On February 26 through 28, the Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives and the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) organized a discussion meeting on nuclear security best practices sponsored by the US Department of the Defense’s Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) with technical support from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The event was […]
NSSPI Students Research Safety Concerns for Urban Search and Rescue Dogs and Their Handlers in Contaminated Environments
Urban search and rescue (USAR) dogs are a familiar member of most emergency response teams. We often see footage of these dogs working in difficult environments after major disasters to help find and rescue survivors and recover remains. A search and rescue dog must complete many months of rigorous training to be certified to complete […]
NSSPI Hosts Radiation Disaster Response Exercise for Tokyo Institute of Technology
From February 25-26, thirteen students and faculty members from the Advanced Nuclear 3S Education and Training program at the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) visited the Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives (NSSPI) to participate in a radiation disaster response exercise and an academic exchange with NSSPI students. The Tokyo Tech students […]
NSSPI Helps Lead Workshop on Nuclear Security Design Vulnerability Assessment in India
From January 29th through February 1st, the Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives (NSSPI) of the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station at Texas A&M University collaborated with Amity University in India, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) to conduct a nuclear security workshop on the topic […]
NSSPI Co-Hosts Nuclear Safety and Security Workshop in Brazil
From December 10 to 12, the Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives (NSSPI) partnered with the Nuclear and Energy Research Institute (IPEN) and the University of Sao Paulo (USP) to organize an international workshop in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The workshop, titled “Career Opportunities for Graduates in Nuclear Safety and Security,” was focused on […]
NSSPI Conducts Nuclear Security Workshop for South African Utility
In November, Dr. Craig Marianno and Dr. Jeremy Osborn from the Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives (NSSPI), along with Fred Marcussen of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, travelled to Cape Town, South Africa to conduct a nuclear security workshop at ESKOM, the South African electricity utility that operates the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station. […]
NSSPI signs MOA with PDPU for Nuclear Security Research and Education Collaboration
In September, Professor Chaitanyamoy Ganguly, professor of nuclear engineering, and Mr. Abhinav Kapadia, chief financial officer, from Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University (PDPU) in Gandhinagar, India visited Texas A&M University to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between PDPU and the Texas A&M College of Engineering, specifically the Department of Nuclear Engineering, the Center for Nuclear […]
NSSPI Student Evaluates Options for Effective Border Monitoring
Preventing terrorists from smuggling nuclear and radiological material across our borders has been a priority for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) since the beginning of this century. Radiation detection portal monitors are currently the primary means by which the CBP scans cargo and vehicles at ports […]
Detecting Environmental Radiation at Tailgates
By Savanna Hoover | It’s gameday in College Station, late September. Maroon and white tents cover the campus. There’s an electric spirit in the air, an energy beginning to build momentum. Standing next to the A.I. Engineering building’s yellow brick walls, underneath a line of concrete carved cattle heads, 10 nuclear engineering students split into […]
NSSPI Offers Continuing Education Credits through Two New Professional Certificate Programs
NSSPI is offering two new certificate programs to professionals and students who want to participate in formal training in nuclear security and safeguards. The certificate programs draw from the current online modules in the Nuclear Security and Safeguards Education Portal (NSSEP), and carry with them the option to earn continuing education units (CEUs) and a […]
NSSPI Hosts IAEA Nuclear Security Division Director
On October 5, the Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives (NSSPI) hosted a delegation from the Nuclear Security Division of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The division director, Raja Adul Aziz Bin Raja Adnan, along with the division’s section head for Program Development and International Cooperation, Jason E. Tierney and the Nuclear Security […]
NSSPI Welcomes New Stanton Fellows
In September, two new Stanton Nuclear Security Fellows joined the Department of Nuclear Engineering and will be working with the Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives (NSSPI) for the 2018-2019 academic year. The Stanton Nuclear Security Fellows Program supports young scholars to pursue policy-relevant technical research in nuclear security for a twelve-month period […]
NSSPI Conducts Workshop on Policy and Technical Fundamentals of International Nuclear Safeguards
