Nuclear Security News and Member Updates Roundup, April 2025

Dear Friend,

Headlines and member activity reports in this month’s newsletter provide a comprehensive reminder of today’s complex nuclear security landscape, from the ongoing conflict conditions around Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, to security considerations related to small modular reactors and new vulnerabilities introduced by the application of artificial intelligence to nuclear facility systems. Even as the world marked the 39^th anniversary on April 26 of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster, officials wrestled with how to repair the structure protecting Chornobyl’s damaged reactor in the wake of a February drone strike, and the International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring mission at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant continued to be impacted by gunfire and drone activity in the plant’s vicinity. Meanwhile, the U.S. nuclear nonproliferation budget took a cut in Congress’s latest budget action, funding the government through the end of the fiscal year. The funds taken from the National Nuclear Security Administration’s defense nuclear nonproliferation accounts (about a 7 percent cut) were moved to the NNSA’s weapons activities budget, the Arms Control Association reported, in a gloomy sign for nonproliferation priorities.

Warmly,

Christina

Director, International Nuclear Security Forum

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Updates

• Coming soon: INSF is planning members-only webinars covering topics such as nuclear transportation security and the future of the nonproliferation regime. Keep an eye out!
• FUNDING APPEAL: If you appreciate this newsletter, please consider a donation to ensure sustainability into the future. Donate here and specify where indicated that your gift is intended to support the INSF. Institutional funding for civil society’s nuclear security work is increasingly hard to come by, as many readers already know, and the International Nuclear Security Forum appreciates your support!

