The Board applies a wide range of expertise in science and engineering in carrying out its mission of safety oversight of the Department of Energy’s defense nuclear facilities. The Board has assembled a staff with education and experience in fields important to the design, construction, operation, and eventual decommissioning of defense nuclear facilities. The areas of expertise most important to the Board’s work, and the particular focus within each area, are summarized below:
Engineering
 | Chemical Engineers - Ensure safety of nuclear chemical separations processing and the storage and treatment of radiological waste. Chemical engineers apply knowledge about high explosives and detonation theory. |
 | Civil Engineers - Ensure safety of designs for defense nuclear facilities by analyzing structural adequacy of new and aging facilities, systems, and components. Civil engineers also review soil-structural interactions and seismic designs. |
 | Electrical Engineers - Ensure safety and reliability of power distribution, instrumentation and control systems, and software interfacing with safety systems. Electrical engineers also apply their knowledge to evaluate electrostatic discharge hazards. |
 | Fire Protection Engineers - Ensure effective implementation of fire protection programs, proper maintenance of fire protection systems and components, and diligent computer modelling of fire scenarios. Fire protection engineers cover the full range of simulation and field implementation. |
 | Mechanical Engineers - Ensure the safety and reliability of safety-related systems and components. Mechanical engineers also apply expertise in degradation mechanics, piping and ventilation systems, and non-destructive inspection methods. |
 | Nuclear Engineers - Ensure safety of nuclear chemical processes, stable storage and treatment of nuclear waste, and prevention of nuclear criticality accidents. Nuclear engineers also review the safety impacts of radiolysis. |
Science
 | Chemists - Ensure the safety of nuclear facilities and processes by analyzing radiochemistry, nuclear chemical separations, and explosives formulation. Chemists review a full suite of activities ranging from weapon production to waste treatment. |
 | Health Physicists - Ensure adequacy of radiation protections programs. Health physicists review radiological dose monitoring programs, worker notice and education of facility hazards, and prosper use of personal protective equipment. |
Last Updated: March 28, 2025