Abstract:

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation International Safeguards (NNIS) Graduate Fellowship Program was established in 2009 to assist in the development of a cadre of highly educated PhD recipients, who can further the goals of the US in advancing nuclear nonproliferation international safeguards programs. One critical element of the NNIS Graduate Fellowship is that for universities to accept NNIS Fellows they must demonstrate active coursework, faculty member expertise in teaching these courses, and an active research program in NNIS science, technology, and policy. The NNIS “participating universities” must also demonstrate substantial support from the university regarding the maintenance of their nuclear security education and research program. Since the Fellowship began twelve (12) universities have been accepted into the program by the National Nuclear Security Administration. This paper is a  composite review of these twelve university programs in regards to their education and research programs. It is expected from this overview that readers may be able to determine the strengths and weaknesses in the US academic education and research programs. The author will note his recommendations for program enhancements and will make observations regarding the improvements in these programs over the past few years.

The Rickover Graduate Fellowship Program in Nuclear Engineering was established in 2003 to assist in preparing students for roles in naval nuclear propulsion and supports the broader objective of advancing fission energy development through the research efforts of the fellows. The technical areas with greatest interest include reactor physics, nuclear materials science and engineering, radiation shielding technology, thermal hydraulics, and computational fluid dynamics. Currently there are twelve Rickover Fellows from nine universities.   There are thirty-five Rickover Fellowship alumni who are working in various capacities at Knolls Atomic Power and Bettis Atomic Power Laboratories, at other DOE national labs, and as university faculty members. Mr. Williamson will be able to answer questions regarding this program and other DOE student and faculty support programs.

BIO:

Craig Williamson received his BA Public Administration (1974) and his MA (1978) in Political Science from the University of Tennessee. Since leaving UT, Mr. Williamson has served as a Chemistry and Math Instructor at Roane State Community College (1978-80) and as a Program Manager at Oak Ridge Associated Universities from 1980-1998. At ORAU he developed and managed several nuclear engineering, health physics, and radiochemistry education programs where he also devoted time to successful programs supporting the introduction of nuclear science and engineering to Minority Serving Institutions.

In 1996, Mr. Williamson was the principal writer for the winning management proposal for the National Science Foundations Graduate Fellowships.  In 1998, Mr. Williamson established University-Laboratory Associates (ULA) where he developed and managed university education and research programs for the U.S. Department of Energy.

In 2001, ULA merged with the South Carolina Universities Research and Education Foundation (SCUREF) a not-for-profit university consortium representing the research institutions in South Carolina. That same year, Mr. Williamson was appointed as the Executive Director for SCUREF. SCUREF manages ~$10m in annual funding in university-based education and research activities in nuclear science and engineering for the U.S. Departments of Energy, Defense and Homeland Security.

Mr. Williamson serves on university advisory boards at University of Tennessee, University of South Carolina, South Carolina State University, Florida International University, and the Southeastern Universities Nuclear Research in Science and Education (SUNRISE). He is the recent past Chairman of the American Nuclear Society’s Scholarship Policy Coordination Committee and he is a member of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management’s Education Committee on Nuclear Security and Safeguards. He also participates as a member of the International Nuclear Security Education Network.