General Events

International Nuclear Safeguards & the Role of a U.S. National Laboratory

Abstract:

In this presentation, Joshua Rutkowski — manager of the International Safeguards and Engagements Department at Sandia National Laboratories — provides a look at international nuclear safeguards and the role a U.S. national laboratory plays in supporting them. Drawing on his background in the field, Rutkowski begins with an overview of Sandia National Laboratories, a federally funded research and development center with roots in the Manhattan Project, before turning to the foundations of the international safeguards system: the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and how safeguards agreements have evolved in response to real-world events such as the discovery of Iraq's undeclared nuclear activities in the 1990s. He then highlights Sandia National Laboratories contributions to the global nonproliferation regime - from developing tamper-indicating seals, geological repository monitoring systems, and data analytics tools powered by machine learning, to assisting with U.S. treaty compliance obligations and training safeguards practitioners around the world.

Bio:

Joshua Rutkowski is the Manager for the International Safeguards and Engagements Department (06817). The department provides technical solutions to support nuclear non-proliferation through research and development in international safeguards, multilateral export control, and nuclear security. As manager, Joshua oversees support to U.S. government sponsors by researching technologies, building capabilities, and providing analysis techniques for the international nuclear non-proliferation regime's mission of ensuring that nuclear activities are used for peaceful purposes.

Joshua has a background in applying geographic information and remote sensing technologies in the nonproliferation and humanitarian fields. For over a decade, Joshua worked in Europe on international nuclear safeguards topics – first at the International Atomic Energy Agency as a safeguards information analyst with a focus on remote sensing and geospatial information and then at the Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany. 

Joshua holds a B.S. in Earth Science from Eastern Michigan University and a Master of Arts in Geography from West Virginia University, focusing on remote sensing. He is actively involved in professional affiliations, serving as the Editorial Committee Chair for the European Safeguards Research and Development Association (ESARDA) and as a member of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM). Joshua is committed to community involvement, contributing to local non-profit organizations and engaging in educational initiatives related to nuclear non-proliferation.