Over 20 professionals from Women in Nuclear Central Asia Network (WINCA) and the Black Sea Women in Nuclear Network (BSWN). Program participants represented government bodies, training and research facilities, academia, industry, and civil society. WINCA was established in partnership with the DOE/NNSA Nuclear Security Women Initiative (NSW) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The technical exchange took place on April 1-12 in the form of two modules: the Washington, DC module and the New Mexico module (Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories). The program’s objectives were twofold: to introduce the BSWN and WINCA networks to a wide range of stakeholders within the U.S. policy and nuclear security science and research communities, and to engage in dialogue and professional exchanges with U.S. peers on recent developments in these fields. The visit was supported and co-hosted by DOE/NNSA, LANL, and Sandia.
Washington, DC Module
The Washington, DC module, co-hosted by CNS and LANL DC offices, started with a welcoming address by Ian Stewart, Executive Director of the CNS DC office. BSWN and WINCA leaders, Nataliia Klos and Zarina Sayfieva, provided progress updates from their networks and discussed the networks’ activities. The first day’s program also featured a special guest – Unica Viramontes, Associate Director for Defense Protection Programs at LANL. Viramontes, who joined the group virtually, shared her career path as a Hispanic woman from her entry-level position to a top leadership role in the U.S. leading national laboratory. The program also included two substantive panels: Nuclear Energy Developments in Central Asia and Nuclear Security Challenges. The panel moderated by Togzhan Kassenova featured regional experts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan (Dauren Aben, Togzhan Seyfullina, Dinara Ashimova, and Marina Li). The panel addressed Central Asian countries’ nuclear energy aspirations and developments, including a NPP construction in Uzbekistan, plans to start NPP construction in Kazakhstan, and adding nuclear energy to Kyrgyzstan’s national energy program. The experts described the benefits and challenges associated with nuclear energy development in the region, especially in the current geopolitical situation. CNS experts Miles Pomper and Margarita Kalinina-Pohl led a discussion on the topic “Nuclear Security Challenges: Global and Regional Perspectives,” which addressed common problems that both regions face, including Soviet nuclear legacies, orphan radioactive sources, and threats to nuclear security emanating from military conflicts and contested territories. The visit continued with meetings with Washington DC-based nongovernmental and professional organizations, including the Stimson Center, Women in International Security (WIIS), Nuclear Threat Initiative, CRDF Global, and U.S. Women in Nuclear (U.S WIN).
The organizers devoted a full day to meetings with various DOE/NNSA offices, including the Office of International Nuclear Security (INS) that sponsors both networks. WINCA representatives followed suit with presentations about their countries and organizations’ activities, focusing on advancing women in nuclear security and related fields. These included Zumrat Gaibullaeva’s (Tajikistan) summary of the Central Asian regional conference for women in science and technology, and Nurgul Kurmangalieva’s overview of the Kazakh National Nuclear Center.
The last day of the Washington, DC module included a session where BSWN leadership shared their best practices in running and sustaining the network. These practices include impactful activities, such as the NucTalk series, the mentorship program, an active WhatsApp group, network promotion on social media, and professional opportunities for their members, such as speaking engagements and participation in conferences. The module concluded with a program at the U.S. Department of State. Participants discussed the importance of regional initiatives for women in the nuclear field. The visit also included a tour of the National and Nuclear Risk Reduction Center (NNRRC), which acts as a 24/7 hotline between the U.S. and other countries by exchanging messages on nuclear and conventional weapons, giving notice of ballistic missile launches, overseeing the destruction of chemical weapons, and addressing international cyber incidents
New Mexico Module
After Washington, DC the group headed to two cities in New Mexico: Santa Fe and Albuquerque. The New Mexico module, organized by LANL and Sandia, included visits and exchanges at their sites, tours of museums, and other facilities associated with these laboratories. This module strove to introduce both networks to the labs’ technical and policy experts and share best practices in workforce development in these two prominent U.S. national laboratories. The LANL program opened with welcoming remarks by Mark Chadwick, LANL Acting Deputy Director for Science, Technology, and Engineering, and Michael Baker, LANL Global Security Chief Operating Officer. Nina Rosenberg, LANL Program Director for Nuclear Security and Nonproliferation, provided an overview of the LANL programs focusing on nuclear security. Other project managers and leads shared their work and activities in nuclear security and nuclear material control and accounting, including live demonstrations and presentations on unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and counter-UAS measures. Technical components also included a tour of the nuclear material nondestructive assay laboratories, Manhattan Historical Park Tour, and a visit to the Bradbury Science Museum.
After the visit to LANL, Sandia National Laboratory welcomed the group. For two days, its experts presented, demonstrated, and discussed a wide range of issues with the BSWN-WINCA group. Other program activities included a tour of the Air Force Base and Kirtland Air Force Base (KAFB), as well as the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History. The New Mexico module successfully combined briefings and conversations on topics from cutting-edge science and technologies applied to nuclear security and nonproliferation, to best practices in outreach to STEM communities and incorporating them in security culture, to the U.S. nuclear history. WINCA participants had a unique experience in meeting with the workforce that both labs have been building and nurturing. Moreover, they had an opportunity to learn about what science holds today and what it will offer in the future, also stepping back to learn more about the history of the Manhattan Project.
Technical Exchange: Conclusions and Participants’ Testimonials
The Technical Exchange introduced experts from Central Asia to the U.S. policy and technical community and created opportunities for future cooperation. The Washington, DC module served as an introduction to various U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Department of State offices and programs addressing nuclear security and nonproliferation. Meetings with non-governmental organizations and professional associations bridged BSWN and WINCA with DC-based civil society, working along with their U.S. government counterparts on related matters.
The New Mexico Module familiarized the participants with innovative science and technologies and their applications to nuclear security, as well as best practices and employee resource initiatives. WINCA experts met with technical experts, saw demonstrations, and learned from the experiences, opportunities, and remaining challenges of women working at LANL and Sandia.
Some participants described their experience as follows:
“It was an amazing program, full of meetings with interesting people and visits to unique sites. I met many women, true professionals in their field, with extensive experience. Communication with [a] young employee inspired me to further development and improvement.”
“It was an incredibly informative and inspiring event that allowed me to meet with exceptional women from various fields and learn about the programs and initiatives they are implementing to support women, to be introduced to the fascinating history of laboratories and their current activities, and even visit their impressive facilities, which I never thought I would have the opportunity to see. The knowledge and insights gained from this technical visit will undoubtedly significantly impact the development of both BSWN-WINCA and my professional career.”
