{"id":34995,"date":"2025-11-21T14:43:21","date_gmt":"2025-11-21T19:43:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=34995"},"modified":"2025-11-21T14:43:22","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T19:43:22","slug":"ucf-researchers-lead-critical-work-in-national-nuclear-forensics-consortium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/ucf-researchers-lead-critical-work-in-national-nuclear-forensics-consortium\/","title":{"rendered":"UCF Researchers Lead Critical Work in National Nuclear Forensics Consortium"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As one of the selected universities for the NNSA-funded Consortium for Nuclear Forensics, UCF is advancing cutting-edge research while building pathways for future security and nonproliferation experts. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By: Emily Dougherty |\u00a0November 21,\u00a02025\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Researchers in the College of Sciences are playing a pivotal role in strengthening the nation\u2019s nuclear security through their leadership in the Consortium for Nuclear Forensics (CNF). CNF brings together 16 universities and seven national laboratories to further develop nuclear forensics research, create cutting-edge technology, and prepare the next generation of experts in this critical field, as part of a competitive, multi-million-dollar award sponsored by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

UCF recently hosted the annual CNF workshop, which included a special welcome reception, at its main campus. The workshop welcomed representatives and researchers from all 16 universities, as well as those working on nuclear forensics in the federal government.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"People
Students’\u00a0poster\u00a0presentations\u00a0during the workshop.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Vasileios Anagnostopoulos, associate professor in UCF\u2019s Department of Chemistry and CNF Deputy Lead for Ultra-Sensitive Measurements of Nuclear Materials Thrust Area, says his work aims to detect material signatures that reveal the provenance of nuclear materials \u2014 information essential to identifying materials originating from illicit or non-safeguarded processes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cParticipation in the CNF is critical to the United States’ national security,\u201d Anagnostopoulos says. \u201cThe Consortium advances novel nuclear forensics techniques while helping reverse the decline in experts in the field by establishing a strong training pipeline.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deborah Penchoff, assistant professor of chemistry, who also serves as Lead of the High Performance Computing and Data Science Cross-Cutting thrust, says her team focuses on enabling High Performance Computing (HPC) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) research in support of the CNF\u2019s five technical areas, developing and hosting HPC and AI workshops, and leading a national task force to establish best practices and standards for applying high-performance computing and AI in nuclear forensics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anagnostopoulos says UCF\u2019s involvement extends across multiple leadership roles within the CNF, including leads across-cutting areas, reinforcing UCF\u2019s position as a national leader in a critical research field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUCF taking technical leadership in the Consortium for Nuclear Forensics aligns with both the university’s commitment to advancing\u00a0cutting-edge\u00a0research and the national mission to ensure security and counteract nuclear threats. Our work directly contributes to the nation’s security in a rapidly evolving global environment,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0says.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Two
A student\u00a0discussing his work with an event guest.<\/em>\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Beyond research innovation, the CNF creates opportunities for Knights to participate in real-world national security research, secure competitive internships at national labs, and build pathways into federal careers in nuclear forensics, national security, and nonproliferation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing one of the participating universities in this highly competitive consortium elevates UCF’s reputation as a top-tier research institution and strengthens long-term partnerships with national laboratories,\u201d Anagnostopoulos says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through this work, UCF continues to advance scientific capability while preparing the workforce essential to protecting the nation\u2019s security today and in the future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As one of the selected universities for the NNSA-funded Consortium for Nuclear Forensics, UCF is advancing cutting-edge research while building pathways for future security and nonproliferation experts.  By: Emily Dougherty |\u00a0November 21,\u00a02025\u00a0 Researchers in the College of Sciences are playing a pivotal role in strengthening the nation\u2019s nuclear security through their leadership in the Consortium for Nuclear Forensics (CNF). CNF brings […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":260,"featured_media":34999,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[35,38,6,7,28],"tags":[629,6528,736,1208,6529,5971,6530],"class_list":["post-34995","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chemistry-departments","category-breaking-news","category-events","category-forensic-science","category-top-news","tag-chemistry","tag-cnf","tag-college-of-sciences","tag-event","tag-nuclear-forensics","tag-security","tag-workshop"],"yoast_head":"\nUCF Researchers Lead Critical Work in National Nuclear Forensics Consortium - College of Sciences News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/ucf-researchers-lead-critical-work-in-national-nuclear-forensics-consortium\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UCF Researchers Lead Critical Work in National Nuclear Forensics Consortium - College of Sciences News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As one of the selected universities for the NNSA-funded Consortium for Nuclear Forensics, UCF is advancing cutting-edge research while building pathways for future security and nonproliferation experts.  By: Emily Dougherty |\u00a0November 21,\u00a02025\u00a0 Researchers in the College of Sciences are playing a pivotal role in strengthening the nation\u2019s nuclear security through their leadership in the Consortium for Nuclear Forensics (CNF). 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