Nuclear Security News

Impact: The Russian Invasion of Ukraine

• Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant to Stay in Russian Control, Moscow Says (March 25): Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on [March 25] the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant was a Russian facility and transferring control of it to Ukraine or any other country was impossible. The ministry also said that jointly operating the plant was not admissible as it would be impossible to properly ensure the physical and nuclear safety of the station. It said Zaporizhzhia region, partly controlled by Russian forces, was one of four in Ukraine that had been annexed by Russia by virtue of referendums staged seven months after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor and a presidential decree had formally made the station Russian property.
• Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Could Restart Months After Ceasefire, IAEA Chief Says (March 26): The Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine could come back online within months of a ceasefire, but it would probably take more than a year to restart all six reactors, the U.N. atomic watchdog chief said on March. Russian forces took over Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant a week after invading Ukraine. Zaporizhzhia, now near the front line, provided 20% of Ukraine’s power output before the war. All its reactors are shut down as war rages around it and threatens to cause a potentially catastrophic accident. Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of attacks including shelling and drone strikes that have downed power lines essential to preventing a meltdown, damaged an International Atomic Energy Agency vehicle and set a cooling tower on fire. “What we want is to have a moment where we will be able to confirm that there is no longer active combat in this area,” IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told Reuters in an interview. “This will be, I would say, tangible progress because we can move to a non-war mode,” he said.
• Update 282 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine (March 27): The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team has [on the week of March 24] been observing operational tests of diesel generators at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) as part of ongoing efforts to help prevent a nuclear accident during the military conflict in Ukraine, where the off-site power situation remains challenging, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said. The ZNPP has repeatedly lost all access to external electricity during the conflict, forcing it to temporarily rely on diesel generators for the power it needs to cool its reactors and for other essential nuclear safety and security functions. The tests carried out in recent days were designed to confirm that they are fully operational.  “As the off-site power situation at ZNPP is still highly precarious, it is very important that these diesel generators can immediately start up without any issues. Our experts were this week able to confirm that the diesel generators that were tested can fulfil their function if the plant once again were to lose its external connections. Continued vigilance in this respect is necessary,” Director General Grossi said. […] At the Chornobyl site, a fire caused an emergency outage of one 330 kV line that provides off-site power to the plant. It was switched back on after the Ukrainian State Emergency Service extinguished the fire. The teams at all four sites reported hearing air raids over the past week. At Chornobyl, the IAEA team was informed that a drone was detected 3 km from the site in the evening of 21 March. At around the same time, the team heard a loud explosion and also witnessed a flying drone.
• Update 283 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine (March 28): The [IAEA] team based at Ukraine’s [ZNPP] visited the site’s diesel storage tanks [on March 28] and saw no signs of damage or spillage, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said. The IAEA team requested access to the storage tanks to assess the situation there first-hand following an unconfirmed report [the week of March 24] about a significant leak of diesel fuel. During their visit to the fuel storage area located outside the ZNPP perimeter, the IAEA team reported that the levels in the storage tanks were normal, there were no traces of spilled fuel and no evidence of any repair work being carried out.
• Update 284 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine (April 3): The [IAEA] has delivered a new ambulance and other medical equipment to help Ukraine provide adequate health care for the personnel operating its nuclear power plants (NPPs) in challenging conditions during the military conflict, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said [on April 3]. The ambulance was handed over to the Emergency Technical Center of the national nuclear energy company Energoatom [on March 28], during a 12-day IAEA mission to review the medical capacities of Ukraine’s three operating NPPs, the Chornobyl site, as well as nearby hospitals and health facilities that provide critical medical support and care to plant staff. “Nuclear safety and security require a well-functioning workforce that has timely access to medical services, including mental health support. The personnel of these facilities have been working in extremely difficult circumstances for more than three years now, enabling the continued safe production of much-needed electricity. Their physical and psychological well-being is of paramount importance for nuclear safety and security,” Director General Grossi said. […] Despite such assistance, the general nuclear safety and security situation in Ukraine remains precarious, based on the assessments of the IAEA teams continuously deployed at all the NPP sites.
• Ukraine Says Zaporizhzhia Reactors Cannot Be Restarted While Facility Remains Under Russian Control (April 4): Ukraine’s national nuclear energy generating company Energoatom has said reactors at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station cannot be restarted while the facility remains under Russian control, citing serious safety violations and technical degradation. The company said in a strongly-worded statement that any discussions about restarting the six-unit facility, which has been occupied by Russia since soon after the February 2022 invasion, would violate international nuclear and radiation safety standards. The only legitimate operator of the station, near the frontline of fighting in southern Ukraine, is Energoatom, and only Ukrainian specialists have the necessary expertise and authority to manage the facility, the statement said. “The fact that the largest nuclear power plant in Europe has been under illegal Russian occupation since 2022 creates unacceptable safety risks and violates international conventions on nuclear and radiation safety,” Energoatom said. “The license to operate the ZNPP is held by its legal operator, Energoatom, and only Ukrainian specialists have the right and competence to operate the plant.”
