University of California, Berkeley
Focus Area: Nuclear Instrumentation
Crosscutting Focus Area: Nuclear Data, Nuclear Security Policy
Research: My broad research interests are in fundamental and applied nuclear physics, neutron detection, nuclear forensics, and scintillator characterization. I am pursuing the integration of hard and soft sensors for improved detection capabilities using network science and multi-modal data analytics. I am also passionate about the interface between nuclear science and policy, and active in developing policy solutions to strengthen global nuclear security.
http://appliedphysics.nuc.berkeley.edu/
http://bang.berkeley.edu/
http://npwg.berkeley.edu/
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University of California, Berkeley
Radiochemistry & Forensics
Research: We are investigating new theories of chemical bonding developed through the study of metal-metal bonds hoping to gain fundamental information about the bonding in lanthanide (Ln) and actinide (An) complexes, which is crucial to the development of nuclear waste management. This includes the investigation of scaffolds to facilitate the study of Ln & An metal-metal bonding, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy of complexes with Ln & An metal-metal bonds.
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University of California, Berkeley
Focus Area: Nuclear Engineering
Research: Materials, Chemistry, Forensics, Aging of SNM, Isotope identification
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University of California, Berkeley
Focus Area: Nuclear Engineering
Crosscutting Focus Area: Modeling & Simulation
Research: Prof. Slaybaugh’s research program is based in computational methods and applied to existing and advanced nuclear reactors, nuclear non-proliferation and security, and shielding applications. Her research group focuses on developing new methods and algorithms for these applications, with an emphasis on high performance computing and advanced computer architectures. They develop deterministic, Monte Carlo, and hybrid methods for classical and non-classical neutral particle transport. She is a Senior Fellow at the Berkeley Institute of Data Science and serves on their advisory board. Prof. Slaybaugh is expanding her research interests into machine learning, artificial intelligence, and non-traditional information integration methods.
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University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Focus Area: Nuclear Instrumentation
Crosscutting Focus Area: Nuclear Data
Research: My research interests in nuclear security and nonproliferation science is primarily focused on the development and application of novel sensing technologies. My expertise is suited to all radiation detection systems, but we have considerable experience in the development of semiconducting detection systems. We are at the forefront on the application development of lithium indium diselenide for thermal neutron detection and imaging, and Dr. Lukosi is currently leading a project on the investigation or organometallic perovskites for dual gamma/neutron sensing. Dr. Lukosi also has experience with diamond detectors, and has applied them to neutron detection, scatter and ToF sensors, and in-situ alpha spectrometry in harsh environments. Dr. Lukosi is also a co-PI on a project to develop potassium strontium iodide for hand-held applications for DNDO.
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University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Focus Area: Radiochemistry & Forensics
Crosscutting Focus Area: Nuclear Data, Modeling & Simulation, Nuclear Security Policy
Research: Our research interests focus on the application of science, technology, and public policy to nuclear security needs and challenges, both in the United States and around the world. Our specific interests include:
— Nuclear forensics, particularly developing faster and more reliable radioanalytical processes, and developing a better understanding of the physical, chemical, and nuclear processes underlying nuclear forensics for reducing uncertainty in the interpretation of forensic data.
— Nuclear chemistry and radiochemistry, novel separation methods, the evolution of trace material signatures, isotope production and purification research, and physical/chemical properties of isotopes.
— Radiation detection and measurement as applied to security-relevant needs, particularly the performance of “systems of systems” against radioactive threats.
— Nuclear security policy in the interface between technology, policy and legal frameworks, including treaty verification and arms control, counterterrorism, and nuclear nonproliferation.
You can learn more about our group at http://howardhall.engr.utk.edu/.
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University of California, Davis
Focus Area: Nuclear & Particle Physics
Crosscutting Focus Area: Nuclear Data
Research: Working in the area of low energy neutrino interactions relevant for supernovae, neutrinoless double beta decay, and nuclear reactor monitoring (e.g. WATCHMAN). Current experiments are ANNIE, SNO+/THEIA, and DUNE. Also interested in basic measurements of neutron inelastic cross-sections in support of neutrino science and nuclear modeling. Finally, working on the development of new scintillators and radioassay techniques.
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Michigan State University
Focus Area:Nuclear & Particle Physics
Crosscutting Focus Area: Modeling & Simulation
Research: My research is focused on nuclear structure physics. My group is using direct reactions together with in-beam gamma-ray spectroscopy to quantify the changes in the nuclear structure of rare isotopes beyond the valley of beta stability. The experiments of my group involve high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy with Germanium detectors (e.g. GRETINA) or high-efficiency spectroscopy with granular scintillator arrays (e.g. CAESAR). My group is also exploring the use of new scintillation detectors for modest-resolution, fast-timing gamma-ray spectroscopy.
