A man wearing a white lab coat and protective googles looking at a machine detector

About

In 2021, the National Nuclear Security Administration awarded the UNLV-led Nuclear Security Science and Technology Consortium (NSSTC) $3,000,000 through the Minority Serving Institution Partnership Program (MSIPP). The goal of the NSSTC is to develop the next generation world-class STEM workforce to meet the national security demands of the present and future, to strengthen key science, technology, and engineering capabilities to support the NNSA’s vital mission to protect the American people by maintaining a safe, secure, and effective nuclear weapons stockpile.

Vision

The NSSTC seeks to provide opportunities for intellectual challenge and collaboration by promoting scientist-to-scientist interactions between the academic community and the DOE/NNSA laboratories and sites. By growing the scientific and technical knowledge and resource base of the consortium in the nuclear security area, the NSSTC aims to develop and maintain a long-term student pipeline between partners while growing the number of minority students with nuclear science expertise hired into the DOE/NNSA workforce.

Topical Research Areas

NSSTC members perform research in the following areas in support of the over-arching theme of nuclear security:

  • Novel radiation detection systems
  • Remote sensing methods using robotics platforms
  • Nuclear forensics field devices for detection of plutonium, uranium, americium and radionuclides
  • X-ray fluorescence for radionuclide and actinide detection buried deep within materials

Project Goal and Objectives

Our goal is to encourage minority students to pursue careers in STEM by providing them with practical experience and training through doctoral programs in nuclear engineering, radiochemistry, physics, mechanical engineering and electrical/computer engineering.

NSSTC Objectives

  • Encourage minority students to excel in STEM providing them with practical experience and training in the area of nuclear security through applicable research projects and experiential learning, bringing a heightened awareness of DOE/NNSA laboratories to academic institutions with a common interest in STEM topics;
  • Strengthen research and education capabilities of Minority Serving Institutions providing opportunities for intellectual challenge and collaboration by promoting scientist-to-scientist interactions between the academic community and the DOE/NNSA laboratories and sites, and to enlarge the scientific and technical knowledge and resource base of MSI in the nuclear security area;
  • Develop and maintain a long-term pipeline between UNLV, UIC, UNM and DOE/NNSA sites and laboratories for recruitment and retention by increasing the visibility of the DOE/NNSA scientific activities to MSI universities, and to grow the number of minority students who graduate with STEM degrees and hired in to DOE/NNSA’s workforce.