NSSPI is at the forefront of innovative research on all aspects of nuclear safeguards, security, and nonproliferation. The following is a list of some of our major research accomplishments.
Became the first university research team to mount and record radiation data from a crane used in port operations.
Designed the Self-Interrogation Neutron Resonance Densitometry (SINRD) detector for nuclear safeguards measurements with Los Alamos National Laboratory for testing by the IAEA.
Developed the SHIELD framework to interdict HEU at borders.
Made the first quantitative measurement of Pu in used nuclear fuel with Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Developed capability for bench-scale PUREX reprocessing of plutonium for nuclear forensics applications
Developed the PRAETOR tool and a latency method for proliferation risk analysis.
Performed nuclear forensics analysis on weapons-grade plutonium samples employing PUREX combined with ICPMS and gamma spectrometry
Devised a safeguards system concept for pebble-fueled high temperature gas-cooled reactors.
Developed a new technique for analyzing Pu K x-rays for nuclear forensics applications using a bent-crystal spectrometer.
Performed proliferation resistance / safeguards analysis of the Fast Breeder Reactor fuel cycle.
Developed a portable gamma radiation portal monitor specifically designed for the scanning of livestock.
Devised a methodology for determining which states will go nuclear
Performed innovative N-terrorism pathways analysis to boost the efficacy of defense.
Developed dynamic agent-based modeling using the Bayesian framework for addressing intelligent adaptive nuclear nonproliferation analysis.
Produced a significant number of graduate students with M.S., M.E., and Ph.D. degrees in NSSPI-centered research, with many other graduate students supported in other areas and disciplines.