Scott Kiff
Scott is a nuclear engineer with degrees from the University of Michigan (Ph.D., 2007) and Purdue University (B.S. and M.S., 2001). He has worked in the Radiation and Nuclear Detection Systems department at Sandia National Laboratories (Livermore) for more than 5 years. In this time he has worked on many neutron detection projects, including arms control and nuclear safeguards efforts. His current technical interests include neutron spectroscopy and neutron multiplicity/multiplication signatures.
Possible Projects:
- Neutron spectroscopy: In a recent project at SNL neutron spectroscopy was used as a method to determine uranium enrichment, taking advantage of differences in the energy spectra of fission neutrons and neutrons generated via alpha interactions. I am interested in exploring the limits of neutron spectroscopy for determining material compositions in the field, which could have impact in safeguards, arms control, or emergency response applications.
- Subcritical neutron multiplication: I have recently become interested in studying how small but potentially important changes in material configurations produce changes in neutron multiplication that can be exploited when assaying an object.