This summer, the Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) hosted the first part of the 2014 Nuclear Security Training Series (NSTS), sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Partnership for Nuclear Security (PNS). The program was coordinated by NSSPI faculty member Dr. Sunil Chirayath and participants included 24 students and faculty members from three Indian Universities: Anna University (Chennai); the Indian Institute of Technology (Kanpur); and Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University (Gandhinagar).
While in College Station, the participants attended lectures on nuclear security and nuclear security culture, visited the research reactors and the nuclear fuel cycle lab, took part in an outdoor radiation source recovery exercise at the Texas Engineering Extension Service's Disaster City, and toured NASA and the George H. W. Bush Library and Museum. The program was supported by 17 different subject matter experts, including many master's and Ph.D. graduates from Texas A&M University, who served as lecturers and guides for the tours. The participants also attended lectures that were being given as part of the PNS Summer Nuclear Security Certificate Program. With the help of faculty mentoring sessions, NSTS students were asked to write group papers on topics in the area of nuclear security and non-proliferation to show their knowledge of the subject.
After its time at Texas A&M, the group continued its training series at Sandia and Oak Ridge National Laboratories. At the end of the training series, NSTS participants also attended the 55th Annual meeting of Institute of Nuclear Materials Management held in Atlanta, Ga.
