Volume 6, Number 3
April 2009

Nonproliferation and Arms Control Technical Division: Conducting Outreach to Enhance Awareness of Nuclear Security Issues

Through its three standing committees, the Nonproliferation and Arms Control Division seeks to address a broad range of Nuclear Security issues. The three committees are:

• Global and Regional Nonproliferation and Arms Control
• International Nuclear and Radiological Security
• Proliferation Assessments and Methodologies

The chairs of these three committees along with the officers of the technical division make up the division’s executive committee. Over the past year, the executive committee has made an effort to conduct outreach to help enhance the awareness of nuclear security issues. In addition to organizing workshops and sessions at the INMM Annual Meeting, they have tried to engage with the INMM student chapters and other groups to provide information about the INMM, and in particular, about nonproliferation and arms control issues. This outreach effort has been intended to get the word out to potential INMM members, and to help provide some practical information to some of the next generation of nuclear specialists.

Steve Mladineo and Larry Satkowiak have made presentations about nuclear security to INMM student chapters at the University of Missouri, Texas A&M, the University of Michigan, the University of Tennessee, and to students at Roane State Community College. As part of these presentations, Steve and Larry discuss a variety of nonproliferation subjects and how they relate to the INMM. Karyn Durbin has given several talks to groups of young Russian professionals on nonproliferation policy issues in support of the Open World program.

Mona Dreicer, who chairs the Standing Committee on Global and Regional Nonproliferation and Arms Control, was the keynote speaker at the INMM session of the ANS student symposium at Texas A&M last year. Mona has also spoken to the Air Force Graduate School on arms control verification technology and helped to organize a Next Generation Safeguards Initiative student summer symposium last summer.

Ruth Duggan, who chairs the Standing Committee on International Nuclear and Radiological Security, sponsored the Third Annual Workshop on Reducing the Risk from Radioactive and Nuclear Materials in Albuquerque in March 2009. The workshop was very successful, drawing more than 75 attendees, including several international participants. Ruth will highlight the results during her presentation at the Annual Meeting this summer.

Mike Zentner, who chairs the Standing Committee on Proliferation Assessments and Methodologies, and Mona Dreicer, who chairs the Standing Committee on Global and Regional Nonproliferation and Arms Control are planning workshops for late 2009 or early 2010.

At the 49th INMM Annual Meeting, Nashville, Tenn., on the afternoon of July 13, the first part of the Nonproliferation and Arms Control division meeting was held jointly with the International Safeguards Division. The topic addressed, Iran--Safeguards and Nonproliferation Issues, attracted more than 70 participants. The Nonproliferation and Arms Control Division also assisted the International Safeguards Division by organizing and leading a Working Group at the INMM/European Safeguards R&D Association (ESARDA) meeting last October in Tokyo. Larry Satkowiak was one of the co-chairs of the working group on Safeguards and Nonproliferation Policy and Institutional Issues.

The INMM 50th Annual Meeting this summer in Tucson will include 13 sessions sponsored by the Nonproliferation and Arms Control Division, and an additional session in cooperation with the Physical Protection Division. These sessions range from very technical topics, such as Special Nuclear Material Detection Technologies to sessions with a strong policy focus. On Tuesday afternoon, Mona Dreicer is organizing a panel discussion on International Science and Technology Engagement. Several sessions will focus on particular nonproliferation program achievements. Karyn Durbin has organized a special session on Fissile Materials Disposition.

On Sunday, July 12, the Nonproliferation and Arms Control Division will hold its annual meeting at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort in Tucson, Ariz., USA from 2-5 p.m. At this meeting each of the standing committee chairs will report on their committees’ activities, there will be a discussion about topics on nonproliferation and arms control, and at least one special guest will lead a discussion that will be of interest. This meeting is open to all who are interested, and is a good opportunity to meet with and engage technical and policy professionals with similar interests in nuclear materials issues.

Submitted by NAC Chair Steve Mladineo, Larry Satkowiak, Vice Chair, and Karyn Durbin, S.ecretary