Abstract:

Nuclear nonproliferation consists of the activities we undertake to prevent the spread of nuclear explosives or weapons.  The National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) Office of Nonproliferation and Verification Research and Development (R&D) supports research into technologies and techniques that can be used to detect and therefore deter proliferation activities.  Many of these technologies depend on an understanding of nuclear material, radiation detection capabilities, material properties, and computer models and tools.  The presentation will discuss the broad goals of nuclear nonproliferation and safeguards, and highlight some of the areas where NNSA R&D is working to improve our abilities in this area.

Bio:

Robert Bean completed his Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering at Purdue University in 2003, where he had been teaching the radiation detection and nuclear reactor laboratory classes, as well as introductory nuclear engineering courses, and serving as the undergraduate advisor for the School of Nuclear Engineering.  Upon graduation he went to work for the Safeguards unit at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) where he trained safeguards technicians in the procedures and operation of their nondestructive assay equipment and evaluated proposed operations against the Department of Energy (DOE) material control and accountability requirements.  In 2006 he moved to the International Safeguards group at the INL and began working with integrating the design of nuclear facilities with the domestic and international safeguards requirements.  He is currently on assignment as the Technical Advisor to the Global Safeguards program in the National Nuclear Security Administration's Office of Nonproliferation and Verification Research and Development, advising and assisting the management of the projects supported at the various DOE national laboratories, universities, and small businesses engaged in nuclear safeguards research.