Nuclear Engineer
Nuclear Engineer

Biography

Steven Short has over 35 years of experience at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), supporting the Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and national and international clients in nuclear facility safety and probabilistic risk analysis, nuclear facility decommissioning planning and analysis, project risk analysis and management, and used nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste assessment. He is a nuclear engineer by academic background, with a Master of Business Administration degree, whose career has focused on the development and application of analytical methods, tools, and techniques to support project and investment decisions and to manage the risk of severe accidents at nuclear reactors. Mr. Short’s primary technical expertise is in the application of probabilistic risk technology and methods for a variety of applications, including probabilistic risk assessment for nuclear power plants and project risk assessment for a variety of domain areas. For the last 20+ years, he has led a team at PNNL supporting the NRC in the implementation of their transition to risk-informed, performance-based regulations. This has included the development and implementation of risk-informed methodologies and approaches used in regulatory decision-making for the licensing of nuclear power plants. He is also currently supporting the development of a risk-informed, performance-based regulatory framework for the ground transportation of microreactors containing used fuel. Other current project interests include providing project risk management and analysis to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), providing technical and economic assessments of small modular nuclear reactor applications for international clients, and providing technical support to the NRC on nuclear facility decommissioning funding matters. He is a registered professional engineer in the state of Washington. 

Disciplines and Skills

  • Applications of Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) Methods
  • Improving Project Risk Management Tools and Methods
  • Removing Barriers to Implementation of Next Generation Nuclear Power

Education

  • BS, Nuclear Engineering, University of Arizona, 1983
  • MS, Nuclear Engineering, University of Arizona, 1984
  • MBA, University of Washington, 1990

Affiliations and Professional Service

Awards and Recognitions

  • 2021 NA-50 Excellence Award:  Transportation System Risk Assessment for the National Security Exemption
  • 2013 EED Project Team of the Year:  NRC Transition to NFPA Standard 805

Publications

2023

  • Short, S. M., G. A. Coles, P. P. Lowry, T. A. Ikenberry, M. S. Taylor, C. A. Condon, J. R. Phillips, S. J. Maheras, H. E. Adkins, and L. Hay. 2023. "Development and Application of a Risk-Informed Approach for Regulatory Approval for Shipment of a Microreactor Transportation Package." In Proceedings of the 20th International Symposium on the Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Materials (PATRAM22), June 11-15, 2023, Juan-les-Pins, France. PNNL-SA-184337.
  • Short, S. M. and M. Y. Toyooka. 2023. Report on Waste Burial Charges:  Changes in Decommissioning Waste Disposal Costs at Low-Level Waste Burial Facilities, NUREG-1307, Revision 19. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML2304/ML23044A207.pdf

2022

  • Coles, G. A., P. P. Lowry, J. R. Phillips, S. M. Short, C. A. Condon, S. J. Maheras, and T. A. Ikenberry. 2022. Parametric Study of Factors that Affect Calculated Dose from TRISO Fueled Microreactor Transportation Accident. PNNL-33607. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Parametric Study of Factors that Affect Calculated Dose from TRISO Fueled Microreactor Transportation Accident
  • Coles, G. A., S. M. Short, S. J. Maheras, and H .E. Adkins. 2022. "Risk-Informed Approach for Regulatory Approval of Microreactor Transport." In Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Probabilistic Safety Assessment and Management (PSAM 2022), June 26-July 1, 2022, Honolulu, HI. PNNL-SA-172477.
  • Maheras, S. J., G. A. Coles, L. M. Hay, S. M. Short, H. E. Adkins, J. R. Phillips, and P. P. Lowry. 2022. "Development and Application of a Risk-Informed Approach for Shipment of a Microreactor Transportation Package." In Proceedings of the International High-Level Radioactive Waste Conference (IHLRWM 2022), November 13-17, 2022, Phoenix, AZ. PNNL-SA-185258.

