Year
2016
Abstract
As part of the ongoing Next Generation Safeguards Initiative Human Capital Development (HCD) Roadmap study, the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) HCD subprogram of the Next Generation Safeguards Initiative (NGSI) funded a study to examine how safeguards core capabilities have evolved over the last decade. The goals were to predict which capabilities will be in demand as new capabilities emerge and to track other capabilities as they become obsolete. Using past Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM) programs and abstracts, researchers took metrics on how safeguards research has developed over time while also considering events that had occurred and/or policies that had changed. From this information, a Subject Matter Expert Core Capability database was created as a record of safeguards experts currently in the field; the database also tracks the experts’ publications and corresponding core capabilities/skills. This database eventually will be used as a tool for students to research possible career paths while also providing a foundation for a possible mentoring program; it also will serve as a subject- matter resource for current professionals. Ultimately, the aim of the study was to provide data points and metrics on where the human capital demand lies in reference to which disciplines and skills sets are needed in the field; these data points and metrics will enable NGSI HCD to better address related issues and meet future demand.