Ph.D. Proposal Presentation by Mackenzie Duce 

January 7, 2025

Title: “Triple Particle Imaging via Polysiloxane Scintillators for Mixed Radiation Field Applications”

When: 10:00 am, Tuesday, January 7, 2025.

Where: Boggs building, Room 3-47.

Abstract: The international nuclear nonproliferation mission requires radiation detectors that can provide reliable information on special nuclear material while in a mixed radiation field. In such environments, fast neutrons, gamma-rays and thermal neutrons can all contribute to your signal. Off-the-shelf plastic organic scintillators are typically polyvinyl-toulene-based and have been studied extensively, but their shelf life and lack of radiation hardness limit their fieldability. Scintillators based on a polysiloxane matrix are radiation-hard, temperature stable, and have recently shown detection of fast neutrons and gammas capabilities on-par with commercial options, but need further development for efficient thermal neutron detection. The proposed work aims to address three such development gaps: (1) develop a methodology to untangle the contributions from multiple particles, (2) conduct long-term studies on shelf-life and radiation hardness, and (3) construct a prototype imaging array for real-world, mixed-field application spaces. These studies will provide a comprehensive understanding of polysiloxane scintillator’s characteristics and potential for application in the nuclear nonproliferation mission.

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Mackenzie — One of “NEA Global Forum Rising Stars”

December 2, 2024

The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency’s Global Forum Rising Stars Workshop 2024 was hosted at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Karlsruhe, Germany on 25-26 November 2024. This annual event supports the professional development of talented female scientists pursuing careers in nuclear science and technology. Participants from around the world joined together for two full days of talks, career panels, and networking opportunities! Mackenzie Duce — LANNS group’s graduate student — are one of these “Rising Stars”!

The Global Forum Rising Stars Programme’s mission is to reach within the nuclear field, adjacent disciplines, and beyond to welcome female rising stars in science, technology, education and policy into the global nuclear community. 

 

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PhD Dissertation Defense by Matthew Dunbrack

October 29, 2024

Title: “Robust Adversarial Reinforcement Learning for Antineutrino-based Nuclear Reactor Safeguards”

When: 11:00 am (ET), Tuesday, October 29, 2024.

Where: Boggs building, Room 3-28. 

Virtual On-line: https://bit.ly/3UaFZsB 

Abstract: Antineutrino-based nuclear safeguards have been proposed to address many nuclear reactor verification challenges. Theoretically, these systems can detect reactor on-off status, monitor thermal power levels, and verify the special nuclear material (SNM) within a core. The situational details of these proposed capabilities, however, dictate the plausibility of applying antineutrino detectors for nuclear safeguards. For the most complex proposed capability, verifying SNM inventory, system performance depends highly on both general reactor-detector parameters, such as the reactor design of interest and detector efficiency, as well as scenario unknowns, such as diverted assembly targets and replacement fuels. An object-oriented modeling and simulation tool was developed for researchers and decision makers to explore various system-scenario parameters for antineutrino-based safeguards development and assessment. This tool comprises five modules: adversarial agent, diversion simulation, spectra simulation, system sensitivity, and protagonist agent. By iterating over these modules, the adversarial agent learns to select the most threatening diversion scenario while the protagonist agent trains the most well-prepared diversion classifier. This iterative process, referred to as robust adversarial reinforcement learning, could result in a fully robust nuclear safeguard – equally ready for any diversion scenarios of interest. A case study demonstrated that models only became semi-robust to the simulated diversion scenarios. While the semi-robust machine learning models did not perform as well as statistical classifiers, diversion-targeted machine learning models indicate that there is still room for system improvement.

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Successfully Hosted the 2024 ETI Summer School

August 17, 2024

The Consortium for Enabling Technologies and Innovation (ETI), which is directed by Prof. Anna Erickson, successfully hosted its fourth ETI Annual Summer School, including its Part II that was held in-person at Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TN, on August 11 – 16, 2024. 15 participants with various academic levels and backgrounds from both universities and national labs in US were selected to join the Part II (in-person) at GT and ORNL.

