last 2 years on a full time posting as the SO2 Training Policy (C-CBRN) heading Defence Training Policy for CBRN defence. Since Oct 2021 He was appointed Lt Col, SO1 C-CBRN for the Land Warfare Centre, leading on 'WarDev' and support to 'CapDev' for CBRN Defence.
Clients
Ministry of Defence
Home Office
International Committee of the Red Cross
European Defence Agency
European Commission Directorate Generals (Home Affairs, Justice, Enterprise)
Thales
Smiths Detection
Aon Benfield
Towers Watson
JLT Group
Niteworks
BBC
Cardiff university
Georgetown university
Aegis
Pool Re
ICRC
Interpol
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Critchley R, Hazael R, Bhatti K, Wood D, Peare A, .... (2022). Blast mitigation using polymeric 3D printed auxetic re-entrant honeycomb structures: A preliminary study. International Journal of Protective Structures, 13(3)
- Georgiou A, Masters P, Johnson S & Feetham L. (2022).
UAV ‐assisted real‐time evidence detection in outdoor crime scene investigations. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 67(3) - da Silva LA, Johnson S, Critchley R, Clements J, Norris K, .... (2020). Experimental fragmentation of pipe bombs with varying case thickness. Forensic Science International, 306
Conference Papers
Books
- Johnson S & A. Ackerman G. (2023). Terrorism databases: problems and solutions In Frumkin LA, Morrison JF & Silke A (eds), A Research Agenda for Terrorism Studies. Edward Elgar Publishing.
- Johnson S & A. Ackerman G. (2023). Terrorism databases: problems and solutions In A Research Agenda for Terrorism Studies. Edward Elgar Publishing.
- Johnson S, Harrison K & Dean J. (2021). Challenges in Fire Investigation In Dennany L(ed.), Challenges in Detection Approaches for Forensic Science (Detection Science Series No. 20). The Royal Society of Chemistry.
- Johnson S, Harrison K & Dean J. (2021). CHAPTER 6: Challenges in Fire Investigation In RSC Detection Science (2021-January). Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).
- Norman K & Johnson S. (2017). A review of spiking chemicals used in the first 40 OPCW Proficiency Tests In Paula Vanninen (ed.), Recommended operating procedures for CWC-related analysis (1st ed.). University of Helsinki.
- Winfield G & Johnson S. (2014). Global directory of CBRNE equipment: detection and mitigation (2014 Edition)
- Winfield G & Johnson S. (2014). Global directory of CBRNE equipment: protection and decontamination
