Nuclear Science and Security Consortium: Training the Next Generation

The future of domestic and global nuclear security depends on today’s university students and young professionals feeding the pipeline to supply the requisite scientific workforce. To maintain a steady stream of experts in nuclear security, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) established the Nuclear Science and Security Consortium (NSSC) through a five-year, $26.5 million award. The consortium is principally comprised of seven academic institutions and four national laboratory partners,1 and brings together more than two hundred students, scientists, research staff and faculty. The purpose of the NSSC is to train and educate experts in the nuclear security field using an end-to-end approach, from undergraduate education to early careers in the NNSA architecture. To develop the next generation of nuclear security experts, universities must not only educate students in foundational nuclear science but also provide a comprehensive education platform that includes technology developments, and nuclear energy and weapons policy in the context of the 2 current political science architecture. The NSSC works to attract the best and brightest and then develop well-rounded professionals with a working knowledge of the full breadth of skills needed to meet nuclear security mission needs. Students at all levels are further trained with in-depth knowledge in at least one mission-critical skill area. Students gain hands-on experience through rotations in the nation’s nuclear security laboratories, fostering an exchange of ideas and technology developments between the laboratories and academia. The expertise of national laboratory scientists is further utilized through adjunct appointments and expanded interactions in the university setting. The NSSC approach is defined as Seven Universities Coordinating Coursework and Experience from Student to Scientist in a Partnership for Identifying and Preparing Educated Laboratory-Integrated Nuclear Experts (SUCCESS PIPELINE). The objective of the SUCCESS PIPELINE is to create a steady-state flow of 30 advanced students per year from top research universities across all relevant fields in nuclear security science using an end-to-end approach, from recruitment of the best undergraduate and graduate students to collaborative research assistantships in nuclear security science with the goal of transitioning to a career within the NNSA architecture. Students emerging from the SUCCESS PIPELINE exhibit a broad perspective, solid science and engineering foundations, and a highly developed specialization.