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NE Department Alumnus, Arms Control Expert and Activist Dr. Roger C. Molander, Dies at 71
April 20, 2012
UCB Nuclear Engineering alumnus, Dr. Roger C. Molander who was an arms control expert died on March 25 from liver cancer complications at age 71, in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Molander was trained in nuclear engineering at the height of the Cold War, and served as a senior member on the National Security Council (NSC) from 1974 to 1981. He was an expert who coordinated the work of other officials on the issue of armament control with the Soviet Union resulting in the second Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT). SALT II resulted in an agreement, in 1979, that would have capped the number of nuclear warheads, in addition to missile launchers that the US and USSR could maintain as agreed upon sever years earlier in the first SALT treaty. However, SALT II was not ratified by the United States in response to the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.
In 1981, Molander left government service and founded Ground Zero, a grass-roots organization, in order to educate and rally the general public because he concluded that government officials alone could not prevent a nuclear war.
Based on Emily Langer’s “Washington Post Local” article located at the following uri: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/national-security/roger-c-molande...
Photo by M. C. Valada/The Washington Post
NE Department Professor Joonhoon Ahn Co-Authored Award-Winning Book
April 12, 2012
The “Outstanding Achievement Award” was recently given to a book entitled "Engineering for Radioactive Waste Management" by The Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Environment, of the Atomic Energy Society of Japan (NUCE-AESJ).
The book was co-authored by seven experts including the NE Department’s Prof. Joonhoon Ahn who wrote the section on the performance assessment of geological disposal. The co-authors include Prof. Shinya Nagasaki who was a visiting professor in the NE department last year from the University of Tokyo and currently is a professor at McMaster University in Canada; Prof. Yuichi Niibori of Tohoku University, also a former visitor to the NE Department; Dr. Shinichi Nakayama and three other senior researchers of Atomic Energy Society of Japan.
“Engineering for Radioactive Waste Management” is aimed at graduate level students, and professionals. The book covers the following topics:
- principles of radioactive waste managements
- the generation and characteristics of wastes
- decommissioning of nuclear facilities
- clearance and exemption of radioactive wastes
- treatment technologies
- final disposal
- performance assessment of disposal systems.
The book was published in Japanese, but it is being translated into English, and will be published by Springer.
NE Department Alumnus and NNSA Manager David Young Received 2011 Linton F. Brooks Medal
March 20, 2012
In Washington, D.C., the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Administrator Thomas D’Agostino presented the 2011 Linton F. Brooks Medal for Dedication to Public Service to David Young, NNSA’s Deputy Exercise Program Manager in the Office of Emergency Response.
Immediately after graduating with a B.S. degree in nuclear engineering from UC, Berkeley in 2005, David Young joined NNSA through the inaugural class of the Future Leaders Program.
As a leader of the Nuclear Incident Team at NNSA, Young successfully coordinated the activities of deployed NNSA response teams during 125 Preventative Radiological/Nuclear Detection missions including 48 real-world responses to international, federal, state and local requests for assistance. He is specifically acknowledged for providing exemplary leadership and technical acumen during the response to the emergency at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants. His efforts have had an immeasurable impact on the overall success of NNSA’s nuclear counterterrorism mission.
The Final Report of the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future
January 26, 2012
The Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future has issued its final report providing recommendations for changes to U.S. policies for managing spent fuel and high level waste. Professor Per Peterson is a member of the Commission, which was formed by Secretary of Energy Steven Chu at the direction of President Obama in January, 2010.
The report, which can be found at http://www.brc.gov, states,
"America’s nuclear waste management program is at an impasse. The Obama Administration’s decision to halt work on a repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada is but the latest indicator of a policy that has been troubled for decades and has now all but completely broken down."
The Commission's report provides a number of recommendations for Executive Branch and legislative changes to U.S. nuclear waste policy, which when implemented would transfer responsibilities for siting and developing consolidated storage and geologic disposal facilities from the Department of Energy to a new federally chartered corporation, and would direct it to initiate a new consent-based siting effort for these facilities. Other important changes would include the development of a new, site independent safety standard for geologic disposal facilities that would include deep borehole as well as mined repository technologies, and changes to the approach to managing funds from the Nuclear Waste Fund to assure their availability for their intended purpose of waste disposal. The report also makes recommendations related to advanced reactor and fuel cycle research, development and demonstration, including the recommendation that Congress provide additional resources to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to accelerate the development of regulatory frameworks for these technologies.
Professor Peterson will discuss the final Commission report and its recommendations at the Nuclear Engineering Department colloquium from 4-5 pm on Monday, February 6, in Sibley Auditorium, Bechtel Engineering Center.
NE Graduate Student Received Roy G. Post Foundation Scholarship
January 25, 2012
Nuclear Engineering graduate student Patricia Frances Schuster has been chosen to receive a 2011–12 Roy G. Post Foundation Scholarship. She will receive a complimentary trip to the Waste Management (WM2012) Conference, held this year at the Phoenix Convention Center. Her award, in the amount of $5,000, will be presented at the Waste Management 2012 Awards Luncheon held during the conference.
NE Undergraduate Anagha S. Iyengar Won 1st Place in the Student Poster Session at the 2011 ANS Winter Meeting
January 25, 2012
"Nondestructive Assay Using Beta-Delayed Gamma-Ray Signatures"
The fast‐neutron-induced fission of U-238 and Th-232 produces complex fission spectra for many hours following irradiation. Samples of U-238 and Th-232 were irradiated with 14 MeV peak neutrons in order to measure the beta-delayed gamma-ray spectra from induced fission. Spectra from 1 minute to 14 hours after irradiation were collected and found to contain distinguishing features that can be used to identify the fissile material present. This allows for applications where rapid identification of fissile materials is needed by looking for characteristic gamma peak ratios at various energy ranges and in varying time bins for nonproliferation and safeguards applications. We were able to find distinctive ratios for each sample in several time bins, which provide adequate data to identify the fissile material present.