Keywords: Nuclear structure physics, gamma-ray spectroscopy, direct reactions, novel scintillators for gamma-ray detection
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University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Focus Area: Nuclear Instrumentation
Crosscutting Focus Area: Modeling & Simulation
Research: My main research focus is sensor and system development for radiation imaging, as well as algorithms for improved, quantitative analysis of the generated data. Nuclear security and nonproliferation is my main application focus. My group’s research grants fund basic scientific research aimed at solving important problems including:
1) mobile sensing of penetrating radiations from radiological and nuclear threats during search operations
2) scanning containers for shielded nuclear materials– for cargo clearing, detection, and detailed characterization
More information on my research is available at rir.utk.edu (soon to be changed to radideas.utk.edu)
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University of California, Berkeley
Focus Area: Nuclear & Particle Physics
Crosscutting Focus Area: Nuclear Data
Research: Prof. Lee Bernstein and I lead the PANDA group, largely themed on low energy nuclear science. I lead the development and operations program of UC Berkeley’s High Flux Neutron Generator (HFNG) for basic and applied physics with low-energy neutrons. We measure fundamental nuclear data both for national security, as well as for medical isotope production, geochronology and paleochronology. The HFNG can also be used for integral experiments, such as beam-shaping, neutron multiplication, etc. I also search for the dark matter of the Universe, utilizing very low noise microwave cavities and receivers.
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University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Focus Area: Nuclear Instrumentation
Research: My research focuses on the discovery and development of new materials for the detection of gamma rays and neutrons. This includes material synthesis via various single crystal growth techniques and characterization of various structural and functional properties that are relevant to applications in nuclear security.
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Michigan State University
Focus Area: Nuclear & Particle Physics
Crosscutting Focus Area: Nuclear Data, Modeling & Simulation
Research: The research program of my group encompasses both nuclear structure and nuclear astrophysics focusing on selected regions of neutron-rich nuclei. The nuclear structure investigations involve searching for, and characterizing, different coexisting nuclear configurations by determining electric monopole transition strengths from a measurement of level lifetimes and conversion electron spectroscopy. The nuclear astrophysics uses beta decay to populate highly excited nuclear states in a daughter nucleus. The resulting photon decay is monitored with a total absorption spectrometer and the level density and gamma-ray strength functions are inferred. These two quantities are then used to provide a constraint of the neutron capture rate far from stability.
– nuclear shape coexistence
– conversion electron spectroscopy
– isomer spectroscopy
– neutron capture rates for neutron-rich nuclei
– total absorption spectroscopy
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University of California, Berkeley
Focus Area: Nuclear Security Policy
Research: Future of strategic nuclear forces and Obama nuclear security initiatives; future of INF Treaty; China’s nuclear weapons as part of its regional strategy; cyber security and cross domain deterrence; economic sanctions as a counter-proliferation tool.
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University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Focus Area: Nuclear Engineering
Research: Scintillation materials: crystal growth and characterization
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University of California, Irvine
Focus Area: Radiochemistry & Forensics, Nuclear Instrumentation
Research, Radiochemistry & Forensics: My research interest include spectroscopic signals and chemical speciation of actinide complexes relevant for forensic studies. In addition, we are investigating methods for monitoring chemical processes such as reprocessing online by various absorption spectroscopy as well as radiation spectrometry.
Current projects include:
1. Chemical speciation of americium by absorption spectroscopy.
2. Selective complexation and retention of actinyl ions from natural samples.
3. Online monitoring of solvent extraction processes by UV-VIS spectroscopy.
Research, Nuclear Instrumentation: Our research in the area of instrumentation is in developing new scintillating material for radiation detectors. Current research projects include the study of plastic scintillators with incorporation of semiconductor quantum dots for improved efficiency in radiation detection coupled with and pulse shape analysis for gamma/neutron discrimination.
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Michigan State University
Focus Area: Nuclear & Particle Physics
Crosscutting Focus Areas: Nuclear Data, Modeling & Simulation
Research: The understanding of fundamental nuclear physics represents the foundation for all nuclear science related fields including nuclear security. The study of isotopes far from the valley of stability are at the forefront of present day research of nuclear physics. The relevant experiments require sophisticated equipment and instrumentation which is also needed for nuclear security and non-proliferation.
My current research interest is concentrated on the study of the most neutron-rich isotopes which decay by neutron emission. The invariant mass measurements needed to determined the mass of these isotopes require the detailed understanding of fast neutron scintillation detectors.
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University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Focus Area: Radiochemistry & Forensics
Research: Chemistry and properties of actinides and technetium compounds. Routes for radioelement compound synthesis and characterization techniques to identify forensics signatures.
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University of California, Berkeley
Focus Area: Nuclear & Particle Physics
Crosscutting Focus Area: Nuclear Data
Research: My group performs nuclear data evaluation and measurements in support of basic and applied nuclear science as a part of the US Nuclear Data Program and the Nuclear Structure and Decay Data Network of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Some of the topics we are working on include neutron capture and inelastic scattering, the measurement of medical isotope production cross sections, and measuring the properties of excited nuclear states including level densities and radiative strength functions. Our experimental work utilizes the High Flux Neutron Generator on the UCB campus, the LBNL 88-Inch cyclotron and the Oslo Cyclotron Lab in Norway.
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Michigan State University
Focus Area: Nuclear & Particle Physics
Crosscutting Focus Area: Modeling & Simulation
Research: My research program under NSSC covers experimental investigations of the structure of nuclei far from stability. The development focuses on the modeling of the gamma-ray tracking array (such as GRETINA/GRETA) which will be used in experimental design and data analysis of excited-state lifetime measurements with fast and reaccelerated rare-isotope beams.
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