• Everyone Wants Europe’s Largest Nuclear Plant. Ukraine Wants it Back. (April 7): For three years, Russia’s violent takeover of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant — which President Donald Trump recently said he wants to control — has haunted this city perched on the opposite bank of the Dnieper River, just four miles away. The plumes of vapor billowing over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant once symbolized Ukraine’s energy independence and economic prosperity, a reminder that the multibillion-dollar enterprise generated 20 percent of the country’s electricity — enough for factories to thrive in industrial cities like Nikopol and for Ukraine to export power to the rest of Europe. But since Moscow’s 2022 occupation of the plant, the now-defunct facility in the town of Enerhodar serves instead as evidence of the Kremlin’s plan to subdue Ukraine’s economy, steal its vast industrial assets and thwart its hopes for an independent future in the European Union.
• Update 285 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine (April 10): The [IAEA] has carried out five deliveries of equipment and other technical assistance over the [week of April 7] as it remains fully focused on helping to prevent a nuclear accident during the military conflict in Ukraine, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said on [April 10]. Since the beginning of the conflict more than three years ago, the IAEA has now organized a total of 125 such shipments to 29 counterparts in Ukraine, including its nuclear power plants (NPPs), the national operator Energoatom, the country’s regulator, technical support organizations and laboratories, emergency services, organizations handling radioactive material, as well as health centers offering medical care to plant personnel and others.
• Ukraine Seeking Solutions for Damaged Chornobyl Confinement Vessel, Minister Says (April 13): Ukraine is seeking solutions to repair the damage caused by a Russian drone attack to the confinement vessel at the stricken Chornobyl nuclear power plant, a government minister said on [April 12]. Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Svitlana Hrynchuk was speaking outside the decommissioned station during the inauguration of a 0.8-megawatt solar power facility ahead of two conferences due to discuss Chornobyl and other issues related to nuclear power operations. She said Ukraine was working together with experts to determine the best way to restore the proper functioning of the containment vessel, or arch, after the February 14 drone strike. “Unfortunately, after the attack, the arch partially lost its functionality. And now, I think, already in May, we will have the results of the analysis that we are currently conducting,” Hrynchuk said.
• Update 286 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine (April 16): Frequent air raid alarms, the regular sound of explosions nearby and the presence of drones are continuing to highlight the dangers facing Ukraine’s main nuclear sites during the military conflict, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the [IAEA] said [on April 16]. “The nuclear safety and security situation in Ukraine remains precarious. This is very clear from the daily reports of our teams on the ground. Military activities are still taking place in the vicinity of nuclear sites, putting their safety at constant risk. Our work to help prevent a nuclear accident is far from over,” Director General Grossi said. The IAEA continues to monitor and assess nuclear safety and security at Ukraine’s five main nuclear facilities and deliver essential equipment and other technical assistance, including medical support. At the [ZNPP] over the [week of April 14], the IAEA team based at the site has heard explosions at varying distances almost every day, as well as occasional bursts of gunfire. As part of regular walkdowns across the site, the team visited the turbine halls of two reactor units, where they were again denied access to the western parts of the halls. […] At the Chornobyl site, the IAEA team visited the New Safe Confinement and received an update on its status following the mid-February drone attack that punched a hole in the structure. Radiation levels remained normal for the area and there had been no release of radioactive substances beyond the established limits. Air raid alarms were heard on most days over the [week of April 14] at these two.
• South Ukraine NPP to Spend ₴50 Million to Upgrade its Security System (April 16): The South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant plans to reconstruct its security systems for 50 million hryvnias. This is evidenced by data in the ProZorro public procurement system, according to NikVesti. The contractor will have to complete all work by December 12, 2025. It is a replacement of a complete switchgear (6kV), which ensures the normal operation of the plant’s facilities. This equipment is necessary for the stable and safe operation of the nuclear power plant, as it is responsible for the uninterrupted power supply of important systems. The tender process is currently underway and the contractor will be selected after April 30.
• Update 287 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine (April 17): The IAEA team based at Ukraine’s [ZNPP] [on April 17] examined the area near the plant’s training center where a drone was reportedly shot down and crashed, once again underlining potential risks to nuclear safety during the military conflict, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said. The IAEA requested access to the purported crash site after receiving information from the ZNPP that the incident had occurred on [the afternoon of April 16], local time. The crash sparked a fire that ignited surrounding vegetation but caused no casualties nor structural damage to the training centre itself, which is located just outside the site perimeter, the ZNPP added. At the impact site, the IAEA team observed white ash covering a small area and was shown what the ZNPP identified as the remains of a drone, including four small electric motors still lying on the ground. Plastic fragments, apparently parts of the body of a drone, were also visible.
• Update 288 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine (April 24): IAEA experts based at Ukraine’s [ZNPP] were required to stay indoors [the morning of April 23] after hearing loud bursts of gunfire from near the main administrative building where their office is located, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said. The ZNPP informed the IAEA staff members that a nearby “drone threat” had made it necessary to postpone the team’s planned activities at the site, the latest incident highlighting persistent risks to nuclear safety and security during the military conflict. The IAEA team remained in the administrative building after the plant-wide shelter order was announced. In addition, the IAEA team has continued to hear explosions and gunfire at varying distances from the plant almost every day during the past week. “What was once virtually unimaginable – evidence of military action in the vicinity of a major nuclear facility – has become a near daily occurrence and a regular part of life at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. From a nuclear safety perspective, this is clearly not a sustainable situation. The IAEA remains committed to doing everything we can to prevent a nuclear accident during this tragic war,” Director General Grossi said.

