Nuclear Security and Nonproliferation

Research Themes

• Nuclear security & proliferation risk analysis
• Safeguards systems analysis and instrument development
• Combating nuclear terrorism
• Nuclear forensics and attribution
• Arms control and treaty verification
• Ensuring the peaceful use of nuclear energy

Accomplishments

• First university to mount and record radiation data from a crane used in port operations
• Developed SINRD detector with Los Alamos National Lab for testing by International Atomic Energy Agency
• 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 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 methodology for determining which states will develop nuclear capabilities
• 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.
• International research and education: India, Russia, Switzerland, UAE, England, Japan, Brazil, South Africa, Indonesia, Jordan
• GNEII program cited by White House as the fifth most important United States science and technology activity in the Middle East

Total research expenditures for fiscal year 2018: Over $970,000

Faculty