PNNL

The NNSA’s Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development (DNN R&D) sponsors several different university consortia with an aim to develop our nation’s technical capabilities and human capital to “improve the detection, identification, and characterization of foreign nuclear weapons development programs; diversion of special nuclear materials; and nuclear detonations.” Each of these consortia is headed up by a lead university with several different collaborating universities supporting them, along with several different national laboratory partners as well.

Below is an overview of the active consortia with PNNL contribution, collaboration, and leadership.

Consortium for Nuclear Forensics

This NNSA consortium seeks to develop novel techniques and train the next generation of scientists and specialists in nuclear forensics, which identifies and characterizes nuclear materials to support global safety. NNSA has established the following research disciplines as priorities for building skills sets to increase our Nation's capacity in nuclear forensics.

• Radiochemistry
• Geochemistry
• Nuclear physics, science, and engineering
• Nuclear material science
• Shock physics
• Quantum-enabled sensing
• Analytical chemistry

PNNL is working with the University of Florida, as the lead Consortium for Nuclear Forensics (CNF) university, along with its supporting universities and partner national laboratories, to help meet these priorities. The core goals for PNNL include supporting PNNL PIs in their research engagements under each of the nuclear forensic thrust areas, and especially seeking out new opportunities to work with professors and students on nuclear forensics research activities and ultimately work to have these professionals pursue careers in nuclear forensics and related nuclear activities at DOE national laboratories.

Consortium for Enabling Technology and Innovation 2.0

The core mission of the Consortium for Enabling Technologies and Innovation 2.0 (ETI 2.0) is to direct multidisciplinary research and innovation that enable the technologies, supporting NNSA, to train and educate the next generation of researchers and to bridge the gap between university basic research and the national laboratories’ mission-specific applications. ETI 2.0 has these primary goals to address the evolving needs in nuclear nonproliferation.

• Direct the multidisciplinary research and innovation that enable the technologies that support the NNSA DNN R&D
• Train and educate the next generation of researchers
• Bridge the gap between the university basic research and NNSA national laboratories’ mission-specific applications.

The ETI 2.0 Consortium is composed of 12 institutions of higher education (IHE) and 12 national laboratories.

Core Discipline Areas

• Data science and digital technology
• Emerging technologies
• Precision environmental analysis

Cross-Cutting Areas

• Novel radiation detectors and algorithms
• Testbeds and digital twins
   

Enabling Capabilities in Technology Consortium

DNN’s Enabling Capabilities in Technology (TecH) Consortium creates new scientific knowledge in areas critical to DNN’s nuclear nonproliferation mission and applies new knowledge toward the creation of new nuclear nonproliferation capabilities. Promoting innovation through collaboration with national lab partners, TecH includes a comprehensive approach with joint mentorship by faculty and lab experts, a broad research portfolio covering fundamental and applied sciences, and an extensive educational and training program. The TecH Consortium is composed of 15 institutions of higher education and 8 national laboratories.

Core Discipline Areas

• Earth, environmental, atmospheric, and space science
• Radiochemistry, nuclear chemistry, and nuclear chemical engineering
• Advanced nuclear fuel and reactor systems engineering

Cross-Cutting Areas

• Detection, characterization, and response methodologies and tools
• Data science for nuclear nonproliferation
• Education and training

Nuclear Science and Security Consortium

The Nuclear Science and Security Consortium (NSSC) is another NNSA University-sponsored program that seeks to develop a new generation of laboratory-integrated nuclear experts and to provide hands-on training in nuclear science, technology, and policy. PNNL is not one of the partner national laboratories on this consortium, but we still have a high interest in its success and importance to our nation’s nuclear security mission.