In this program, cross-cutting technologies across core disciplines for nuclear nonproliferation were explored, including data science and nuclear nonproliferation, instrumentation in fuel cycle monitoring, material selection  and sensor manufacturing, facility surveillance and predictive analytics. The LANNS group members organized and coordinated this program, including the hands-on experiments, lab demonstrations and tours, as well as invited lectures and panel discussion by research scientists. (check here for more details)

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Provost McLaughlin Visiting Our LANNS Group

July 30, 2024

Georgia Tech provost McLaughlin was impressed with the multidisciplinary research work of our LANNS group led by Prof. Anna Erickson, with group members from various academic background including nuclear engineering, medical physics, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering, during his visit to the group’s labs on July 30, 2024. The LANNS group aims  to answer cutting-edge questions and develop innovative technologies in nuclear nonproliferation, train and educate the next-generation of engineers/scientists with skill sets to support critical nonproliferation missions in early proliferation detection, nuclear security, and cross-cutting areas.

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ETI Wins Second $25 Million Award

July 18, 2024

The Consortium for Enabling Technologies and Innovation (ETI) 2.0, a consortium of 12 universities and 12 national labs, which is led by Georgia Tech and directed by Prof. Anna Erickson, wins a $25 million U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) award. This is the second time Georgia Tech has won this award and led research and development efforts to aid NNSA’s nonproliferation, nuclear science, and security endeavors.

ETI2.0 will leverage the strong foundation of interdisciplinary, collaboration-driven technological innovation developed in the ETI Consortium funded in 2019. The technical mission of the ETI 2.0 team is to advance technologies across three core disciplines: data science and digital technologies in nuclear security and nonproliferation, precision environmental analysis for enhanced nuclear nonproliferation vigilance and emergency response, and emerging technologies. They will be advanced by research projects in novel radiation detectors, algorithms, testbeds, and digital twins.

While half the original collaborators remain, Erickson sought new institutional partners for their research expertise, including Abilene Christian University, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Stony Brook University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Virginia Commonwealth University. Other university collaborators include the Colorado School of Mines, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ohio State University, Texas A&M University, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. National lab partners are the Argonne National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Nevada National Security Site, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, and Savannah River National Laboratory.

Engaging students in research in the nuclear nonproliferation field is a key part of the award. The plan is to train over 50 graduate students, provide internships for graduate and undergraduate students, and offer faculty-student lab visit fellowships. This pipeline aims to develop well-rounded professionals equipped with the expertise to tackle future nonproliferation challenges. As the consortium efforts continue, the team looks forward to the next phase of engagement with government, university, and national lab partners. (please check here for more details)

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LANNS Group Showcased Research Progress at the UPR2024

June 6, 2024

The LANNS group showcased the research projects by giving 2 oral presentations and 8 poster presentations at the annual University Program Review (UPR) meeting that was held by NNSA’s Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development (DNN R&D) from June 4 – 6, 2024 at the Zachry Engineering Education Complex at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. Matthew Dunbrack won the Best Poster Presentation Award!

The UPR 2024 review meeting is an opportunity to showcase the DNN R&D-funded research projects from universities and their laboratory partners to the broader nuclear security and nonproliferation community. The Consortium for Enabling Technologies and Innovation (ETI), the Consortium for Monitoring, Technology, and Verification (MTV), the Consortium for Nuclear Forensics (CNF), and the Nuclear Science and Security Consortium (NSSC) delivered excellent presentations. UPR is an unclassified venue for sponsors to review the accomplishments of grantees; stakeholders within the community to engage sponsored researchers; a forum to stimulate collaboration, technology transfer, and integration; and a venue where students and early career scientists can interact with their peers in a rigorous, yet collegial, environment.

UPR featured 60 technical presentations and 100 posters from a variety of disciplines and research areas: nuclear physics, robotics & autonomy, radiation detection, advanced materials & manufacturing, remote sensing, arms control monitoring & verification, nuclear safeguards, nuclear forensics, modeling & simulation, and advanced algorithm development.

