Ben Dabbs Email & Phone Number

Vienna

Roles and responsibilities include:- Evaluation and review of environmental sampling (ES) and impurity data from field samples- Development and implementation of Visual ES models- Quality control of the ES database- Software development for streamlining the ES evaluation process- Software testing and evaluation- Weekly update of ES performance indicators

Vienna, Austria

Within the INPRO (International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles) Group, I was involved with Project 1 dealing with national long range nuclear energy strategies. Participated and contributed to the PROSA (Proliferation Resistance and Safeguardability Assessment) collaborative project. Duties included drafting white papers for distribution and discussion among the consultancy members and assisting with the drafting of the TECDOC. Additionally, enhanced and upgraded INPRO’s… Show more Within the INPRO (International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles) Group, I was involved with Project 1 dealing with national long range nuclear energy strategies. Participated and contributed to the PROSA (Proliferation Resistance and Safeguardability Assessment) collaborative project. Duties included drafting white papers for distribution and discussion among the consultancy members and assisting with the drafting of the TECDOC. Additionally, enhanced and upgraded INPRO’s Excel-based economic support tool by migrating the calculations to Visual Basic code and creating a user interface. Show less

As a Graduate Research Assistant (08/2010 – 08/2012), I completed work on two different projects at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) – both within the Global Nuclear Security Technology Division (GNSTD). The first project entailed characterizing a portable, coded-aperture gamma-ray imager (for use in enrichment plants) with respect to uranium enrichment, source-detector distance, and acquisition time. When combined with a three-dimensional laser scanner, international… Show more As a Graduate Research Assistant (08/2010 – 08/2012), I completed work on two different projects at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) – both within the Global Nuclear Security Technology Division (GNSTD). The first project entailed characterizing a portable, coded-aperture gamma-ray imager (for use in enrichment plants) with respect to uranium enrichment, source-detector distance, and acquisition time. When combined with a three-dimensional laser scanner, international safeguards inspectors could use this instrument to verify that the process design and the location of nuclear materials are consistent with the operator’s declarations. This work was published and presented at the 52nd Annual Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM) meeting in July 2011.The second project focused on a dual gamma-ray and neutron imaging system for the mobile, standoff detection of shielded nuclear material. I was in charge of leading and organizing the neutron background measurement campaign, specifically the data collection and analysis. This work led to a presentation at the 2012 IEEE SORMA West conference.This work was additionally presented at the 2012 American Nuclear Society (ANS) Student Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada (April 2012), where I received the “2012 ANS Student Conference Session Award” for my presentation. Show less

As an Undergraduate Research Assistant (01/2010 – 08/2010), I performed 3-D modeling and light transport simulations of fiber-optic faceplates using the ZEMAX computer code.

As a Next Generation Safeguards Initiative (NGSI) intern at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) within the Nuclear Nonproliferation Division, I evaluated gas centrifuge enrichment plant safeguards (GCEPS) in support of the application of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards at uranium enrichment plants. Specifically, I programmed a Visual Basic model of a GCEP to compare safeguards approaches for different centrifuge configurations as well as to calculate the uncertainty in… Show more As a Next Generation Safeguards Initiative (NGSI) intern at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) within the Nuclear Nonproliferation Division, I evaluated gas centrifuge enrichment plant safeguards (GCEPS) in support of the application of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards at uranium enrichment plants. Specifically, I programmed a Visual Basic model of a GCEP to compare safeguards approaches for different centrifuge configurations as well as to calculate the uncertainty in the material unaccounted for (MUF). Additionally, I researched load-cell applications and their relevance to GCEPS for process monitoring and real time mass balancing. I also used the Sanborn and Nishimura random-inspection algorithms to analyze the optimal sampling plans and inspection frequencies for GCEPs.I also participated in the NGSI Nondestructive Assay Laboratory Course while working at LANL. Show less

Master Of Science (M.S.), Nuclear Engineering

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.), Nuclear Engineering