PNNL

Dr. James Ely is a nuclear physicist within the National Security Directorate at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. He joined PNNL in 2002 and performs research and development for new radiation detectors for various applications, including monitoring for treaty verification.

For seven years, Ely worked on PNNL’s Radiation Portal Monitor Project supporting the deployment of portal monitors around the U.S. borders. He served as the principal investigator for four years. Then, he focused on nuclear explosion monitoring research and development where he was the initial project manager for the Xenon International project, developing the next-generation xenon measurement system for use in the International Monitoring System.

From 2013–2016, he spent three years at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the Department of Safeguards with the Safeguards Technical and Scientific Services Division, supporting development of new radiation detection equipment for unattended use.

After returning to PNNL, he has been managing the safeguards technology development portfolio that includes many projects developing technology for the IAEA and continues to develop instrumentation for safeguards applications, as well as leading research and development efforts on the Low-Yield Nuclear Monitoring program for nuclear explosion monitoring applications.

• International nuclear safeguards
• Nuclear explosion monitoring
• Nuclear nonproliferation
• Radiation detection
   

• PhD in experimental nuclear physics, University of Colorado at Boulder
• BS in engineering physics, Colorado School of Mines

• R&D 100 Award as part of the Xenon International team, 2020
• Department of Energy Secretary’s Honor Award, 2021