International Architecture

• Initiative to Facilitate Safe Transport of Radioactive Material by Italy: Italy has established a national committee whose main objective is to overcome the critical issues related to the denial to transport or accept a shipment of radioactive material (denial of shipment), even if compliant with all regulatory requirements, including documentation. Denial of shipments (DoS) can lead to longer and more complicated transport routes and a lack of flexibility in route selection. There are also indications that longer and more complicated routes may result in compromises to safety and security. In the case of medical isotopes, shipment denials can cause delays in the provision of medical care and in the execution of diagnoses. Despite a solid regulatory framework, the international community has noted that, in recent decades, there have been frequent interruptions in the supply of radioactive material for peaceful purposes. In response, International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference resolution GC(67)/RES/7 para 94 of September 2023 “calls upon Member States to facilitate the transport of radioactive material, and to identify, if they have not done so, a national focal point (NFP) on denials of shipment of radioactive materials to achieve a satisfactory and timely resolution of this issue.” A total of 72 NFPs have been appointed worldwide as of April 17, 2025.

Threats

• I Guarded Britain’s Nuclear Sites – Our Security Can’t Cope With New Mini Reactors: Sometimes he would patrol rural lanes on foot, carrying his assault rifle, looking out for any terrorists hiding in the countryside. On other assignments he would man machine guns mounted on armored ships, watching for any sign of hostile vessels coming his way. Or he would drive in weapons-laden road convoys, monitoring potential threats from vehicles. While serving as an armed officer with the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC), Matt Okuhara saw every aspect of how the UK’s nuclear power stations and their radioactive fuel are protected from terrorists. He spent years escorting the transport of uranium fuel to and from plants, which would be planned for months in advance. “Nuclear material is at its most vulnerable when it’s in transit,” he explains. “You’ve got to move it as secretly as possible.” Working for the specialist force, Okuhara always felt confident the country’s civil nuclear program was in safe hands. “Any threat has been detected long before it’s been able to cause any problems,” he says. However, he believes the situation is “definitely more dangerous now” than when he was serving. Terrorism has become more advanced and there are new fears about so-called hybrid warfare from geopolitical adversaries including Russia.
• FBI Analyst Calls Hadley Man’s Small Stash of Plutonium ‘Not That Big of a Deal’: While Hadley resident Jacob D. Miller sits in custody awaiting a ruling on his pretrial release, a Western Massachusetts grand jury has indicted him on two criminal charges. The government is seeking forfeiture of 500 rounds of ammunition and a pile of explosive black powder recovered from his home on Hockanum Road. Miller, 43, has been charged with one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition, plus being a felon in charge of explosives. If convicted of the explosives charges, Miller could face a maximum sentence of 20 years. But Miller’s alleged possession of highly radioactive plutonium did not capture the attention of federal agents at high levels, according to court records. A federal investigator told local authorities the amount of plutonium Miller possessed — while illegal — would draw minimal penalties.