  

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Natalie Awarded WoW Fellowship

May 17, 2024

Women of Woodruff (WoW), an organization made up of Georgia Tech College of Engineering alumnae and friends, has awarded six fellowships to female students in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. Natalie Cannon, LANNS group student, is honored as one of this year’s WOW Fellows. These fellowships aim to attract, support, and retain women students in mechanical engineering and STEM, and are made possible by the continued efforts of WoW members, as well as a generous contribution from Woodruff School corporate partner Woodward.

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M.S. Thesis Presentation by Ian Schreiber

April 01, 2024

Title: “Uncertainty Quantification of a Novel Method of Void Fraction Assay in Molten Salt Reactors”

When: 3:00 pm (ET), Monday, April 01, 2024.

Where: Boggs building, Room 3-47. 

 

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Caiser Bravo Won the Best Poster Award at the 2024 Spring BSRA!

April 01, 2024

The Spring 2024 BSRA University Research Poster Session took place in Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) on March 27th, 2024. The presented research posters align with the SRNL Core Competencies:

• Accelerating remediation, minimizing waste, and reducing risk
• Enabling next-generation nuclear materials processing and disposition
• Creating manufacturing solutions for EM, NNSA, and other sponsors
• Assuring production and supply of strategic materials and components
• Sensing, characterizing, assessing materials production and environmental impacts
• Securing connected control systems and associated data

Four LANNS group members attended and presented at this poster session to network with SRNL researchers and staff. Caiser won the Best Poster Award with the poster entitled “High-Fidelity ROADSTR Simulation Studies”!

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Dr. Erickson Was Awarded the E. Gail de Planque Medal

March 19, 2024

Prof. Anna Erickson was awarded the E. Gail de Planque Medal at the 2023 ANS Winter Conference. The award recognizes exemplary accomplishments by a woman in the fields of nuclear science and engineering. This award is intended to recognize outstanding lifetime or singular achievements by women that have resulted in tangible benefits to the field of nuclear science and engineering. The award is to be given to a woman whose work in the field of engineering, education, research or public policy meets one or more of the following criteria:

• Outstanding technical leadership for work performed in her subject area (e.g., establishing a new curriculum)
• Leader of a major research, design, construction, or operations effort
• Accomplishment in the field of public policy affecting nuclear science and technology.

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Joined the 2024 WiST U.S. Roundtable in Washington DC!

March 12, 2024

On March 7, 2024, DOE/NNSA Office of Nonproliferation and Arms Control hosted a Women in Strategic Trade (WiST) U.S. Roundtable at the JW Marriott Hotel Washington, DC (1331 Pennsylvania Avenue NW) for early career professionals interested in pursuing a career in strategic trade controls.  The event features keynote speakers from leaders in the U.S. strategic trade control interagency, a roundtable panel on careers in strategic trade controls and agencies’ role in the U.S. export control system, and a facilitated networking session. The ETI Consortium was invited to attend the event. As ETI students, Natalie Cannon and Mackenzie Duce from our LANNS group joined this event. 

The mission of the WiST Initiative is to promote the advancement, leadership, and meaningful participation of women in all areas of strategic trade controls.  The WiST Initiative is organized by three (3) guiding pillars: 1) Empowerment, 2) Capacity Building, and 3) Community Engagement.  The three (3) pillars represent WiST overarching goals and activities that contribute to achieving its strategic objectives. 

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Attended the 2024 ETI Workshop — One of the Largest to Date! 

February 23, 2024

9 LANNS group members attended the 2024 ETI Workshop held at Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO, February 20-21, 2024. Over 84 participants representing university partners, national laboratories, and the government joined together to build and strengthen the research collaboration between the labs and the universities. It is one of the largest to date since the establishment of ETI consortium. The LANNS group impressively delivered 4 oral talks and 4 poster presentations at the workshop. 

 

 

 

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LANNS Presented at the 2023 IEEE NSS MIC RTSD, Vancouver, Canada

November 13, 2023

The 2023 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference, together with the International Symposium on Room-Temperature Semiconductor X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Detectors was held in Vancouver, B.C., Canada November  4th to November 11th in the beautiful Vancouver Convention Centre overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the North Shore Mountains. LANNS group members, Mackenzie delivered an oral presentation about “Toward Three-Particle Imaging with Polysiloxane-based Scintillators”, while Dr. Tao talked about “Development of Tunnel Oxide Passivating Contact for Next-generation Silicon Detectors”, fostering discussions between world leading scientists that work on similar problems, but possibly in different areas.

