Members of nuclear engineering professor Raluca Scarlat’s lab at UC Berkeleys Etcheverry Hall in Berkeley, Calif. on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. (Photo by Adam Lau/Berkeley Engineering)

The potential development and deployment of advanced and alternative fuels and the associated fuel cycle facilities pose new challenges to the NNSA mission to detect, secure, and dispose of nuclear and radiological materials, as well as to monitor and safeguard nuclear materials and associated processes. Working in integrated cross-university teams in conjunction with our national lab partners, students will gain a fundamental understanding of chemical and nuclear engineering concepts and pursue fuel cycle research and development towards the goals of advancing capabilities to detect material diversion or undeclared nuclear fuel cycle activity and to monitor and verify compliance with nuclear-related agreements. This research agenda is strengthened by our addition of new faculty and new university partners and our incorporation of education and training in nuclear chemical engineering.

Key Personnel:

Focus Area Co-Lead: Raluca O. Scarlat , University of California, Berkeley

Focus Area Co-Lead: Massimiliano Fratoni, University of California, Berkeley