Volume 7, Number 3
April 2010

Inside Insights

By Scott Vance INMM Vice President E-mail:savance@tva.gov

My task each issue of the Communicator is to give the membership an “insider’s update” of what is going on with the Executive Committee (EC) of your Institute. While I intend to do that this issue as well, I feel compelled to begin this month’s column with a brief statement regarding the mission of INMM. Contrary to the message you may be getting if you regularly read this column, the sole function of INMM is NOT the Annual Meeting. My column often focuses on activities related to the Annual Meeting, because that is, in fact, a significant focus of the EC’s activities. However, the INMM’s work is much, much broader.

These broader activities generally take place within the regional chapters, and individual activities often focus on one or two of our technical divisions. If this is all sounding strange to you, then I would strongly encourage you to find out about the activities of the technical divisions that you are interested in and attend the next meeting scheduled at your regional chapter, if that is possible.

You will find that there are many activities that take place throughout the year, and these local events are often the times when you can become engaged first-hand in the promotion of nuclear materials management. If you will do that, I know that you will find both the regional chapters and technical divisions anxious to have your input.

In regards to the EC, we in fact spent a good deal of time at our last meeting, held March 2-3 in Seattle, Washington, discussing this year’s Annual Meeting. On March 2 the Technical Program Committee met to develope the technical program for the Annual Meeting. This involves a review of the abstracts received in order to place each paper in an appropriate session to ensure that the information presented is put in the context of similar presentations.

This process takes a great deal of time and effort, and I hope that everyone appreciates that the excellent programs that we enjoy at each Annual Meeting do not occur happenstance. Rather, it is the concerted effort of our Technical Program Committee Chair Charles Pietri, and his entire Technical Program Committee. Incidentally, this year’s meeting looks like it will be another record-breaker, with yet again a new record number of abstract submissions.

In addition to discussing the preparations for the Annual Meeting, the EC also discussed several other items. The EC received a “final report” from Ken Sorenson on the outcome of the Strategic Planning Working Group that he has chaired. Sorenson presented a strategy for proceeding with implementation of the reorganization that this group recommends. There were numerous recommendations associated with the very comprehensive report that he provided, and the EC decided to take a little more time to review the plan before initiating implementation. However, the overall strategy and recommended reorganization was strongly supported.

The EC also considered several suggestions regarding activities that INMM should be supporting and opportunities to improve INMM’s visibility. Reports were also given regarding the possible formation of new regional chapters and additional opportunities to assist our existing chapters.

Reports were taken from Standing Committees and Technical Divisions as well. As indicated above, this is where the real “work of the Institute” takes place, and it is always good to hear what the chapters and divisions are accomplishing. One very encouraging piece of information is that the Vienna Chapter, located at the IAEA, is once again fully functional, and the Institute has committed to supporting this Chapter with both their Vienna Science Fair, scheduled for 2011, and the Safeguards Symposium to be held in November.

Despite my introduction to this Column, I cannot end without encouraging you to make arrangements to attend this year’s Annual Meeting in Baltimore. While it is not “all that we do,” it is your best opportunity to meet with like-minded professionals from around the globe in one comprehensive and yet comfortable week. I am very confident that you will find attendance to be time well spent. I sincerely hope to see you there.