By Rod Capps
The University of Michigan (UM) hosted the annual Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development (DNN R&D) University Program Review (UPR) meeting at the Sheraton Ann Arbor, June 5–7, 2018. The meeting, which welcomed 285 participants, featured the efforts of three University-led consortia teams including Nuclear Science and Security Consortium (Lead-University of California, Berkeley), Consortium for Nonproliferation Enabling Capabilities (Lead-North Carolina State University), and the Consortium for Verification Technology (Lead-University of Michigan). These consortia, funded by the DOE NNSA Integrated University Program (IUP), enact the mission to develop advanced technical capabilities in support of U.S. national nuclear security and nonproliferation goals by developing new technologies and expertise.
Ms. Lisa Gordon-Hagerty, Department of Energy Under Secretary for Nuclear Security, Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and University of Michigan alumna, addressed a full audience during the opening session, citing the relevance of the IUP in satisfying the NNSA mission. She presented students with several awards and participated in tours of Prof. Sara Pozzi’s Detection for Nuclear Nonproliferation Group (DNNG) laboratory, located in the newly renovated Nuclear Engineering Lab (NEL) at UM and H3D Inc. a startup company founded by UM Prof. Zhong He.