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2023 LANNS Symposium-2 Successfully Concluded

November 06, 2023

LANNS group hosted a symposium in nuclear nonproliferation and safety last week, which is 2nd symposium of this year at the room 3-28, Boggs building of Georgia Tech on November 03, 2023. The symposium showcased our group’s current research projects conducted by the group members. More details are listed on the 2023 LANNS symposium-2 website. 

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Next Generation Titans: Natalie Cannon

October 31, 2023

Over the last three years, Energy Impact Center (EIC) have met with leading experts across climate and energy, mapping out challenges and opportunities to form the foundation for future work. This work features a deep dive into the challenges and opportunities within the field of nuclear energy and explores how the fundamentals of utilizing atomic energy yield orders of magnitude better performance and less waste over all alternatives. At Ep. 423, EIC conducted one-on-one interview with LANNS graduate student Natalie Cannon, discussing:

• Natalie’s last minute switch from film to STEM – How she settled on nuclear engineering.
• An exploration of manufacturing techniques, finding mentors, and invaluable pieces of advice.
• Natalie’s research and a dive into neutron noise, criticality, and robots.
• Celebrating past accomplishments and looking toward what younger generations can help achieve in the future.

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M.S. Thesis Presentation by Patience Yockey

October 23, 2023

Title: “Cyber-resilience of machine learning-based digital twins for reactor autonomous control systems”

When: 1:00 pm (ET), Monday, October 23, 2023.

Where: Boggs building, Room 3-47. 

 

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Natalie Participates in 2023 Nuclear Engineering Student Delegation

October 13, 2023

Natalie Cannon, a third-year Ph.D. student of LANNS group, recently participated in the Nuclear Engineering Student Delegation (NESD). First formed in 1994, the NESD is an independently organized, student-run program, where students studying nuclear science and engineering receive hands-on experience with the political process, learning how they can positively impact the future of nuclear energy, policy, education, and research. 

As part of the NESD, Natalie and other members of the 2023 Delegation traveled to Washington D.C. to discuss current nuclear legislation with policymakers such as members of Congress, White House representatives, and the Department of Energy. (click here for the detailed news)

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Innovative Research in Nuclear Nonproliferation — LANNS Group is Spotlighted

October 6, 2023

Georgia Tech is one of the nation’s premier institutions for nuclear studies. The Nuclear and Radiological Engineering and Medical Physics (NREMP) program, part of the Woodruff School, provides students with several areas to choose from as an academic focus such as reactor engineering, instrumentation and control, and radiation detection. Additionally, select students can gain further experience working in faculty-led research labs like the Laboratory for Advanced Nuclear Nonproliferation and Safety (LANNS). (click here for the detailed news) 

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LANNS Alumnus Dr. Harms Came Back GT to Give a Seminar Presentation

September 21, 2023

Dr. Joseph Harms came back GT to visit our LANNS group today, and gave a seminar presentation titled “Towards Clinical Implementation of Ultra-High Dose Rate Proton Beams: Physics in a FLASH” to students and faculty members at NREMP. He is an assistant professor of radiation oncology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Harms completed his bachelors degree in physics at Austin Peay State University, Master in Medical Physics at Georgia Tech, and PhD in Nuclear Engineering at Georgia Tech under the guidance of Dr. Anna Erickson. After Graduate school, Dr. Harms completed a three year residency in Therapeutic Medical Physics at Emory University. His primary research interests are in automation and implementation of new technologies in the clinic, including knowledge-based planning, clinical scripting, adaptive radiotherapy, and advanced measurement techniques. In addition to clinical and research duties, Dr. Harms is an active mentor in UAB’s Therapeutic Medical Physics residency.

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Patent Application Filed — Novel Silicon Radiation Detector

August 23, 2023

Silicon radiation detector enabled by tunnel oxide passivating contact provides lower leakage current, lower noise level, and higher energy resolution for widespread applications in charged particle spectroscopy and identification. This novel technology was developed by Dr. Tao, Prof. Erickson, and Mackenzie Duce. Its patent application has been filed recently. Click here to access more details.   

