Robert M. Mayo

Event Info

Title:  Radiation Detection for National Security Applications

Date: Sept 15, 2008
Location: 3105 Etcheverry Hall
Time: 4-5pm

Abstract

The Office of Nonproliferation Research and Development funds applied research and development, testing, and demonstration of advanced technologies that improve the national capability to both detect illicit nuclear weapons programs and nuclear detonations world-wide. The capabilities provided by this office strengthen the U.S. response to current and projected threats to national security posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and the diversion of special nuclear material (SNM), and is the only organization within the U.S. government that is investing in long-term, strategic, and often high-risk technical solutions to detect the proliferation of WMD. As an integral component of the office’s mission, the SNM Movement Detection program focuses on the detection, localization, identification, and characterization of SNM in many forms and scenarios. It is the purpose of this program to develop improved capabilities that assist the operational USG organizations to perform their nonproliferation, counter-proliferation, and counter-terrorism missions. The preponderance of technical solution in this area involves higher performing radiation detection equipment including the development of new radiation detection materials. In this seminar, I will discuss current development efforts and areas of programmatic interest in radiation sensing and advanced materials research for radiation detection.