PNNL

Jacob Benz specializes in the research and development of technologies and approaches to support and enable current and future monitoring and verification initiatives in arms control and international safeguards. His projects involve collaboration and technical engagement with domestic and international partners on bilateral and multilateral verification concepts. His 12 years of experience in this area have centered on developing tools and methodologies to generate and maintain confidence in treaty-accountable material or items, equipment, and facilities to support potential future verification objectives. His research is focused in two main areas:

1. how to confirm authenticity and integrity of technologies and associated information that may be negotiated for use in a future treaty; and
2. identifying, evaluating, and addressing how cybersecurity interacts with and affects the critical national security missions within nonproliferation, international safeguards, and arms control.

These areas span both cyber and physical domain spaces to enable the trustworthiness of potential equipment and their impact within a treaty verification regime. 

Mr. Benz contributes to the success of both Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the larger technical community through technical leadership and mentoring. He is the program manager of the nuclear arms control portfolio at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory supported by the Warhead Verification Program through the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Nuclear Verification. Additionally, he engages in mentoring and university outreach to educate and inform the next generation of experts in the fields of arms control, nonproliferation, and international safeguards. Most recently, Mr. Benz became the chair of the Arms Control, Treaty Verification and Disarmament Institute of Nuclear Materials Management Subcommittee established under the Nonproliferation and Arms Control Technical Committee, creating opportunities for further outreach and mentoring to the broader technical and policy communities.

• Nuclear engineering
• Arms control and treaty verification
• International safeguards
• Nonproliferation

• Oregon State University, Doctoral Degree, Nuclear Engineering, in progress
• Certified Information System Security Professional, 2021
• University of Maryland University College Online, Master’s Certificate, Information Assurance; December 2016
• Oregon State University Corvallis, OR, Master’s Degree, Nuclear Engineering; June 2008
• Oregon State University Corvallis, OR, Bachelor’s Degree, Nuclear Engineering; June 2005