On July 22, the Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives (NSSPI) led a workshop on the policy and technical fundamentals of international nuclear safeguards that took place in conjunction with the 59th Annual Meeting of the Institute for Nuclear Materials Management (INMM) in Baltimore, Maryland. The workshop consisted of a face-to-face session at […]
Osborn Wins Student Paper Award at the INMM Annual Meeting
Jeremy Osborn won the J.D. Williams Student Paper Award at the 59th Annual Meeting of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM) took place from July 22-26 in Baltimore, Maryland. Osborn is a Ph.D. student in the department of nuclear engineering working with the Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives (NSSPI) Director Dr. […]
NSSPI Co-coordinates Nuclear Facilities Experience in Japan
From June 23 to 30, a group of graduate students, faculty, and national laboratory staff members participated in the Nuclear Facilities Experience (NFE), which took place in various locations across Japan. The NFE was jointly coordinated by the Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives (NSSPI) and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), with assistance from […]
NSSPI Conducts Personnel Reliability Program Workshop with PDPU in India
The Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives (NSSPI) worked with faculty from Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University (PDPU) to conduct a workshop on the campus of PDPU in Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat, India, from May 29 to May 31. Titled “Workshop on Personnel Reliability Program in Nuclear Safety and Nuclear Security,” the main objective of […]
NSSPI Students Travel to Los Alamos for NDA Training and Meeting
From May 17-18, students and faculty from the Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives (NSSPI) travelled to New Mexico to visit Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and participate in the technical exchange meeting of the Southwest Professional Chapter of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM). Dr. Sunil Chirayath, NSSPI director and associate […]
NSSPI develops remote detection laboratory for distance education
Performing radiation detection experiments is an essential part of the curriculum for nuclear engineering students. Laboratory sessions help students gain a better understanding of the physical processes involved in radiation detection. However, not all academic institutions have the means to provide the equipment or radiation sources necessary for such labs, and students taking distance education […]
NSSPI Faculty Conduct Nuclear Security Workshop in India
The Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives (NSSPI) conducted a nuclear security workshop on the topic of “Vulnerability Assessment of Nuclear Security System Design” for Indian academics in collaboration with Amity University in India, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). The workshop was held from April […]
NSSPI Students Win Awards for Presentations at Annual HPS Texas Chapter Meeting
The State of Texas Chapter of the Health Physics Society (STC-HPS) held their annual student presentations and executive council meeting on the campus of Texas A&M University on April 7, 2018. The event featured presentations by students from throughout Texas, including NSSPI graduate students Katie Cook and J.T. Falkner and undergraduate student Jonathan Chen. Cook […]
NSSPI researchers develop new methodologies to discriminate weapons-grade plutonium from various nuclear reactor types
Nuclear forensics involves using analytical techniques to determine the origin and history of nuclear materials, in particular those that have been intercepted from smuggling operations or recovered following a nuclear explosion. According to Jeremy Osborn, a nuclear engineering Ph.D. student working with the TEES Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives (NSSPI), “The growing […]
Panel on 21st Century Deterrence and the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review Discusses the Direction of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Policy
On March 28, 2018, the Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives (NSSPI) joined with the Institute of Nuclear-Security and Cyber-Security Education and Research (INSCER), the Bush School of Government and Public Service, and the Texas A&M University student chapter of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM) to present a panel discussion on […]
NSSPI Student Develops a Stochastic Approach to Evaluate Nuclear Facility Security
All nuclear facilities contain assets that must be protected against security threats. Threats may be in the form of outsider adversaries seeking to steal materials to produce nuclear weapons or dirty bombs or to attack the facility to cause a dangerous release of radioactive materials. Adversaries may also collude with insiders, people with authorized access […]
NSSPI Researchers Examine Novel Solutions to the Problem of Reprocessing Used Nuclear Fuel
The U.S. has produced more than 70,000 metric tons of used nuclear fuel over the past 60 years from nuclear power generation. There is currently no available repository capable of containing this large amount of used nuclear fuel, which is expected to double within the next 30 years. The U.S. has also not implemented any […]
NSSPI Student Evaluates the Effects of Speed on Detector Efficiency
Radiation detectors are deployed for many different uses in a variety of different field conditions, and many of these detection systems are mobile. The efficiency of radiation detection systems is known to decrease as the speed of the detection system increases. Understanding how these systems perform under increasing speeds and in changing environments will help […]
