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 17th to 19th 2018 on the campus of Amity University in Noida (Uttar Pradesh near New Delhi). Thirty participants from ten different Indian academic institutes attended the workshop.
The objective of the workshop’s technical program was for the Indian university faculty, students, and nuclear professionals to learn about comprehensive nuclear security system design and how to perform vulnerability assessments. The trip also had the aim to determine the next steps for nuclear security training and education engagements in India.
NSSPI and ORNL developed the instructional materials for the workshop, and NSSPI Director and Associate Professor of nuclear engineering Dr. Sunil Chirayath and Deputy Director and Assistant Professor of nuclear engineering Dr. Craig Marianno were among the workshop instructors. Other instructors for the workshop included Christopher Hayes and Olivia Bizovi of ORNL and Dr. Kawalpreet Kalra of Amity University.
Chirayath noted that the feedback from the workshop participants was very positive and that “the workshop provided an excellent opportunity to the participants and the instructors to share knowledge on nuclear security in the context of nuclear security threats, physical protection system, and vulnerability assessment.”
The workshop was sponsored by DTRA through a subcontract between NSSPI and ORNL.