John Carlson has been a Nonresident Fellow with the Lowy Institute (Sydney, Australia), and Counselor, Nuclear Threat Initiative (Washington), since 2010. Other current appointments include: Member, International Luxembourg Forum; Member, Asia Pacific Leadership Network for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament; Associate, Project on Managing the Atom, Belfer Center, Harvard University; and a Fellow of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management. John Carlson is a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).
He previously served as Director General of the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office in 1989-2010, and was a member of the Australian Government Senior Executive Service from 1976. Concurrent appointments included: Chairman, IAEA Standing Advisory Group on Safeguards Implementation (SAGSI) 2001-06; Alternate Governor for Australia, IAEA Board of Governors; Australian Sherpa, Nuclear Security Summit 2010; and founding Chair, Asia-Pacific Safeguards Network 2009-12. He was a member of the Expert Advisory Committee, South Australian Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission 2015-16.
Graduated from Sydney University in law, with post-graduate qualifications in jurisprudence and modern logic.