NSSPI Hosts Tokyo Tech for Academic Exchange
From February 15-16, students and faculty from the Academy for Global Nuclear Safety and Security Agent (DOJO) program at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) visited the TEES Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives (NSSPI) for an academic exchange. They participated in a radiological incident response exercise at the TEEX Disaster City facility […]
NSSPI and INMM Sponsor Panel on North Korea
On February 8th, the TEES Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives (NSSPI), along with the Texas A&M Student Chapter of the Institute for Nuclear Materials Management (INMM), sponsored the first Panel on Interdisciplinary Nuclear Security (PINS). The event focused on the current geo-political situation surrounding the state of North Korea, featuring invited speakers […]
NSSPI Hosts Stanton Fellow to Research Proliferation Risk of Pyroprocessing
The TEES Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives (NSSPI) is currently hosting the first ever Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow at Texas A&M University. Dr. Seung Min Woo is spending a year with NSSPI researching the value of pyroprocessing to reduce the proliferation risk of closed nuclear fuel cycles. He is working with Dr. […]
Chirayath Participates in a Panel on the Challenges for Nuclear Security Human Resource Development for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
Dr. Sunil Chirayath, director of the TEES Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives (NSSPI) and associate professor of nuclear engineering, served as a panelist for the International Forum on Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Security. The focus of the forum was on strengthening nuclear terrorism countermeasures and human resource […]
Marianno Participates in Workshop at the Brazilian Nuclear and Energy Research Institute
During the week of November 27th, Dr. Craig Marianno, NSSPI deputy director and assistant professor of nuclear engineering, was invited to attend and speak at the International Workshop on the Utilization of Research Reactors held by the Brazilian Nuclear and Energy Research Institute (IPEN) in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The workshop coincided with the 60th anniversary […]
NSSPI Graduate Profile: Claudio Gariazzo
On December 15th, Claudio Gariazzo will be receiving his Ph.D. degree in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M University. His doctoral research focused on the development of a game theoretical model of the mutual benefits of bilateral nuclear security regimes with Dr. Marvin Adams and Dr. Paul Nelson as his advisers. After receiving his Master of […]
NSSPI Students Attend NDA Short Course at ORNL
From November 13-16, twelve Texas A&M University nuclear engineering graduate students from the TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) traveled to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee to participate in a short course in non-destructive assay (NDA) techniques at ORNL’s Safeguards Laboratory. The course consisted of lectures and hands-on experience […]
Chirayath Takes Part in Panel Discussion on Iran Nuclear Deal
On November 9, Sunil Chirayath, director of the TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute and associate professor of nuclear engineering, participated in a panel discussion on the Iran nuclear deal as part of the Bush School of Government and Public Service’s “What’s Next” series. Attracting nearly 100 people from across the Texas A&M University […]
NSSPI researchers working to make nuclear facilities safer–and more secure
A loss of offsite power event at a nuclear power plant, also called a LOOP event, is considered a serious safety risk that could put many lives in danger. After the 2012 incident at the Fukushima-Daiichi power plant in Japan, which involved an extended loss of offsite power in the wake of a massive earthquake […]
NSSPI Leads Nuclear Facilities Experience in Japan
In August, TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) led a Nuclear Facilities Experience (NFE) in Japan for graduate students and staff from eight U.S. universities and five national laboratories. This event was coordinated with several institutions in Japan, including the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, the Integrated Support Center […]
NSSPI Remotely Delivers Nuclear Security and Safeguards Training Courses for Nigerian University
In July and August, NSSPI faculty and staff delivered three week-long training courses as part of an ongoing 16-week post-graduate certificate program in nuclear security science offered by the Centre for Nuclear Energy Studies (CNES) at the University of Port Harcourt in Nigeria. The certificate program is being led by Prof. Lucky Uyigue and Prof. […]
NSSPI Supports Nuclear Security Workshop in Indonesia
The TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) collaborated with the Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) in Indonesia to conduct a 3-day nuclear security workshop in Yogyakarta, Indonesia during the week of August 21st. The “Workshop on Insider Threat, Nuclear Security Culture, and Human Element in Nuclear Security” was coordinated by UGM professor Dr. Sihana […]
NSSPI Contributes to Nuclear Security Capacity-Building Training Course in China
The TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) collaborated with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to develop instructional materials for a training course in nuclear security capacity-building in consultation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for professionals of IAEA member States from Asia and the Pacific region. The course was conducted at the State […]
NSSPI Conducts Nuclear Facilities Experience in UK
The TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) organized the Fourth Nuclear Facilities Experience (NFE) from June 26-30 in the United Kingdom. This NFE, sponsored by the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) Next Generation Safeguards Initiative Program Office, consisted of visits to several nuclear fuel cycle facilities. It is an opportunity for nuclear […]
NSSPI Graduate Spotlight: Jennifer Erchinger
Jennifer Erchinger will be receiving her Ph.D. degree in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M University in August. She performed her doctoral research as a Post-Master’s Research Associate at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) with Dr. Craig Marianno as her adviser. Her project involves the development and testing of an ultra-low-background liquid scintillation counter constructed at […]
Visiting Scholar from Tokyo Tech Completes Internship with NSSPI
Tetsu Kikuhara, a Ph.D. student at the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech), recently completed a research internship as a visiting scholar with the TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI). Kikuhara is a student in Tokyo Tech’s DOJO Academy for Global Nuclear Safety and Security Agent, a graduate program and NSSPI peer organization […]
Burns receives NEUP award to develop used nuclear fuel recycle process
Dr. Jonathan Burns, an associate research scientist with the Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI), was recently awarded a research and development award of close to $400,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy as part of their Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP). Burns’s project, which focuses on group actinide separation by crystallization, was one […]
Chirayath recognized as honorary professor at Amity University in India
By: Robert (Chris) Scoggins, originally pubished by the Department of Nuclear Engineering at Texas A&M University Dr. Sunil Chirayath, director of the Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) and research assistant professor with the Department of Nuclear Engineering at Texas A&M University, has been awarded an honorary professorship with Amity University in Noida, India. […]
NSSPI Students Attend NDA Training at LANL and Participate in INMM Southwest Chapter Technical Meeting
The Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) organized a trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico last week for Texas A&M University nuclear engineering graduate students and two NSSPI professional staff members. The trip had two objectives: to attend a one-day 19th Annual Technical Meeting of the Institute of […]
NSSPI Conducts Nuclear Security Curriculum Review Workshop with Amity University in India
From June 1 through 3, the Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) conducted a nuclear security curriculum review workshop with Amity University on the Amity campus in near New Delhi in India. Faculty from nine different Indian universities attended the workshop to increase their knowledge on nuclear security topics and share their lessons learned, […]
The Federation of American Scientists Awards Fellowship to NSSPI Student to Investigate Nuclear Security Training in the U.S.
Barbara Fisher, a graduate student with the Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI), was awarded a $1,000 fellowship by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) to investigate the nuclear security education opportunities across the United States. She has written a paper titled “Powering the Future of Nuclear Security through Regional Programs,” which surveys nuclear […]
NSSPI Student Attends Science and Security Summit
On April 21st, Yanuar Ady Setiawan, a graduate student with the TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute, took part in the Science and Security Summit 2017, which was hosted by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, DC. The FAS sponsored three graduate-level engineering students currently […]
NSSPI Graduate Profile: Lauren Pompilio
Lauren Pompilio will be receiving her M.S. degree in nuclear engineering with a specialization in nuclear nonproliferation from Texas A&M University in May. She worked with Dr. Sunil Chirayath on a project to convert and analyze 10 CFR Part 810 General Authorization Data on assistance to foreign atomic energy activities. This work was conducted in […]
Prairie View Students and Faculty Participate in Field Detection Exercise
On April 19th, students and faculty from Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) participated in a field detection exercise at the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service Disaster City facility. The visit was supported by the Nuclear Forensics for Minority Serving Institutions (NF-MSI) program sponsored by the US Department of Homeland Security’s Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) […]
NSSPI Graduate Profile: Innocent Tsorxe
Innocent Tsorxe will be receiving his M.S. degree in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M University in May. He worked with Dr. Craig Marianno on a project to measure background radiation levels at the TEEX Disaster City facility. These measurements will be used as part of the preparation for field exercises at the site involving short-lived […]
