UC Berkeley scientists to work with DOE labs to produce more nuclear security experts

By Robert Sanders, Media Relations | June 10, 2011
BERKELEY —

As guardian of the world’s largest nuclear arsenal and signatory to international nonproliferation treaties, the United States needs people versed in nuclear science to maintain and safeguard its weapons and monitor the compliance of other nations.

That need was emphasized by officials of the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), who came to campus today (Friday, June 10) to congratulate UC Berkeley on winning a $25 million, five-year contract to help supply the government with experts in nuclear security.

“There has been a big uptick in the number of bachelor’s and master’s degree students graduating in nuclear science in this country, but our concern is that our national laboratories are not interacting with the universities” that are producing those graduates, said David LaGraffe, deputy director of NNSA’s Office of Proliferation Detection, which will oversee the grant. “We’re working to expand those opportunities.”

“This program is about people; linking the labs and the universities,” said Edward Watkins, director of the Office of Proliferation Detection. “We’re committed to this.”

http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2011/06/10/uc-berkeley-to-work-with-doe-l...