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LANNS Joins $11.6 Million Transuranic Chemistry Center of Excellence

July 31, 2023

Stockpile stewardship — safeguarding and maintaining nuclear defense materials using modern techniques — is a critical mission of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). Maintaining and expanding the necessary physical and human capabilities to complete this mission is driving renewed investments into nuclear science and engineering. Georgia Tech researchers were recently awarded $11.6 million from the NNSA to address this growing need — and to study and expand on existing models of transuranic chemistry, a branch of chemistry dedicated to studying elements with atomic numbers greater than that of uranium.

Led by School of Chemistry and Biochemistry Associate Professor Henry “Pete” La Pierre, the funding will serve to establish the Transuranic Chemistry Center of Excellence. The Center will house a collaborative network of five other universities and six national laboratories across the United States conducting both theoretical and applied research.  Prof. Martha Grover from School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering is one of the collaborators for the Center, and Prof. Anna Erickson is another Georgia Tech collaborator. “This center provides a new example of the growing prominence of Georgia Tech in the nuclear field.” (click here for more details)

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Dr. Tao Promoted to Senior Research Engineer

July 01, 2023

Dr. Yuguo Tao was promoted to the rank of Senior Research Engineer, which is effective July 01, 2023. This promotion recognizes his demonstrated achievements and contributions at Georgia Tech. 

Dr. Tao initially joined Georgia Tech at the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering to develop high-performance solar cells after accomplishing his PhD study in Photovoltaic Engineering in 2011 from University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

In 2019, he joined Prof. Erickson’s LANNS group to support and assist her in the overall management, execution and operations of the ETI Consortium and the LANNS group R&D activities for nuclear non-proliferation, as well as the teaching & service of Nuclear & Radiological Engineering and Medical Physics.

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LANNS Presented at the 2023 BSRA Universities Collaboration Exchange

June 23, 2023

LANNS group was invited to join and deliver oral and poster presentations at the 2023 BSRA Universities Collaboration Exchange meeting that was hosted on June 20 – 22, 2023, Augusta, GA. Battelle Savannah River Alliance, LLC (BSRA) brings world-class expertise in laboratory management, nuclear operations, national security, and scientific research to Savannah River National Laboratory. BSRA’s team includes five leading universities with expertise in a wide range of areas relevant to Savannah River National Laboratory: Clemson University, Georgia Tech, South Carolina State University, the University of Georgia, and the University of South Carolina. 

 

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Prof. Anna Erickson Honored with Two Awards!

June 16, 2023

Dr. Erickson, the ETI consortium director, and the Associate Chair for Research and Woodruff Professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, has been honored with two awards from the American Nuclear Society (ANS).

She received the Arthur Holly Compton Award in Education from the Education, Training and Workforce Development Division (ETWDD), and the National Landis Young Member Engineering Award. She was formally recognized during the 2023 ANS Annual Meeting, held earlier this week in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Arthur Holly Compton Award in Education recognizes outstanding contributions to education in nuclear science and engineering. Dr. Erickson was selected for her pioneering academic achievements and extensive outreach endeavors in the field of nuclear engineering education, seamlessly integrating traditional classroom instruction, innovative experimentation, and cutting-edge distance education techniques to create a multidisciplinary, multi-platform educational experience for the 21st century.

The Landis Young Member Engineering Award recognizes outstanding achievement in which engineering knowledge has been effectively applied to yield an engineering concept, design, safety improvement, method of analysis, or product utilized in nuclear power research and development or commercial application. Dr. Erickson was selected for establishing the foundation for novel high-precision instrumentation for safety and security remote monitoring enabling successful development, deployment, and commercialization of advanced reactors with operational autonomy.