DTRA Expert Delivers Lecture on DTRA’s Role in Radiation Detection Research
On March 20th, Mr. Grant Ford visited Texas A&M and the TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) to deliver a seminar lecture to students about the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and its role in radiation detection research. Ford is a NSSPI graduate and currently the J9 NTDN Nuclear Threats Branch Chief of DTRA. The […]
Osborn Lectures on Nuclear Security at IIT-Madras
In March, the TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) worked with the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M) to conduct a nuclear security workshop on the IIT-M campus in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The workshop, which was sponsored by the U.S. State Department’s Partnership for Nuclear Security (PNS) with assistance from Dr. Prafula […]
EC Nuclear Security and Safeguards Expert Visits NSSPI, Discusses Collaborations
On March 3, Willem Janssens, Head of the Department of Nuclear Security and Safeguards at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission in Ispra, Italy, visited the TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) to present a seminar on JRC activities and discuss collaborations between JRC and NSSPI. The JRC boasts numerous […]
NSSPI Student Participates in International 3S Symposium and Seminar in Japan
TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) Ph.D. student Matthew Boyd traveled to Japan in February to take part in the 6th International Symposium and Seminar on Global Nuclear Human Resource Development for Safety, Security, and Safeguards. The two-week-long event was hosted by the Academy for Global Nuclear Safety and Security Agent at the […]
SRNL Expert Delivers Lecture on NNSA Tritium Supply Chain
On March 3rd, Dr. Steven B. Wyrick, tritium program manager at Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), visited the TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute. Dr. Wyrick presented a lecture titled “The National Nuclear Security Security Administration (NNSA) Tritium Supply Chain” to Texas A&M University nuclear engineering students in the graduate-level Nuclear Fuel Cycle and […]
NSSPI Graduate Returns to Share Experiences and Recruit for ORNL
Dr. Mathew Swinney, a postdoctoral research associate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and NSSPI graduate, visited the TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) from February 20th through 21st. Swinney earned a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering in December of 2015 working with NSSPI director Dr. Sunil Chirayath to analyze trace nuclide ratios in […]
NSSPI Provides Nuclear Security Curriculum Development Support to Indonesian University
From January 30th through February 3rd, the TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) welcomed Professor Sihana from the Department of Engineering Physics and Nuclear Engineering at the University of Gadjah Mada, (UGM) in Indonesia for a visit to discuss the development of a nuclear security curriculum for UGM. After Prof. Sihana presented the […]
Distinguished ORNL Researcher Visits NSSPI
Dr. Bruce A. Moyer, a distinguished research staff member and corporate fellow in the Chemical Sciences Division and group leader of the Chemical Separations Group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), visited the TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) on January 24th. Dr. Moyer is a leader in separations science and technology and […]
NSSPI Participates in International Nuclear Security Conference
In December, TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) Instructional Designer Kelley Ragusa traveled to Vienna, Austria to participate in the IAEA International Conference on Nuclear Security: Commitments and Actions. Ragusa delivered a presentation titled “Preparing the Next Generation of Nuclear Security Professionals-The Technology/Policy Nexus,” which discussed nuclear security training and education being carried […]
Senior Brazilian Scientists Visit NSSPI for Nuclear Security Study Tour
Three senior scientists with the Brazilian Institute for Nuclear and Energy Research (IPEN) visited the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) from November 29 to December 1, 2016 to learn about NSSPI’s nuclear security curriculum. The U.S. Department of State’s Partnership for Nuclear Security sponsored the visit of […]
NSSPI Graduate Spotlight: Mohammed Hawila
Mohammed Hawila will be receiving his Master of Science degree in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M University in December. He worked with Dr. Sunil Chirayath to analyze security, safety, and combined safety-security risk for possible accident scenarios. The outcome of his research is a methodology to perform combined safety and security risk analysis to compute […]
NSSPI Hosts Visiting Scholar from Tokyo Tech
Takeshi Aoki, a second year Ph.D. student at the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) in Japan, has been working with the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) as a visiting scholar since January. He is a student in Tokyo Tech’s DOJO Academy for Global Nuclear Safety and […]
NSSPI Collaborates with Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro on Nuclear Security Training in Brazil
The Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) collaborated with the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) to coordinate two events in Brazil between November 3 and November 11. Both events were sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Partnership for Nuclear Security (PNS) and provided opportunities for […]
NSSPI Graduate Spotlight: Jose Trevino
Jose “Paco” Trevino will be receiving his Ph.D. degree in health physics from Texas A&M University in December. He worked with Dr. Craig Marianno to determine the radiation doses that are received by Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) dogs in radiologically contaminated environments. These dogs are valuable members of USAR teams and represent a large […]
NSSPI Co-Hosts Nuclear Security Training Workshop in South Africa
The TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI), along with the U.S. State Department’s Partnership for Nuclear Security, hosted a train-the-trainer workshop in Cape Town, South Africa from September 20 through 22. Dr. Sunil Chirayath, director of NSSPI and research assistant professor in the Texas A&M University Department of Nuclear Engineering, and Dr. Craig Marianno, […]
NSSPI Conducts Advanced Nuclear Security Workshop with the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur
In August, the TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) worked with faculty members from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT-K) to conduct the second Advanced Nuclear Security Workshop on the campus of IIT-K in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The workshop, which was sponsored by the U.S. State Department’s Partnership for […]
Chirayath Facilitates Nuclear Security Train-the-Trainer Workshop in Jordan
TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) Director Dr. Sunil Chirayath traveled to Amman, Jordan from August 14 to 18 to facilitate a train-the-trainer workshop in nuclear security aimed at raising awareness among both the technical and administration staff members of the new Jordan Research and Training Reactor (JRTR). The JRTR is a research […]
Marianno Demonstrates Radiation Detection Platform as Part of DOE Science and Safety Robotics Challenge
From August 22-23, Dr. Craig Marianno, TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy (NSSPI) deputy director and an assistant professor in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at Texas A&M University, along with undergraduate nuclear engineering student Dan Murchison, participated in the “Science and Safety: Robotics Challenge” organized by the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of […]
Texas A&M Student Chapter and NSSPI Graduates Honored at INMM Annual Meeting
Several NSSPI students and graduates were honored at the 57th Annual Meeting of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM), which was held in Atlanta, Georgia from July 24-28. The Texas A&M INMM Student Chapter was presented with an award for its 10th anniversary. Students from Texas A&M, under the guidance of former NSSPI director […]
NSSPI Hosts Nuclear Security Training Series for Indian and Brazilian Students and Faculty
The TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) hosted the first leg of the four-week-long Nuclear Security Training Series (NSTS) at Texas A&M University from July 2nd to July 10th. Twenty-seven students and six faculty members from seven universities in India and one Brazilian university participated in the 2016 NSTS, which was sponsored by […]
Chirayath Contributes to Safeguards Curriculum Development Workshop for Sub-Saharan Africa
From July 18-22, NSSPI Director Dr. Sunil Chirayath traveled to Knoxville, Tennessee to take part in a nuclear safeguards curriculum development workshop for university professors from Nigeria and Ghana at the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The workshop was sponsored by the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration’s International Nuclear Safeguards Engagement Program. […]
Faculty from the Ukraine Visit NSSPI to Discuss Nuclear Security Curriculum
Seven professors from the Kiev Polytechnic Institute in the Ukraine spent the week of June 20-24 at the TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) as part of their Nuclear Security Education Summer Tour. The Summer Tour was sponsored by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Office of Global Material Security and hosted by […]
NSSPI Graduate Spotlight: Evans Kitcher
Evans Kitcher will be receiving his Ph.D. degree in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M University in August. He worked with Dr. Sunil Chirayath to develop a generic design for Small Modular Reactors, which he then analyzed with respect to xenon-induced power oscillations. Kitcher earned a B.S. in physics at the University of Papua New Guinea […]
NSSPI Graduate Spotlight: Meyappan Subbaiah
Meyappan Subbaah will be receiving his M.S. degree in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M University in August. He worked with Dr. Sunil Chirayath to study the various indicators of nuclear proliferation actions by states in order to quantify the associated level of risk. This study expands upon previous proliferation risk work by investigating the number […]
NSSPI Graduate Spotlight: Jarrod Allred
Jarrod Allred will be receiving his M.S. degree in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M University in August. He worked with Dr. Sunil Chirayath on the development of radiochemistry techniques for the purposes of nuclear forensics. The objective of his study was to quantify the fission product decontamination factor for PUREX process steps while separating and […]
