Patrick O’Neal

Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives

Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station

Patrick O’Neal

NSSPI Graduate
Nuclear Engineering

M.S., 2020

Short Bio:

Patrick O’Neal earned his M.S. degree in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M University in Spring 2020. He worked with Dr. Chirayath on a project to diagnose vulnerabilities in the thorium fuel cycle. This work involves analyzing the ability of different facilities to covertly produce weapons usable uranium-233 and devising safeguards solutions to prevent against this eventuality. O’Neal plans to continue his studies by pursuing a Ph.D. at Texas A&M. He hopes to research safeguards concerns in advanced reactor systems currently under development. He has previously conducted graduate research developing a methodology to perform combined analysis of nuclear facility security and safety risk for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Matters, and mentored a team of undergraduate students developing a remote holdup monitor for the Y-12 National Security Complex. Patrick graduated cum laude with his B.S in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M University in May of 2016.

NSSPI Publications:

  1. P. ONeal, S. Martinson, S.S. Chirayath, "Validation of a Machine-learning-based Nuclear Forensics Methodology for the Discrimination of a Chemically Separated Plutonium Sample from Low-enriched Uranium", Nuclear Science and Engineering, available online: 14 November 2023.

  2. S. Martinson, S. Chirayath, P. O'Neal, "Experimental Validation Of Nuclear Forensics Methodologies For Reactor-type Attribution, Burnup Determination, And Time Since Irradiation Estimation", INMM/ESARDA Joint Annual Meeting, 22-26 May 2023, Vienna, Austria.

  3. P. O'Neal S.S. Chirayath, "Quantifying the Effect of Measurement Uncertainty on Separated Plutonium Attribution Methodology", INMM/ESARDA Joint Annual Meeting, 22-26 May 2023, Vienna, Austria.

  4. P. O'Neal, "Using Machine Learning Techniques to Verify Mixed Plutonium Sample Attributes", 63rd Annual Meeting of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM), Virtual Conference, 25-27 July 2022.

  5. P.J O'Neal, S.S. Chirayath, and Q. Cheng , "A Machine Learning Method for the Forensics Attribution of Separated Plutonium", Nuclear Science and Engineering, 196,7 (2022).

  6. P. O'Neal and S. Chirayath, "Attribution Of Separated Plutonium Using Machine Learning Techniques", INMM and ESARDA Joint Annual Meeting, Virtual Meeting, August 23 - September 1, 2021.

  7. K. J. Glennon, E.M. Bond, T.A. Bredeweg, S.S. Chirayath, P.J. O'Neal, C.M. Folden III, "Nuclear forensics methodology identifies legacy plutonium from the Manhattan Project", Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, (2021).

  8. P.J. O. Neal, S.S. Chirayath, "Separated Plutonium Attribution using Machine Learning Techniques", Transactions of American Nuclear Society, 124, 428-431, June, (2021).

  9. P. O'Neal, "Comparison of U-233 Production by Thorium Irradiation in Heavy Water Reactor and Accelerator-Driven Subcritical Pile", M.S. Thesis, Nuclear Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX (2020).

  10. J. King, S. Chirayath, E. Aboud, V. Bautista, P. Behne, H. Boo, R. Brownfield, J. Chisholm, K. Cook, A. Edwin, H. Kistle, P. O’Neal, E. Ordonez, M. Ramirez, S. Ricketts, R. Suh, "Safety Evaluation of a Spent Fuel Dry-Storage Canister with Various Fill Materials", Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, 120 (2019).

  11. S.S. Chirayath, P.J. O'Neal, "Methodology Development for Combined Evaluation of Security and Safety Risk", Transactions of American Nuclear Society, 2017 ANS Winter Meeting, October 29-November 2, (2017).