Savannah River National Laboratory Establishes Nonproliferation Applied SciencesCenter

The NASC will be an innovation hub bringing together scientists, engineers and policy experts to:

• Advance and expand scientific research and development knowledge, such as trace actinide behavior during fuel processing, through novel detection advances and comprehensive validation testing
• Develop and advance methods and detection capabilities related to advanced manufacturing processes
• Demonstrate modernization of safeguard solutions by applying advanced nuclear forensics and radiation detection applied to weapons production activities, such as tritium and pits
• Create safe and efficient global pathways for the removal and elimination of weapons-useable nuclear materials by developing and applying advanced materials packaging science

“The NASC supports DOE’s clean energy goals,” said SRNL Laboratory Director Dr. Vahid Majidi. “The NASC will help to sustain the continued safe operation of U.S. nuclear reactors, the nation’s largest source of clean power, and secure our energy future.”

Associate Laboratory Director, Global Security Directorate, Dr. Tammy Taylorsaid the NASC will be a differentiator for SRNL. “Instead of focusing expressly on nonproliferation, the NASC will build on the lab’s rich history of nuclear material processing and environmental management; build on the reality that nuclear, as a form of clean energy, requires modern nuclear material security solutions; and be an innovation and collaboration hub for advancing new approaches and solutions to safeguarding nuclear materials.”

The NASC will be located at SRNL’s main campus at the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site. Dr. Taylor will lead its initial development until a permanent director is announced later this year.

Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) is a United States Department of Energy multi-program research and development center that’s managed and operated by Battelle Savannah River Alliance, LLC. SRNL puts science to work to protect the nation by providing practical, cost-effective solutions to the nation’s environmental, nuclear security, nuclear materials management, and energy manufacturing challenges (https://srnl.doe.gov/).