Chirayath, Marianno Help Conduct Nuclear Safeguards Education Workshop in Indonesia
From June 1-3, NSSPI Director Dr. Sunil Chirayath and NSSPI Deputy Director Dr. Craig Marianno helped to conduct a workshop on safeguards education at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The “Workshop on Strengthening UGM’s Nuclear Engineering Curriculum with Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Safeguards Education” was sponsored by the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration’s International […]
NSSPI Graduate Spotlight: Lainy Dromgoole Cochran
Lainy Dromgoole Cochran will be receiving her M.S. degree in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M University this August. She worked with Dr. Craig Marianno to do preliminary dose assessments for unsealed radioactive sources to be used as part of emergency response exercises at the TEEX Disaster City facility at Texas A&M. Using unsealed radioactive sources […]
NSSPI Graduate Spotlight: Manit Shah
Manit Shah will be receiving his Ph.D. degree in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M University in August. He worked with Dr. Craig Marianno to evaluate the use of ‘radiation’ integrated circuits (RICs) designed at Texas A&M as a new type of radiation detection medium. Shah received his M.S. degree in nuclear engineering from Pandit Deendayal […]
NSSPI Leads Nuclear Facilities Experience in Japan
From May 15-20, the TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) led the 2016 Nuclear Facilities Experience (NFE) in Japan for graduate students from U.S. universities and young professionals from U.S. national laboratories. The event was coordinated in conjunction with the Integrated Support Center for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Nuclear Security (ISCN), which is part […]
Erchinger, Shah Present at SORMA West 2016
NSSPI students Manit Shah and Jennifer Erchinger presented posters at the 2016 IEEE Symposium on Radiation Measurements and Applications (SORMA West) in Berkeley, CA from May 22 through 26. Both Shah and Erchinger are Ph.D. students in Dr. Craig Marianno’s research group, which focuses on combatting nuclear terrorism through research in radiation detection, emergency response, and consequence-management. […]
Students Travel to ORNL for Hands-On Training at Safeguards Laboratory
Every year, a group of NSSPI students attend a nuclear security and safeguards short course in the Safeguards Laboratory at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). This year’s short course took place in April and the group consisted of five nuclear engineering graduate students currently working with NSSPI faculty and three students from the Bush School […]
Boyle Retires as Deputy Director of NSSPI
At the end of April, Dr. David Boyle retired from his position as deputy director for the TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI). As the deputy director for NSSPI, Dr. Boyle provided direction for all of NSSPI’s research activities. He has also contributed his vast expertise in nuclear weapons test monitoring and his […]
Consolidated Nuclear Security Leadership Visits NSSPI to Discuss Collaboration on Research and Education
On April 14th and 15th, NSSPI hosted a group of subject matter experts from the Y-12 National Security Complex and the Pantex Plant, both of which are managed and operated by Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (CNS). The group consisted of Senior Director for Global Security and Strategic Partnerships Morris Hassler, Nuclear Engineer and International […]
INMM Student Chapter Hosts Safeguards Culture Workshop
The Texas A&M Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM) Student Chapter, with guidance and support from the INMM International Safeguards Technical Division and the Southwest Regional Chapter, hosted a Safeguards and Organizational Culture Workshop on April 26-27, 2016 on the Texas A&M University campus. The organizing director for the workshop was NSSPI student Meyappan Subbiah, […]
NSSPI Graduate Spotlight: Marlene Bencomo
Marlene Bencomo will be receiving her M.S. degree in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M University this May. She worked with Dr. Sunil Chirayath to do a parametric study of molybdenum-99 production using a sub-critical, low-enriched uranium (LEU) assembly design proposed by Niowave, Inc. While molybdenum-99 has been produced using highly-enriched uranium (HEU), there is an […]
NSSPI Graduate Spotlight: Mary Johansen
Mary Johansen will be receiving her M.S. degree in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M University this May. She worked with Dr. William Charlton to quantify the nuclear weapons latency value of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The JCPOA is intended to ensure that the nuclear program in […]
GNEII Holds 6th Graduation and Symposium
The Gulf Nuclear Energy Infrastructure Institute (GNEII) at Khalifa University’s Abu Dhabi campus in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) commemorated the conclusion of the sixth year of the program with a two-day symposium on nuclear safety, security, and safeguards on April 11-12. The event concluded with a graduation ceremony for this year’s fellows from the […]
NSSPI Graduate Spotlight: Corey Keith
Corey Keith will be graduating with a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering in May. Keith worked with Dr. William Charlton on a project to investigate trace uranium-236 content variations in world-wide geologic uranium deposits. Nuclear signatures, whether for forensics or safeguards applications, utilize two broad classes: comparative and predictive. While comparative methods analyze a sample against […]
NSSPI Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary
On April 25th, the Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) held an event to celebrate its tenth anniversary. NSSPI students, faculty, and staff joined with administrators and collaborators from the Department of Nuclear Engineering, the Bush School of Government and Public Service, and various other departments across the Texas A&M University System to mark […]
NSSPI Graduate Spotlight: Julia Eigenbrodt
Julia Eigenbrodt will be graduating with her Ph.D. degree in nuclear engineering this May. She worked with Dr. William Charlton to develop a methodology employing Passive Neutron Albedo Reactivity (PNAR) and passive spectral photon measurements to measure spent nuclear fuel. PNAR was used for measurements of spent nuclear fuel in Japan as well as fresh […]
Jordanians Visit NSSPI to Develop Nuclear Security Culture Curriculum
Dr. Salaheddin Malkawi and Mr. Abdallah Abdallat from Jordan visited NSSPI from March 21-25 to discuss nuclear security culture training and education. Jordan is building its first nuclear reactor, the Jordan Research and Training Reactor (JRTR), at the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST). Abdallat is the security manager of the Nuclear Security Department […]
NSSPI Hosts Visiting Scholar from Brazil for Nuclear Security Research and Curriculum Development
Dr. Debora Trombetta, a visiting scholar from the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) in Brazil, spent six weeks in residence at NSSPI as part of a visiting research fellowship program sponsored by the US Department of State’s Partnership for Nuclear Security (PNS) to promote nuclear security research and curriculum development at UFRJ. She […]
Trevino Featured in HPS Newsletter
The April edition of the Health Physics Society newsletter featured an article about Jose (Paco) Trevino, a NSSPI student working with Dr. Craig Marianno. Trevino’s research focuses on estimating radiation doses to search and rescue dogs in emergency-response scenarios. This involves calculating dose-rate conversion factors for internal and external dose pathways and developing a dose-assessment […]
JAEA Researcher Visits NSSPI to Discuss Nuclear Forensics Education and Research
Mr. Hiroshi Tamai, a principal researcher from the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) Policy Research Office of the Integrated Support Center for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Nuclear Security (ISCN), visited NSSPI on February 29th to discuss nuclear security curriculum development with NSSPI faculty and prepare a mission report for submission to the Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority […]
NSSPI Faculty and Students Attend 3S Seminar and Symposium in Japan
NSSPI faculty and students traveled to Japan for the 5th International Symposium and Seminar on Global Nuclear Human Resource Development for Safety, Security, and Safeguards, which took place from February 21 – March 3. The annual event is hosted and organized by the Academy for Global Nuclear Safety and Security Agent at Tokyo Institute of […]
Iran Nuclear Deal Science Advisor Speaks to INMM Student Chapter
On Wednesday, February 24th, Dr. R. Scott Kemp, Norman C. Rasmussen Chair in Nuclear Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), gave a presentation at the meeting of the Texas A&M University Student Chapter of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM). Kemp spoke about “Nonproliferation in the Centrifuge Age” and held a discussion […]
NSSPI Co-Hosts Nuclear Security Training Workshop in India
The TEES Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) at Texas A&M University and Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University (PDPU) co-hosted a two and half-day nuclear security training workshop for the Indian academics from 10-12, February, 2016. The workshop was held at the PDPU campus in Gandhinagar (Gujarat State), India and was sponsored by the US […]
GNEII 3S Fundamentals Course Under Way
For the past five years, NSSPI has been providing subject matter experts to serve as instructors at the Gulf Nuclear Energy Infrastructure Institute (GNEII) at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, UAE for their 3S Fundamentals course, a thirteen week course in the basic concepts of nuclear energy with particular emphasis on nuclear safety, safeguards, and […]
NSSPI research team develops methodology for tracing illegal nuclear material to source
Written by: Robert (Chris) Scoggins, Originally published on engineering.tamu.edu. Researchers at the Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) in conjunction with the Department of Nuclear Engineering at Texas A&M University, and Professor Charles M. Folden III at the Cyclotron Institute, have developed a new method in nuclear forensics research to determine the reactor origins of […]
Chirayath Lectures at Nuclear Security and Safeguards Professional Development Course for Sub-Saharan Africa
NSSPI Interim Director Dr. Sunil Chirayath participated in the second part of a joint professional development course with the National Nuclear Security Administration’s International Nuclear Safeguards Engagement Program (INSEP), the US Department of State’s Partnership for Nuclear Security (PNS), and the African Center for Science and International Security (AFRICSIS). The objectives of this course were […]