Volume 5, Number 3
March 2008

Nonproliferation and Arms Control Activities
By Steve Mladineo
Chair, Nonproliferation and Arms Control Technical Division

The Nonproliferation and Arms Control Division conducted a second Workshop on Reducing the Risk from Radioactive and Nuclear Materials on February 19-20, 2008, in Washington, DC, led by Ruth Duggan and her team of volunteers from the Standing Committee on International Security of Nuclear and Radiological Materials.

Corey Hinderstein and the Northeast Chapter managed sponsorships, logistical arrangements and registration for the workshop.  Highlights included presentations by Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, director of the Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence at DOE, and Steve Aoki, deputy undersecretary for Counterproliferation.

The workshop drew more than 90 registrants and provided a successful venue for discussions by three concurrent working groups.  These working groups addressed Threats Emanating from Illicit Trafficking, Air Transport of Radioactive Materials, and Categorization of Materials.

The NAC Technical Division is committed to the promotion and advancement of research, development and application of effective technologies to control proliferation risks and reduce arms.  In addition, we support public education and outreach on international arms control and nonproliferation issues.

The division works to advance the application of nuclear materials research and management for nonproliferation and arms control, including treaty verification and transparency measures aimed at furthering international stability.  It provides a forum for the exchange of information on all aspects of arms control and nonproliferation methods, policy, and technology through meetings, workshops and publications. 

The Nonproliferation and Arms Control (NAC) Technical Division has some upcoming activities and opportunities to enable INMM members to get involved. 

Upcoming Activities
Here are some upcoming workshops and meetings that you may be interested in:

• 8th International Conference on Facility Operations-Safeguards Interface.The purpose of the conference is to foster a better understanding of the relationship of operations in nuclear facilities and the application of safeguards under national and international regimes.  Will be held March 30-April 4, 2008 in Portland, OR USA.
  
  
• Joint INMM/ESARDA Workshop: Meeting Safeguards Challenges in an Expanding Nuclear World. The workshop will address in depth the current issues in international safeguards and the nonproliferation regime.  Will be held October 6-9, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan. 
  
  
• In addition, both the Standing Committee on International Security of Nuclear and Radiological Materials and the Standing Committee on Proliferation Assessment and Analysis are planning workshops for next spring.

49th Annual Meeting in Nashville
The 49th INMM Annual Meeting will be held July 13-17, 2008 in Nashville, TN.  As usual, we will hold our annual technical division on Sunday afternoon, July 13th .  There will be several special sessions at this summer’s events, including three sessions on the Global Threat Reduction Initiative, and what promises to be a very interesting session titled: Beyond 2013: Reducing HEU Stockpiles.

  
Getting Involved
The Nonproliferation and Arms Control Division has three standing committees in which your participation is welcome. The standing committees offer a good opportunity for affiliation with your colleagues who have similar interests. The standing committees are:

·        Regional Nonproliferation and Arms Control
·        International Nuclear and Radiological Security
·        Proliferation Assessment and Analysis

If you would like more information, feel free to contact Steve Mladineo at 202-646-7868, Larry Satkowiak at 865-576-5650, or Karyn Durbin at 202-586-1430.