 

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Attended the LLNL Nuclear Security and Nonproliferation Summer School

June 13, 2023

As ETI or MTV scholars, LANNS group members participated the 2023 NSSC-LLNL Nuclear Security and Nonproliferation Summer School that was hosted by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on June 09, 2023 . The school features lectures and hands-on experimental modules covering various aspects of nuclear risk reduction. Scholars formed teams to engage in hands-on experimental modules aimed at tackling challenges in warhead verification, emergency response, and nuclear forensics. In the Warhead Verification module, scholars conducted neutron and gamma-ray measurements to confirm the presence or absence of nuclear and moderator materials before and after simulated dismantlement. The Emergency Response module challenged scholars to characterize an unidentified threat using passive neutron and gamma-ray measurements, alongside active interrogation techniques. Lastly, in the Nuclear Forensics module, scholars investigated and trace the origins of nuclear and radiological materials through measuring radiation signatures and isotopic compositions of simulated nuclear samples.

 

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LANNS Group Members Presented at the UPR2023

June 13, 2023

LANNS group delivered impressive oral/poster presentations at the University Program Review (UPR) 2023 review meeting that was held at the ASUC Student Union: Martin Luther King Junior Building at the UC-Berkeley in Berkeley, CA, June 6 – 8, 2023. UPR is an opportunity to showcase the DNN R&D-funded research projects from universities and their laboratory partners to the broader nuclear security and nonproliferation community. UPR is an unclassified venue for sponsors to review the accomplishments of grantees; stakeholders within the community to engage sponsored researchers; a forum to stimulate collaboration, technology transfer, and integration; and a venue where students and early career scientists can interact with their peers in a rigorous, yet collegial, environment.

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2023 LANNS Symposium was Successfully Concluded!

May 13, 2023

The Laboratory for Advanced Nuclear Nonproliferation and Safety (LANNS) hosted its 2nd group symposium in nuclear nonproliferation and safety at the conference room 3-47, Boggs building of Georgia Tech on May 12, 2023. The symposium showcased our current research projects conducted by the group members. More details are listed on the 2023 LANNS symposium website.

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M.S. Thesis Presentation by Natalie Cannon

April 19, 2023

Title: Categorization of Additive Manufacturing Techniques for Nuclear Nonproliferation Threat Analysis.

When: Wednesday, April 19, 2023 at 10:00 AM (ET).

Where: Boggs, Room 3-47. 

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Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera Impressed with the Research Work of LANNS Group

December 16, 2022

Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera was impressed with the research work of our LANNS group led by Prof. Anna Erickson to “make sure nuclear engineering is used to improve the human condition” during his visit to the group’s labs on December 16, 2022. 

(pictured from left: GT President Ángel Cabrera, Prof. Anna Erickson, graduate students Mackenzie Duce and Alexander England) 

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M.S. Thesis Presentation by Warren Erling 

December 9, 2022

Title: A Comprehensive Study on Detector Modeling, Reactor Core Environment Analysis, and Fuel Burnup for the Lifespan of the Molten Salt Research Reactor.

When: Friday, December 9, 2022, 2:00 p.m (ET).

Where: Boggs, Room 3-47. 

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Ph.D. Dissertation Defense by Nicholas Fassino

August 26, 2022

Title: Expanding the Operating Envelopes of Advanced Reactors with Multi-Metallic Layered Composite Materials

When: Friday, August 26, 2022, 1:00 p.m.

Where: https://gatech.zoom.us/j/98382478321, Virtual

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M.S. Thesis Presentation by Jonah Cullen

July 29, 2022

Title: Survey of Machine Learning Methods for Reactor Burnup Prediction

When: Friday, July 29, 2022, 10:00 am

Where: https://gatech.zoom.us/j/96556110915, Virtual

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Professor Anna Erickson Has Been Selected as the New Associate Chair for Research!

July 6, 2022

Congratulations! Professor Anna Erickson has been selected as the new Associate Chair for Research in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology. Dr. Erickson will be responsible for working with the Woodruff School’s faculty to develop a strategic research plan for future growth and investments in the school, as well as identifying new research opportunities, helping to foster strategic relationships with government, industry, and foundations, and synergizing research efforts with other units in the College of Engineering and across the Institute.

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LANNS Presented at the UPR 2022

June 9, 2022

NNSA’s Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development (DNN R&D) will hold its annual University Program Review (UPR) Meeting from June 7 – June 9, 2022 at the Michigan League at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This hybrid review will have in-person attendance driven by the extant travel posture and facility capacity limitations along with a virtual component featuring presentations and online opportunities to engage with attendees.

