This presentation will submit some general observations and concerns by the author regarding nuclear engineering and radiological safety in the DOE Weapons Complex, and discuss the implications of these on our profession and its future. These discussions will center on three main areas: (1) understanding why we do what we do, the importance of the technical and historical bases of our practices; (2) simulation versus reality, the roles of computer modeling in design and operations; and (3) the search for "success stories", the importance of gathering, sharing, and applying the experiences of others.

While these three areas seem intuitively obvious, it is the author's contention that all are too often forgotten or unheeded in normal everyday activities. It can also be seen that these areas often feed into the perceptions that others have of our professions. While the concerns of this presentation are serious, it is intended to provoke thought and discussion rather than admonish.

About the Author:

Douglas M. Minnema, Ph.D., CHP, is a radiological scientist and nuclear engineer with the Office of Technical Support in the Office of Defense Programs, U.S. Department of Energy. Dr. Minnema joined DOE in November, 1995, and is currently the Radiological Control Program Advisor to Defense Programs. He holds a B.S.E. and M.S.E. in Nuclear Engineering, and a M.S. in Environmental Health Science (Radiological Health), all from the University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of New Mexico. He was certified in health physics by the American Board of Health Physics in 1984. Dr. Minnema has 20 years of experience within the DOE Weapons Complex, working at Sandia National Laboratories for over 16 years with his time divided roughly equally between health physics and research reactor operations, and the past four years as a DOE employee. He has been a qualified health physicist at the Sandia reactor and hot cell facilities, a certified reactor operator of the SPR II, SPR III, and Critical Assembly reactors, and has performed accident analyses and criticality safety evaluations in support of Sandia's nuclear material operations and experiments. He has also been involved in a variety of environmental and field test operations. For almost three years, Dr. Minnema was assigned by Sandia to DOE/DP Headquarters assisting with radiological operations issues, primarily concerning the Occupational Radiation Protection Rule, 10 CFR 835, and the DOE Radiological Control Manual. In his current position, he is the focal point within Defense Programs for occupational and environmental radiation protection, and radioactive waste management. He also provides technical support in a variety of areas, including Operational Readiness Reviews, Integrated Safety Management verifications, program assessments, Safety Analysis Report reviews, and NEPA compliance activities such as environmental impact statements and the supplement analyses.