Security Culture

• Congress Cuts NNSA Nonproliferation Budget: The U.S. Congress approved a $185 million cut to the defense nuclear nonproliferation budget managed by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) in a March 14 continuing resolution that funds the federal government through Sept. 30, the end of the 2025 fiscal year. The resolution transfers those funds instead to the NNSA’s weapons activities budget, bringing it up to $19.29 billion for the remainder of this fiscal cycle. The slashed nonproliferation funding is equal to a 7.2 percent cut. According to an analysis by the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, the reduction will probably impact NNSA programs on nuclear smuggling, radiological security, export controls, reactor conversion, nuclear materials security and elimination, and research into the impacts of artificial intelligence on nuclear threats. In a March 11 statement opposing the continuing resolution, Rep. Bill Foster (D-Ill.) said the funding cut “would substantially affect our national security, paving the way for countries like Iran, terrorist groups, and other adversaries to more easily get their hands on nuclear material.”
• China Holds Nuclear Security Drill in Eastern Fujian: China on [April 12] held its sixth nuclear security drill in the eastern province of Fujian, the country’s Atomic Energy Authority said. The drill, which is held every other year, tests emergency and crisis management at nuclear sites through simulated intrusions and attacks under various scenarios, the authority said in a statement. It aims to boost risk awareness among nuclear facility operators and improve coordination among agencies.

Emerging Technologies

• Smart Trackers Boost Radioactive Shipment Security: Every day, cancer patients visit medical facilities for treatments to lessen or alleviate the destructive illness. Treatments often include radioisotopes and other radioactive material that target and destroy cancer cells effectively. On its way to medical centers, however, this material could be intercepted and used for other purposes, which is why experts at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are researching more secure methods to ensure the shipment arrives at the intended destination.

Material Minimization

• Savannah River Execs Outline Fiscal 2025 Plutonium Downblend Goals: The Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site has completed nearly half of the plutonium downblends it scheduled for fiscal year 2025, the site’s interim manager reported earlier this week. Managers at the DOE site, located near Aiken, S.C., updated South Carolina’s Nuclear Advisory Council on several production and remediation goals on tap for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, following last month’s passage of a six-month continuing resolution. Edwin Deshong III, the nuclear cleanup deputy who is acting manager following the departure last month of SRS manager Michael Budney, told the nuclear council the downblending program is on pace to meet its goal of 30 surplus plutonium downblends this fiscal year. The mission includes the use of inhibitor materials to downblend 13.1 metric tons of plutonium, thereby reducing its ability to be used for weapons. The material is being stored at the site’s K Area, but will eventually be sent to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico for permanent disposal.

Member Organization Announcements and Updates

Bellona Foundation

• Bellona’s Nuclear Advisors Dmitry Gorchakov and Alexander Nikitin have provided expert commentary on the ongoing U.S.–Russia negotiations concerning the fate of the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Read their insights in the following publications:
  • The Washington Post,
  • L’Express
• Alexander Nikitin gave an in-depth interview to Uatom, the information portal of the Ukrainian State Scientific and Technical Center for Nuclear and Radiation Safety, offering Bellona’s perspective on the current state of nuclear security in Ukraine and the role of the IAEA in the ongoing conflict. Read the interview.
• Bellona has also published its latest monthly Nuclear Digest, which examines nuclear security developments in Ukraine, the involvement of the Russian nuclear industry and Rosatom in these developments, and Rosatom’s influence in international markets. Read the digest.
• Bellona is also preparing for the Bellona Forum, a major event to be held in mid-May in Oslo. The forum will focus on the Russian nuclear industry in 2023 and 2024 — its role in global nuclear markets and its involvement in the war in Ukraine. The event will be streamed online to ensure broad international participation. In addition to Bellona’s experts, the forum will feature officials and experts from Europe and Ukraine. The event will also be streamed online to ensure broad international access and participation. 
• Bellona has published a new report titled “Rosatom in the war years of 2023 and 2024“ which analyzes the transformation of Russia’s state nuclear corporation over the past two years, focusing on its growing involvement in the military-industrial complex. Read the report.

International Institute for Strategic Studies

• IISS Research Analyst Zuzanna Gwadera published a Military Balance Blog, “US allies question extended deterrence guarantees, but have few options,” that argues US nuclear extended deterrence has long-served as a backstop of its allies in Europe and the Indo-Pacific, and that President Donald Trump has raised doubts as to the extent of Washington’s commitment to the continent’s security, not just its willingness to use nuclear weapons. Read the blog.
• Alexander Bollfrass and Chelsey Wiley published the new piece, “Denuclearisation vs recognition: options for US policy on North Korea,” arguing the second Trump administration may soon have to choose between continuing denuclearization efforts or shifting to risk-reduction talks via a process of formal recognition. Read the piece.
• Three new episodes of The Arms Control Poseur podcast this month cover the nuclear weapons programs of India, Pakistan, and North Korea. Listen to the new episodes.

Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation

• VCDNP Senior Fellow Dr. Sarah Case Lackner and Research Associate Mara Zarka authored a new report providing an overview of risks and opportunities related to AI technology, nuclear security, and the nuclear supply chain, focusing on the new and evolving risk aspects of AI systems integrated into nuclear facilities, AI models used by malicious actors, and data security challenges associated with AI technologies. Read the report.
• On March 27, 2025, the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP) convened a group of experts to discuss how integrating safety, security, and safeguards from the beginning of the engineering design process (3S by Design) affects the deployment frameworks of small modular reactors (SMRs) and other advanced reactors. This seminar expanded on key discussions and outcomes of the 2024 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) International Conference on Small Modular Reactors and their Applications. Watch the seminar.
• On March 31, 2025, the VCDNP hosted a webinar to discuss the report of the consultative process on security concerns of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). The report aims to bridge the gap between humanitarian and security-centered discourses on nuclear weapons in international forums. Ambassador Alexander Kmentt, Director of the Disarmament, Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Department of the Austrian Ministry for European and International Affairs, coordinated the consultative process and presented key arguments and recommendations of the report. Dr. Oliver Meier, Policy and Research Director at the European Leadership Network, provided commentary. VCDNP’s Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova moderated the discussion. Watch the webinar.
• From April 7 to 9, 2025, the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP) held a specialized course on “Nuclear Issues in Vienna” for ambassadors recently posted to Vienna. The course was hosted by the Permanent Mission of Norway to the International Organisations in Vienna. Through presentations and panel discussions, ambassadors from 14 States explored nuclear policy and priority issues for the Vienna diplomatic community and the international organizations based in Vienna. Find out about the course.
• On March 18, 2025, the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP) organized a panel discussion on “Cancer Care for All: Expanding Access to Life-Saving Cancer Treatment in Africa”. The event, moderated by VCDNP Senior Fellow Ingrid Kirsten, featured leading experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), academia, and the private healthcare industry who shared their perspectives on the growing cancer crisis in Africa. Highlighting both challenges and progress, the panel examined ways to expand access to cancer diagnosis using nuclear medicine imaging and treatment through radiotherapy applications. Watch the discussion.
• The VCDNP hosted its 29^th intensive short course on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament issues from March 10 to 14, 2025, providing training to 20 diplomats, officials and other practitioners from 20 countries. Of the participants, 75 percent were women and 50 percent hailed from developing countries. Throughout the week-long program, participants engaged in an intensive series of lectures, panel discussions, and on-site visits on a diverse array of nuclear-related topics. Find out about the course.

Individual Member Updates

• Bahram Ghiassee was interviewed by The Telegraph on the viability of an independent nuclear deterrent force for Europe. Excerpts from the interview were subsequently featured in The Telegraph article “EU needs ‘1,000 more’ nuclear missiles to deter Putin.” Read the article.
• Basim Almayyahi conducted a comprehensive lecture titled “Nuclear Safety and Security” for PhD students, focusing on the following core topics:
  • Physical protection of nuclear materials and facilities
  • Fundamentals of nuclear law and regulatory frameworks
  • Security threats and malicious acts involving radioactive materials
  • Case studies including Chornobyl and orphan source management
  • International cooperation in response to nuclear security incidents

The session was designed to build capacity among early-career researchers and professionals, enhancing awareness and preparedness in line with international nuclear security guidelines. Those interested in following up for additional information or material are welcome to contact Mr. Almayyahi.

