Citation:
C.A. Gariazzo, K.H. Ragusa, D.R. Boyle, W.S. Charlton, S.S. Chirayath, C.M. Marianno, P. Nelson, Jr., “The Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute at Texas A&M University”, International Journal of Nuclear Security, 1, 1 (2015).
Abstract:
NSSPI is a multidisciplinary organization at Texas A&M University and the first U.S. academic institution focused on technical graduate education, research, and service related to the safeguarding of nuclear materials and the reduction of nuclear threats. NSSPI employs science, engineering, and policy expertise to: (1) conduct research and development to help detect, prevent, and reverse nuclear and radiological proliferation and to help guard against nuclear terrorism; (2) educate the next generation of nuclear security and nuclear nonproliferation leaders; (3) analyze the interrelationships between policy and technology in the field of nuclear security; and (4) serve as a public resource for the reduction of nuclear threats. Since 2006, Texas A&M awarded over 31 Doctoral and 73 Master degrees through NSSPI-sponsored research. Forty of those degrees are Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering with a specialization in Nuclear Nonproliferation and 16 are Doctorate of Philosophy degrees that specifically focus on nuclear nonproliferation. Over 200 students from both technical and policy backgrounds have taken classes provided by NSSPI at Texas A&M. NSSPI faculty and staff at Texas A&M established a model for educating technical safeguards and security experts at the university level, which has been, in large part, replicated worldwide. In addition to conventional classroom lectures, NSSPI faculty: (1) provide practical experiences; (2) advise students on valuable research projects that contribute substantially to the nuclear nonproliferation, safeguards, and security arenas; and (3) engage with experts from several similar international academic and research institutes in activities and research that benefit Texas A&M students. NSSPI also helps international institutions develop their own programs in nuclear security and nonproliferation.