NE Department Announces the Appointment of Dr. Karl van Bibber as a Full professor
December 23, 2011
The Nuclear Engineering Department is very pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Karl van Bibber as a Full Professor, effective January 1, 2012. Dr. Karl van Bibber is currently the Vice President and Dean of Research at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS). Previously, he served in several positions at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) from 1985 through 2008, most recently as Chief Scientist of the Physical & Life Sciences Directorate. Prior to Livermore, he served as an assistant professor of physics at Stanford from 1980 to 1985.
Dr. van Bibber is an expert in accelerator technology and nuclear instrumentation, having been involved in the conception, development, and operation of several major experimental facilities for applications in fundamental physics as well as national security, industrial, and other applications. He founded and led the High Energy Physics & Accelerator Technology Group at LLNL (1991 - 2001), leading and contributing to several large-scale projects from design and construction through scientific phases. He also served as the Deputy Director for Laboratory Directed Research and Development (2002 - 2007). As Deputy Director he provided oversight of some 200 different projects, spanning multiple fields of science and engineering including genomics, supercomputing, lasers, nanotechnology, x-ray astronomy, biodefense and healthcare technologies.
At Berkeley, Dr. van Bibber will contribute to research and teaching in the areas of radiation science and detection and applied nuclear physics, for a spectrum of applications ranging from national security to medicine and fundamental physics. He will also serve as the director of the new Nuclear Science and Security Consortium, a multi-institution, 5-year, $25-million program being led by U.C. Berkeley for the National Nuclear Security Agency. The NE faculty note that Dr. van Bibber’s experience with national laboratories, federal agencies and industry will be invaluable both for the Department and the College of Engineering in developing their strategic energy initiatives and professional degree programs.
The NE Department welcomes Dr. van Bibber as its newest faculty member.
New Course Offered for Spring 2012
December 6, 2012
A new Public Policy course, based on the new Nuclear Science and Security Consortium(NSSC) managed by the Department of Nuclear Engineering, will be offered in Spring 2012, in spring 2012. It will be taught by Stan Prussin and Michael Nacht.
Public Policy 290-7: Nuclear Security: The Nexus Between Policy and Technology
Professor Michael Nacht, Goldman School of Public Policy
Professor Stan Prussin, Department of Nuclear Engineering
Mon, Wed, 5-6:30 PM
Room 105, Goldman School of Public Policy, Original (East) Building
Course Description:
This course is offered for the first time under the auspices of the Nuclear Science and Security Consortium governed by the Department of Nuclear Engineering. The course is intended to provide technically trained students with skills in policy analysis and non-technically trained students with a basic understanding of nuclear technology.
The course is divided into three parts.
The first is a historical overview of nuclear weapons and nuclear energy including the early work on atomic physics in Europe in the 1930s, the Manhattan Project and the use of atomic weapons against Japan, and the growth of the nuclear energy industry for electric power generation including the development of the light water, CANDU and other reactors.
The second part traces the evolution of nuclear energy and nuclear weapons including problems at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl, the Atoms for Peace Program, the US-Soviet nuclear arms competition, and the link between nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and nuclear weapons proliferation.
The third part addresses current issues including the impact of Fukushima, challenges of nuclear weapons proliferation in North Korea and Iran, nuclear terrorism, arms control, disarmament, nuclear safeguards, and nuclear forensics.
The course is expected to be offered for five years, and topics are likely to change during this period.
Two NE Faculty Awarded a Minner Faculty Fellowship
Nov 28, 2011
Nuclear Engineering Professor Joonhong Ahn and Lecturer, Dr. Ralph Berger were both awarded a Minner Fellowship this summer in 'Engineering Ethics and Professional/Social Responsibility', and is now a Minner Faculty Fellow. The award entailed an intensive summer program instructed by Gloria and Bill Kastenberg, with assistance from Tom Budinger.
The intent of the program involved the four elements of:
- Foundational work in ethical and moral principles.
- Micro and macro issues arising in engineering and the development of technology.
- Making the implicit value system of each Minner Faculty Fellow explicit.
- Creating course material based on Elements 1 and 2.
The Minner family has generously supported this effort in recognition of the rapidly changing nature of technology, which brings with it new and complex ethical issues. Since Berkeley faculty, students, and graduates play a leadership role in the development of these technologies, it is essential that they become aware of the nature of these ethical issues. This program is focused on the embodiment of ethical expertise as one moves through one’s professional engineering career.
Congratulations to Joonhong and Ralph!
Congratulations to Prof. Per Peterson
September 1, 2011
Nuclear Engineering proudly announces that Professor Per Peterson has been appointed to the William and Jean McCallum Floyd Endowed Chair for a five-year term, effective July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2016.
Nuclear commission outlines new strategies for managing radioactive waste
August 3, 2011
The Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future has released a draft report that recommends significant changes to the U.S. strategy for managing the country’s growing stockpile of high-level nuclear waste. Per Peterson, UC Berkeley professor and chair of nuclear engineering, is one of 15 members of the commission, which was formed in 2010 after plans to store nuclear waste at Nevada’s Yucca Mountain were halted. Read more..
PBS Frontline Program: Nuclear Aftershocks
January 17, 2012
Tonight PBS Frontline Program examines the implications of the Fukushima nuclear accident for U.S. nuclear safety and the global future of nuclear energy.
