Assuring a Future U.S.-Based Nuclear and Radiochemistry Expertise (2012) / Chapter Skim
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9 Approaches to Assuring U.S. Nuclear and Radiochemistry Expertise
9 Approaches to Assuring U.S. Nuclear and Radiochemistry Expertise
Pages 131-156
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From page 131... ...
NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY SUMMER SCHOOLS Earlier reports have recommended a number of efforts be undertaken to sustain academic programs in nuclear and radiochemistry.1 One of the first initiatives that sought to attract and retain new undergraduate student interest in the field of nuclear and radiochemistry that still exists today are the Nuclear Chemistry Summer Schools (see Box 9-1)
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From page 132... ...
. The driver for creating the summer schools arose in the late 1970s from concerns about the declining graduate student and faculty population in nuclear chemistry.
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From page 133... ...
Department of Homeland Security's Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) in supporting the nuclear and radiochemistry workforce was mandated in the 2010 Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act, which focused on "maintaining a vibrant and enduring academic pathway from undergraduate to postdoctorate" for national technical nuclear forensics (TNF)
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From page 134... ...
. Nuclear Forensics Undergraduate Summer School • This six-week program, hosted by a partnership of universities and national laboratories that rotates each year, is modeled after the DOE-sponsored summer schools, which seek to attract undergradu ate students to pursue graduate studies in the field.
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From page 135... ...
Seaborg Institute Nuclear Science Summer Internship Program • This program funds graduate students and outstanding undergradu ate students, through support from DNDO, to perform nuclear fo rensics related research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory during the summer. DNDO works closely with the participating laboratories to guide selection of nuclear forensics related projects.
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From page 136... ...
colleges and universities with DOE's mission and goals. • The program is supporting projects that focus on needs and priori ties of key Office of Nuclear Energy programs, including fuel cycle, TABLE 9-1 Nuclear Energy University Program Awards and Funding, FY 2009-FY 2011 Awards FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 University Research $44 million $38 million $39 million and Development 71 awards to 31 schools in 42 awards to 23 schools in 51 awards to 31 schools in Awardsa 20 states 17 states 21 states Integrated Research N/A N/A TBA Projectsa University $6 million $13.2 million TBA Infrastructure Awardsa 29 schools in 23 states for 39 schools in 27 states for scientific equipment research reactor upgrades and scientific equipment University Student $3.1 million $5 million (IUP)
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University Student Fellowship and Scholarship Awards • Fellowships are $50,000 a year over 3 years to help pay for graduate studies and research. The Institute for Nuclear Energy Science and Technology Idaho National Laboratory (INL)
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The mission of the Fuel Cycle CORE is specifically focused on training and education in radiochemistry. National Analytical Management Program DOE's Carlsbad Field Office has been tasked by the DOE Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM)
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From page 139... ...
Expertise will include nuclear physics, chemistry, engineering, instrumentation, and public policy. According to the NNSA press release, the Nuclear Science and Security Consortium "will focus on the hands-on training of undergraduate and graduate students in the fields of nuclear physics, nuclear and radiation chemistry, nuclear engineering, nuclear instrumentation and public policy.
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From page 140... ...
and the DOE Radiochemistry and Imaging Instrumentation Program issued a call to develop Integrated Radiochemistry Research Programs of Excellence. This call was made in response to one of the recommendations from the National Research Council/Institute of Medi cine study on Advancing Nuclear Medicine Through Innovation (NRC/IOM 2007)
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U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Education Programs Since 2005, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has provided funding for curriculum development, scholarships, and faculty development.
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For example, workers who had experience with underground testing have been lost to retirements and attrition. This is a significant impediment to retaining nuclear and radiochemistry expertise, which could be addressed with a formal knowledge management program as discussed in Box 9-2.
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In these examples, the very experienced reactor chemist or radiochemist became a supervisor within the department and was able to continue to mentor for several years until all knowledge is successfully transferred. Ron Chrzanowski Exelon Nuclear Chemistry Corporate Functional Area Manager
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From page 144... ...
This could be especially effective should the national security area require a large-scale rapid response to a specific event and an associated analysis of a large volume of environmental samples. While each of the initiatives in Tables 9-2, 9-3, and 9-4 has attracted stu TABLE 9-2 Undergraduate Academic Pipeline Initiatives and Funding Year Current Student Program Established Participation and Funding Notes/Description Department of Homeland Security Nuclear Forensics 2011 5 students per year 9- to12-week summer research Undergraduate Scholarship internship at a national laboratory Program at varying locations across the United States (DHS 2010a)
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Seaborg Institute 2008 10-15 students per year 8-10 weeks at Lawrence Nuclear Science Summer Livermore National Laboratory, Internship Program Los Alamos National Laboratory; graduate and outstanding undergraduate students work on critical skills areas related to nuclear forensics (DHS 2010c) Nuclear Forensics Graduate 2008 22 graduate fellows per 11 laboratories and 19 Fellowship Program year participating universities (with Department of Defense throughout the United States Defense Threat Reduction Tuition and stipend for 12 Agency)
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From page 146... ...
; $5 Awards million, 85 scholarships and 32 fellowships (FY 2010) National Nuclear Security 2006 10 alumni, Takes place at National Administration- Stewardship 20 current fellows Laboratories -- Lawrence Science Graduate Fellowships Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratory (Krell Institute 2011)
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(Samantha Connelly, DNDO, personal communication, April 2012) Nuclear Forensics Education 2009 7 awards Requires school matching Award Program (with U.S funds and renewable for three Department of Energy National consecutive years (Samantha Nuclear Security Administration)
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From page 148... ...
As indicated earlier, the academic pipeline in nuclear and radio chemistry is, at best, at a plateau of nuclear chemistry faculty and graduates. Given the increased demand in many sectors such as nuclear medicine and nuclear energy, this steady but low number of graduates in nuclear and radiochemistry is not conducive for sustained growth of the field.
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From page 149... ...
9-1.eps Abbreviations: BNFL, British Nuclear Fuels Limited; CEGB, the Central Electricity Generating Board; NNL, National Nuclear Laboratory; UKAEA, United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. bitmap SOURCE: House of Lords 2011.
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Livens said the next steps are uncertain. Possibilities include creating a national nuclear laboratory, and extending the Fission DTC model across the United Kingdom.
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and other institutions. Curricula at the six French universities with radiochemistry-groups include nuclear chemistry and radiochemistry.
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For example, • The grant for the Summer Schools in Nuclear Chemistry held at SJSU and BNL is up for its 5-year renewal. • NEUP made a funding announcement in August 2011 for university research and development awards, but has not yet funded any fel lowship and scholarship awards.
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Since the curricula of most graduates in chemistry and physics in the United States does not typically emphasize nuclear chemistry or radiochemistry (see Chapter 3) , many employers currently fill gaps in need by training nuclear specialists after they are hired.
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2010b. Nuclear Forensics Undergraduate Summer School [online]
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From page 155... ...
Presentation at the Third Meeting on Assessing a Future U.S.-based Nuclear Chemistry Expertise, May 9, 2011, Washington, DC. NNSA (National Nuclear Security Administration)
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From page 156... ...
2012. Nuclear Nonproliferation International Safeguards Graduate Fellowship Program [online]
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