2021

  • Coles, G. A., S. M. Short, S. J. Maheras, and H. E. Adkins. 2021. Proposed Risk-Informed Regulatory Framework for Approval of Microreactor Transportation Packages. PNNL-31867. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
  • Maheras, S. J., G. A. Coles, J. R. Phillips, C. A. Condon, S. M. Short, H. E. Adkins, and P. P. Lowry. 2021. Plan for Development and Application of Risk Assessment Approach for Transportation Package Approval of an MNPP for Domestic Highway Shipment. PNNL-33524. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Plan for Development and Application of Risk Assessment Approach for Transportation Package Approval of an MNPP for Domestic Highway Shipment
  • Short, S. M. and M. Y. Toyooka. 2021. Report on Waste Burial Charges:  Changes in Decommissioning Waste Disposal Costs at Low-Level Waste Burial Facilities, NUREG-1307, Revision 18. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML2102/ML21027A302.pdf

2020

2019

  • Coles, G. A. and S. M. Short. 2019. "Low Power Shutdown (LPSD) PRA Modeling Challenges and Recommendations." In Proceedings of the International Topic Meeting on Probabilistic Safety Assessment and Analysis (PSA 2019), April 28-May 3, 2019, Charleston, SC. PNNL-SA-139860.
  • Short, S. M. and M. Y. Toyooka. 2019. Report on Waste Burial Charges:  Changes in Decommissioning Waste Disposal Costs at Low-Level Waste Burial Facilities, NUREG-1307, Revision 17. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1903/ML19037A405.pdf

2017

  • Coles, G. A. and S. M. Short. 2017. "Phenomena Identification Ranking Technique (PIRT) for Determination of Low Power Shutdown PRA Priorities." In Proceedings of the International Topic Meeting on Probabilistic Safety Assessment and Analysis (PSA 2017), September 24-28, 2017, Pittsburgh, PA. PNNL-SA-125436.
  • Short, S. M. and M. Y. Toyooka. 2017. Report on Waste Burial Charges:  Changes in Decommissioning Waste Disposal Costs at Low-Level Waste Burial Facilities, NUREG-1307, Revision 16. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1706/ML17060A362.pdf

2015

  • Short, S. M., G. A. Coles, K. L. Bohlander, R. F. Layton, W. J. Ivans, F. A. de Peralta, and P. P. Lowry. 2015. "Implementing the NFPA 805 Process:  Observations of a Technical Reviewer." In Proceedings of the International Topical Meeting on Probabilistic Safety Assessment and Analysis (PSA 2015), April 26-30, 2015, Sun Valley, ID. PNNL-SA-106641.

2010

  • Kreyling, S. J., A. J. Brothers, S. M. Short, J. R. Phillips, and M. R. Weimar. 2010. "An Analytical Framework for Assessing Reliable Nuclear Fuel Service Approaches: Economic and Non-Proliferation Merits of Nuclear Fuel Leasing." In Proceedings of the 51st Annual Meeting of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management, July 11-15, 2010, Baltimore, Maryland. Deerfield, Il:INMM. PNNL-SA-73364.
  • Phillips, J. R., S. J. Kreyling, S. M. Short, and M. R. Weimar. 2010. "Economic and Nonproliferation Analysis Framework for Assessing Reliable Nuclear Fuel Service Arrangements." In Pacific Northwest International Conference (PNIC) on Global Nuclear Security -- the Decade Ahead, April 11-16, 2010, Portland, OR. Deerfield, Il:Institute of Nuclear Materials Management. PNNL-SA-72040.

2009

  • Short, S. M., M. R. Weimar, S. J. Kreyling, Z. N. Gastelum, J. R. Phillips, and T. W. Wood. 2009. "Nuclear Fuel Leasing - An Assessment of Economic and Nonproliferation Benefits." In Global 2009: The Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Sustainable Options and Industrial Perspectives, September 6-11, 2009, Paris, France, INIS-FR--09-1167, Paper No. 9350. Vienna:IAEA. PNNL-SA-65277.

2005

  • Reichmuth, B. A., S. M. Short, T. W. Wood, F. C. Rutz, and D. S. Schwartz. 2005. "Economic Consequences of a Rad/Nuc Attack: Cleanup Standards Significantly Affect Cost." In Working Together: R&D Partnerships in Homeland Security, April 27-28, 2005, Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center, Boston, Mass., 13 pp. Washington, District Of Columbia:U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate. PNNL-SA-45256.
  • Short, S. M. and B. M. Parker. 2005. Potential for Generation of Flammable Mixtures of Hydrogen from Aluminum-Grout Interaction in the K Basins During Basin Grouting. PNNL-15156. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. doi:10.2172/15016087.Potential for Generation of Flammable Mixtures of Hydrogen from Aluminum-Grout Interaction in the K Basins During Basin Grouting

2001

  • Bylkin, B. K., G. B. Davydova, Y. A. Zverkov, A. V. Krayushkin, Y. A. Neretin, A. V. Nosovsky, and V. A. Seyda, et al. 2001. "Induced Radioactivity and Waste Classification of Reactor Zone Components of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 After Final Shutdown." Nuclear Technology 136, no. 1:76-88. PNNL-SA-33968.