The UPR 2022 review meeting is an opportunity to showcase the DNN R&D-funded research projects from universities and their laboratory partners to the broader nuclear security and nonproliferation community. The Consortium for Enabling Technologies and Innovation (ETI), the Consortium for Monitoring, Technology, and Verification (MTV), and the Nuclear Science and Security Consortium (NSSC) will be represented. UPR is an unclassified venue for sponsors to review the accomplishments of grantees; stakeholders within the community to engage sponsored researchers; a forum to stimulate collaboration, technology transfer, and integration; and a venue where students and early career scientists can interact with their peers in a rigorous, yet collegial, environment.

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M.S. Thesis Presentation by Jonathan Arrue

June 6, 2022

Title: Polysiloxane Organic Scintillators for Neutron and Gamma Detection via Pulse Shape Discrimination

When: Monday, June 6, 2022,  09:00 am

Where: Boggs, 3-47

 

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M.S. Thesis Presentation by Matthew Dunbrack

June 1, 2022

Title: Evaluating System Confidence of Near-Field Antineutrino-Based Nuclear Reactor Safeguards

When: Wednesday, June 1, 2022, 11:00 a.m.

Where: Boggs, 3-47

 

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Congratulations! Dr. Erickson Was Promoted to Full Professor

April 12, 2022

Congratulations! Dr. Anna Erickson was promoted to Full Professor in March 2022 for her outstanding achievements and dedication to the Woodruff School and Georgia Tech!

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LANNS Presented at the 2022 ETI Workshop

March 30, 2022

LANNS group members presented at the 2022 ETI Workshop that was hosted by the Consortium for Enabling Technologies and Innovation (ETI) on March 29 – 30, 2022 in a hybrid format at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) and via BlueJeans. 

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Dr. Erickson Receives ANS Radiation Science and Technology Award

December 3, 2021

Dr. Anna Erickson was honored with the American Nuclear Society (ANS) Radiation Science and Technology Award this week. The award recognizes her work in “establishing the foundation of antineutrino detection for reactor power monitoring and nuclear fuel burn-up measurements.” The award was presented by NREMP program chair Dr. Steven Biegalski.

 

 

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Ph.D. Dissertation Defense by Arith Rajapakse 

November 2, 2021

Title: Sensing the Interactions of Ionizing Radiation in a Semiconductor Substrate using Carbon Nanotubes

When: Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at 11:00 AM

Where: Boggs, Room 3-47;

(Bluejeans link: https://bluejeans.com/654915529/2506)

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LANNS Presented at the UPR 2021

September 8 – 10, 2021

NNSA’s Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development (DNN R&D) held its annual University Program Review (UPR) Meeting from September 8 – September 10, 2021 at the Historic Academy of Medicine at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. 

The UPR 2021 review meeting is an opportunity to showcase the DNN R&D-funded research projects from universities and their laboratory partners to the broader nuclear security and nonproliferation community. The Consortium for Enabling Technologies and Innovation (ETI), the Consortium for Monitoring, Technology, and Verification (MTV), and the Nuclear Science and Security Consortium (NSSC) will be represented. UPR is an unclassified venue for sponsors to review the accomplishments of grantees; stakeholders within the community to engage sponsored researchers; a forum to stimulate collaboration, technology transfer, and integration; and a venue where students and early career scientists can interact with their peers in a rigorous, yet collegial, environment.

UPR featured over 50 technical presentations and 75 posters from a variety of disciplines: radiation detection, advanced materials, remote sensing, safeguards and simulations, and algorithms and modeling. 

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2021 LANNS Symposium is Coming Up!

June 6, 2021

The Laboratory for Advanced Nuclear Nonproliferation and Safety (LANNS) is pleased to announce the first group symposium in nuclear nonproliferation and safety that will be hosted at the conference room 3-47, Boggs building of Georgia Tech on June 11, 2021. The symposium will showcase our current research projects conducted by the group members. More details are listed on the symposium webpage.

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Dr. Anna Erickson Featured on Uncommon Engineer Podcast