Nuclear Forensics Expert Pipeline Sustainability as a Key Component of Nuclear Security

The nature of nuclear forensic science as a rarely necessary but crucial component of national security presents many challenges in implementing and sustaining a national nuclear forensics program. One such challenge is recruiting and maintaining scientists with the specific skillsets needed for nuclear forensic analysis, particularly when such analysis is rarely performed or requested by prosecutors. As a result, the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration Office of Nuclear Smuggling Detection & Deterrence (NSDD) is increasingly working to address forensic expertise attrition through its capacity building program of assistance. NSDD largely aims to assist partner countries in increasing their capacities to detect, disrupt, and investigate radiological or nuclear (R/N) material found out of regulatory control.