THE INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE NEXT GENERATION SAFEGUARDS PROFESSIONAL NETWORK AT ORNL

In 2009, early career safeguards professionals within the Global Nuclear Security Technology Division (GNSTD) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) developed the concept of a Next Generation Safeguards Professional Network (NGSPN). The Network was developed in response to WKH??1H[W??*HQHUDWLRQ??6DIHJXDUGV??,QLWLDWLYH????1*6,????ODXQFKHG??LQ????????????E\\??WKH??'HSDUWPHQW??RI??(QHUJ\\¶V?? National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) in an effort to revive safeguards technology, human resources, and human capital development to sustain the safeguards system as its mission evolves over the next 25 years. Now, it is the task of NNSA and the U.S. national laboratories, working in collaboration with universities, foreign partners, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), among others, to ensure that multilateral support for safeguards is strong and will remain so into the future. The purpose of the NGSPN is to build connections between the next generation of experts who will see the safeguards system into the future. Unlike most next generation human resources efforts focusing either on students or established professionals, the NGSPN is intended to involve the next generation of professionals looking to make their careers in safeguards and nonproliferation both internationally and from across the U.S. national laboratory network, NNSA staff, academia, and nuclear and safeguards technology industries. On October 28±29, 2009, the inaugural meeting of the NGSPN was held in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, hosted by GNSTD. It was attended by twenty-two participants from eight national labs, NNSA headquarters, and one industry partner. The meeting provided a unique opportunity for young safeguards professionals coming from various backgrounds and organizations to network. It also provided a forum for discussing their roles and responsibilities as well as the path forward to ensure WKDW??1*6,??ZDV??DGGUHVVHG??DQG??EXLOW??XSRQ??LQ??WKH??SDUWLFLSDQWV¶??UHVSHFWLYH??DUHDV????7KLV??LQDXJXUDO?? meeting was very well received by ORNL management and the participants, thus establishing a strong foundation for the NGSPN to develop and grow. This paper describes the inaugural meeting of the NGSPN at ORNL, its organization, outcomes, and feedback received from the participants. The paper also introduces the network, its significance, goals, objectives, and future plans.