Nonproliferation and National Security Program

Technical Nonproliferation Policy Support (TNPS)

Nonproliferation Engagement and Training (NET)

Scientist Engagement & Redirection

Reducing the risk of proliferant programs recruiting former WMD scientists, engineers, and technicians by engaging them in peaceful research, development, and commercial activities.

Argonne is one of eight DOE National Laboratories that support the Global Initiatives in Proliferation Prevention (GIPP) in the Office of Nuclear Controls (NA-242). In GIPP, national lab scientists serve as technical monitors for projects which link scientists, engineers and technicians formerly involved in weapons of mass destruction (WMD) related activities to peaceful research and development which has a high probability of being commercialized. This nonproliferation program endeavors to create long-term, nonmilitary employment opportunities for former weapons researchers by developing high-technology spin-offs from these skilled scientists’ capabilities. Since program inception in 1994, GIPP has engaged more than 17,000 scientists (> 60% having direct experience working with WMD) at over 180 facilities in the Newly Independent States (NIS) of the Former Soviet Union, Libya, and Iraq. These programs have been in partnership with more than 160 U.S. companies.

A national lab partner since GIPP inception, Argonne has managed over 60 projects in the Newly Independent States (NIS) of the Former Soviet Union. At any one time, there are usually six projects at various stages. Each project links an Argonne scientist (the technical monitor) with a US commercial partner and a research team from the NIS. Argonne scientists and the commercial partners monitor the technical components of the research program, but non-profit organizations (International Science and Technology Center and Science and Technology Center in Ukraine) are subcontracted by DOE to process the payments to NIS scientists and work on the ground with foreign research institutions. While scientists from all Argonne research divisions have served as technical monitors, NPNS plays a key role as both technical monitor, and a liaison between NA-242 program staff, researchers, and commercial partners engaged on projects managed by Argonne .

Examples of projects managed by Argonne include: