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 educating new and future professionals in nuclear on academic and technical opportunities in the field, with an emphasis on nuclear security and safety. Seventy participants attended the workshop in person, and the workshop was also streamed to additional participants who were unable to attend.
Dr. Craig Marianno, NSSPI deputy director and assistant professor of nuclear engineering, gave presentations on insider threat, strategies to manage insider risk, and deployable radiation technologies in nuclear security. Dr. Sunil Chirayath, NSSPI director and associate professor of nuclear engineering, lectured on threats to nuclear security and their consequences, as well as nuclear security risk reduction. Both NSSPI faculty members led an insider threat tabletop exercise with the group. According to Dr. Chirayath, “The feedback on the tabletop exercise was very positive. The participants really liked the way that the tabletop exercise was done.”
The workshop also included lecturers from IPEN/USP, the International Atomic Energy Agency’s International Nuclear Security Education Network (INSEN), the Brazilian-Argentine Agency for Accounting and Control (ABACC), AMAZUL (Amazônia Azul Defense Technologies), and the Brazilian nuclear industry.
“This was one of the most comprehensive workshops I’ve been part of,” said Dr. Marianno. “Our colleagues at USP were able to bring experts from the Brazilian industry and government to give presentations on nuclear security topics.”
To help spark enthusiasm in nuclear safety and security careers, workshop participants had the opportunity to tour the Research Reactor Center at IPEN and interact with Brazilian nuclear institutions as part of a career opportunities roundtable as well.
NSSPI participation in the workshop was funded by the Department of State’s Partnership for Nuclear Threat Reduction (PNTR) with logistical support through CRDF Global.