DENA0004008

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Project Title: Nuclear Security Science and Technology Consortium

Project Description: The goal of the proposed consortium is to develop the NNSA's next-generation world-class STEM workforce. The objectives are (1) to 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. This will bring a heightened awareness of DOE/NNSA laboratories to academic institutions with a common interest in STEM topics. (2) To 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. This will enlarge the scientific and technical knowledge and resource base of MSI in the nuclear security area. (3) To develop and maintain a long-term pipeline between UNLV, UIC, UNM, and DOE/NNSA sites and laboratories for recruitment and retention. This will be achieved by increasing the visibility of the DOE/NNSA scientific activities to MSI universities and growing the number of minority students who graduate with STEM degrees and are hired into DOE/NNSA's workforce.

Board Of Regents Of Nevada System Of Higher Education

THIS IS A GRANT APPLICATION TO RENEW THE NNSA-MSIPP FUNDED NUCLEAR SECURITY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CONSORTIUM [1] THAT ENDS ON 9/30/2024 (AWARD DE-NA0004008) FOR FIVE YEARS WITH THE UPDATED TITLE “NUCLEAR SECURITY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CONSORTIUM (NSSTC) 2.0”. NSSTC CONSISTS OF THREE TOP TIER (R1 - “VERY HIGH RESEARCH ACTIVITY” BY THE CARNEGIE CLASSIFICATION OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION) MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTIONS (MSIS): (1) UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS (UNLV, THE PRIME INSTITUTION), (2) UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO (UNM), AND (3) UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO (UIC). THREE NNSA NUCLEAR SECURITY ENTERPRISE (NSE) COLLABORATORS IN THE CONSORTIUM ARE (1) NEVADA NATIONAL SECURITY SITES (NNSS), (2) ARGONNE NATIONAL LABORATORY (ANL), AND (3) LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY (LANL). A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM OF FACULTY AND STUDENTS SUCCESSFULLY COLLABORATES WITH NSE EXPERTS IN THE NNSA TOPIC AREA OF NUCLEAR SECURITY DURING THREE YEARS OF THE NSSTC PROJECT, DEVELOPING THEIR SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE, AND MERGING ACADEMIC STUDY WITH PRACTICAL WORK EXPERIENCE. THE NSSTC 2.0 TEAM INCLUDES THE SAME MEMBERS AS THE CURRENT CONSORTIUM - UNLV: PROF. ALEX BARZILOV (NUCLEAR ENGINEERING), PROF. WOOSOON YIM (MECHANICAL ENGINEERING), PROF. ARTEM GELIS (RADIOCHEMISTRY), AND PROF. KE-XUN SUN (ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING); UIC: PROF. MARK SCHLOSSMAN (PHYSICS); UNM: PROF. ADAM HECHT (NUCLEAR ENGINEERING) AND PROF. GANESH BALAKRISHNAN (ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING); NNSS: DR. PAUL GUSS AND DR. SANJOY MUKHOPADHYAY; LANL: DR. SVEN VOGEL; ANL: DR. ALEX HEIFETZ. THE NSSTC 2.0 GOAL IS TO BUILD AND SUPPORT THE WORKFORCE CAPACITY OF THE NNSA’S NSE TO MEET THE NATIONAL SECURITY DEMANDS OF THE PRESENT AND FUTURE, TO STRENGTHEN KEY SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND ENGINEERING CAPABILITIES TO SUPPORT THE NNSA’S MISSION TO PROTECT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BY MAINTAINING A SAFE, SECURE, AND EFFECTIVE NUCLEAR WEAPONS STOCKPILE, BY REDUCING THE GLOBAL DANGER FROM WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, BY PROVIDING THE U.S. NAVY WITH SAFE AND EFFECTIVE NUCLEAR PROPULSION, AND BY RESPONDING TO NUCLEAR AND RADIOLOGICAL EMERGENCIES IN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD. THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT: • EXPAND SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE IN THE AREA OF NUCLEAR SECURITY. • PROVIDE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS IN STEM DISCIPLINES. • BUILD AND STRENGTHEN RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CAPACITIES OF MSI UNIVERSITIES ALIGNING MSIPP INVESTMENTS WITH THE NNSA MISSION TO DEVELOP NEEDED SKILLS AND TALENT FOR THE NSE’S TECHNICAL WORKFORCE. • PROMOTE COLLABORATION AND INCREASE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN UNLV, UIC, UNM AND THE NNSA’S NSE TO INCREASE DIRECT ACCESS TO NSE STEM RESOURCES AND MAINTAIN THE DEVELOPED CAREER PATHWAYS FOCUSED ON PREPARING A DIVERSE STUDENT WORKFORCE AND GROWING THE NUMBER OF MSI STUDENTS THAT GRADUATE WITH STEM DEGREES AND MAKE IMMEDIATE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NSE. TO ACHIEVE THE PROJECT OBJECTIVES, THE CONSORTIUM MEMBERS WILL CONTINUE TO CONDUCT RESEARCH ACTIVITIES IN THE NNSA TOPIC AREA OF NUCLEAR SECURITY (THE PREVENTION, DETECTION, AND RESPONSE TO THEFT, SABOTAGE, UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS, ILLEGAL TRANSFER, OR OTHER MALICIOUS ACTS INVOLVING NUCLEAR MATERIAL, OTHER RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES, OR THEIR ASSOCIATED FACILITIES) THAT ALLOW STUDENTS AND FACULTY TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE, MERGING ACADEMIC STUDY WITH PRACTICAL WORK EXPERIENCES.

81.123 - National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) Program

National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) [DOE]

NNSA Weapons Activities [DOE - NNSA]

Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-4027 United States

Single Zip Code

Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Program (DE-FOA-0002144)

Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 09/30/24 to 09/30/29 and the total obligations have increased 100% from $2,000,000 to $4,000,000.