• Professor Mostafa Kofi and the INMM-Africa Chapter share:
  • The INMM-AFRICA Chapter was launched on February 27, 2025, and international and African institutions and agencies attended it.
  • Career Paths in Nuclear Africa: On September 17, 2024, the young African generation attended and listened to inputs from African and international experts on nuclear career opportunities.
  • On March 27, 2025, INMM-Africa hosted Empowering African Women in Nuclear Careers, which was attended by young women, and lectures were from top women leaders in nuclear internationally.

Those interested in any materials from the above events should contact Professor Kofi or INSF Coordinator, Braden Holt.

• Artem Lazarev from the CBRN Terrorism Prevention Programme of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shared that:
  • On March 27, UNODC hosted the sixth event of its webinar series on the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT), which is part of a project funded by the European Union. The event featured Mr. Bakhtiyor Barotov, Deputy Director, CBRN Safety and Security Agency of Tajikistan, National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan. He spoke on the national experience of Tajikistan with adhering to and implementing ICSANT, to which the country is party since 2022. Find out more.

Opportunities

• MELE Associates is hiring a Nuclear Security Expert to assist with crisis management, informing public health and safety, and providing data to support attribution in the event of a nuclear or radiological incident. They will plan, coordinate, and manage operations with the Crisis Management team, DOE Watch Officers & NNSA Emergency Response Officers, DOE laboratories, and the interagency partners, among other responsibilities. Read more.
• PotomacWave is looking for a Nuclear Intelligence Analyst to join their team supporting a Federal client in Washington, DC. The primary duty of the position involves producing and disseminating written technical intelligence products, providing customized briefings and assessments to senior policymakers, and interfacing with other members of the Intelligence Community and National Laboratories. Read more.
• PGS is seeking applicants for their Research Internship. The intern will primarily focus on researching nuclear security, nuclear energy, and transnational governance issues. Current research projects that interns will support include: exploring the nexus of climate change, nuclear power growth and global security; understanding the growth of nuclear energy in the Middle East and East Asia; tracking the evolution of nuclear security policies and governance structures; using existing voluntary frameworks as a model for nuclear security governance structures; and examining cybersecurity and other potential threats prompted by new technology developments. Read more. 
• Mission Support and Test Services (MSTS) is seeking a Senior Counterintelligence (CI) Officer (CIO) with experience in the conduct of CI investigations and the production of intelligence information.  The position will be in North Las Vegas, Nevada.  The primary purpose of this position is to serve as a CIO/Reports Officer for Department of Energy (DOE) CI at the DOE’s Nevada Field Office and reporting to the Senior CIO, Las Vegas Field Office (LVFO).  This Senior Safeguards & Security Specialist will be a part of the CI Team responsible for managing and implementing the CI Program that encompasses all contractor, sub-contractor and federal facilities associated with the NNSS. Read more.
• The David Rockefeller Studies Program at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is seeking to hire a Stanton Nuclear Security Senior Fellow. The fellow will be expected to conduct original research on nuclear security policy, which includes nuclear terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and nuclear weapons, and as it relates to nuclear security, nuclear energy. This is an extraordinary opportunity for an individual looking to shape new thinking and creative policy solutions on the spread of nuclear weapons to unstable and hostile states, the collapse of arms control and risk of conflict between nuclear-armed nations, the importance of nuclear weapons in great power competition, and the impact of new technologies such as AI and quantum on the nuclear balance. Read more.
• IB3 Global Solutions is seeking talented nuclear security/nonproliferation professionals, especially around the DC area, to support various programs under some of the national labs. Specific positions are not posted but those interested should apply to IB3’s general application. Read more.
• The Laboratory of Applied Nuclear Physics (LANPh) is announcing two openings at the level of a postdoc and/or research scientist. The selected scientists will have the chance to work on groundbreaking research in nuclear physics applied to problems in nuclear security, such as arms control, cargo security, and nuclear detection. The principal duties include contributing to existing projects at LANPh in leading/co-leading roles’ guiding graduate and undergraduate students in their research, designing experiments and new engineering concepts, and co-authoring papers and proposals. Read more.