Simon Adu | Nuclear Security and Nonproliferation | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Simon Adu | Nuclear Security and Nonproliferation | Best Researcher Award

Texas A&M university | United States

Dr. Simon Adu is a distinguished researcher in Radiation Protection and Health Physics with over 16 years of professional experience. He holds a PhD (2016) and MPhil (2008) in Radiation Protection/Health Physics from the University of Ghana, and a BSc in Physics from the University of Cape Coast. He has held senior roles as Senior Research Scientist at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Senior Regulatory Officer heading the Department of Nuclear Security at Ghana’s Nuclear Regulatory Authority, and Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana. His work encompasses radiation safety in medical, industrial, mining and research reactor settings; calibration; regulatory inspections; nuclear security; non-proliferation; and education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. He has supervised PhD and MSc students, reviewed theses externally in several African universities, participated in numerous IAEA-coordinated research projects, and has been awarded prestigious fellowships including the Stanton Fellowship, the IAEA PhD Sandwich Award, and Argonne National Laboratory fellowship. His research interests include nuclear safety, reactor core conversion (HEU to LEU), radiation dosimetry, nuclear security and safeguards. He is also an IAEA nuclear security expert participating in missions across Africa. Dr. Adu’s contributions have significantly advanced regulatory frameworks, improved safety culture, and strengthened capacity building in radiation protection and nuclear security across the region.

Profile : Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Doudoo, C. O., Gyekye, P. K., Emi-Reynolds, G., Adu, S., Kpeglo, D. O., Tagoe, S. N. A., & others (2023). “Dose and secondary cancer-risk estimation of patients undergoing high dose rate intracavitary gynaecological brachytherapy.” Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, 54 (2), 335–342.

Hasford, F., Owusu-Banahene, J., Otoo, F., Adu, S., Sosu, E. K., Amoako, J. K., & others (2012). “Assessment of annual whole-body occupational radiation exposure in education, research and industrial sectors in Ghana (2000–09).” Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 150 (3), 350–358.

Arwui, C. C., Deatanyah, P., Wotorchi-Gordon, S., Ankaah, J., Emi-Reynolds, G., Adu, S., & others (2011). “Assessment of the effectiveness of collimation of Cs–137 panoramic beam on TLD calibration using a constructed lead block collimator and an ICRU slab phantom at SSDL in Ghana.” International Journal of Science and Technology, 1 (4), 169–173.

Ndum, Z. N., Tao, J., Liu, Y., Ford, J., Vlassov, V., Morton, N., Grissom, J., Adu, S., & others (2024). “A digital twin-based simulator for small modular and microreactors.” Proceedings of the 2024 Winter Simulation Conference (WSC), 2963–2974.

Adu, S., Horvatovic, I., D’Auria, F., Nyarko, B. B. J., Geoffrey, E. R., & Menzel, F. (2015). “Analysis of channel blockage of MNSR reactor using the system thermal-hydraulic code RELAP5/MOD3.3.” Proceedings of the 24th International Conference on Nuclear Energy for New Europe, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Birikorang, S. A., Dahunsi, S., Adu, S., Nketia, C. A., & Blay, A. (2025). “Assessing nuclear energy and radiological risks: a case study of radionuclide dispersion from potential nuclear power plant accidents in Ghana.” Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 201 (5), 333–350.

Manit Shah | Risk-informed performance-based approach | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Manit Shah | Risk-informed performance-based approach | Best Researcher Award

Oak Ridge National Laboratory | United States

Manit Shah is a nuclear engineer and research scientist specializing in radiation detection, nuclear safeguards, and advanced reactor technologies. With significant experience across leading research institutions and regulatory agencies, his career spans critical domains such as nuclear security, reactor safety, material control and accounting, and chemical security. He currently serves at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, leading multi-disciplinary teams and serving as a Principal Investigator on several U.S. Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) initiatives. Manit has contributed extensively to the development of safeguards methodologies, verification tools, and policy-relevant assessments, making impactful contributions to global nuclear security and reactor safety.

Professional Profile

ORCID

scopus

Education

Manit Shah holds a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from Texas A&M University, where his dissertation focused on the development of novel radiation detectors using integrated circuits. His work included simulation analyses with MCNP(X) and GEANT4 to optimize detector designs for a broad spectrum of radiological particles. Prior to this, he earned his M.Tech. in Nuclear Engineering from Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University, where his thesis dealt with fault detection and fault-tolerant controller design for nuclear steam generators using MATLAB. He began his academic journey with a B.E. in Electronics Engineering from the University of Mumbai, where he contributed to industrial retrofit projects that enhanced machine performance in manufacturing environments.

Experience

Currently, Manit Shah is employed as a Verification Technologies Engineer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In this capacity, he leads U.S. and international projects on nuclear safeguards, microreactor security, and advanced reactor designs. He spearheads initiatives related to nondestructive verification tools, conversion time assessments, seal verification systems, and design information evaluations for next-generation nuclear reactors. Additionally, he has held the role of Specialist at the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, where he performed safety reviews for CANDUs and small modular reactors (SMRs) and contributed to emergency response exercises and compliance verification activities.

Previously, he worked as a Research Scientist at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, focusing on reactor safety modeling and remote monitoring systems for SMRs in remote areas. As a faculty member at Virginia Commonwealth University, he delivered lectures and led workshops in nuclear security and nonproliferation, while also generating research grants in nuclear safeguards and chemical security. His early career also includes roles at Tetra Tech HEI and Texas A&M University, where he contributed to transit matching improvements under international nuclear safeguards and radiological emergency response training exercises.

Research Interests

Manit’s research interests span a wide range of topics within nuclear engineering and security. His core focus areas include reactor safety analysis, safeguards technology, radiation detection, molten salt reactor holdup assessments, and microreactor sabotage scenario modeling. He is also interested in advancing tools and strategies for physical protection systems, emergency response planning, and unattended monitoring systems for isolated or remote nuclear facilities. His innovative modeling efforts have provided valuable insights into safeguards approach development and radiological consequence assessments, using platforms like MELCOR, MAAP-CANDU, and FATE.

Awards

Over the years, Manit Shah has received multiple awards in recognition of his innovative contributions and dedication to advancing nuclear science. Notable among them is the Early Career Award presented at the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM) Annual Meeting in 2024. He also received best student paper awards from both the Education and Training and the Nonproliferation and Arms Control Divisions of INMM. Throughout his academic career, he secured multiple student travel grants from Texas A&M University and the Health Physics Society to attend leading conferences and workshops. Additionally, he received an educational grant from the J. R. D. Tata Trust earlier in his career.

Publications

Fault Tolerant Control in a Nuclear Steam Generator
  • Authors: Shah, M.D.; Detroja, K.; Parikh, N.

  • Journal/Source: SSRN

  • Year: 2025

Capacity Expansion Analysis of Small Modular Reactors

  • Authors: Shah, M.D.; Westphal, G.; Williams, W.C.; Grappone, J.M.; Signorotti, M.; Cameron-Smith, P.; Watson, J.P.

  • Journal/Source: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

  • Year: 2024

Fault Tolerant Control in a Nuclear Steam Generator (duplicate with different year)
  • Authors: Shah, M.D.; Detroja, K.; Parikh, N.

  • Journal/Source: SSRN

  • Year: 2024

Assessment of Filtered Containment Venting Strategies for Mitigating Severe Accident Consequences at a Generic Single-Unit CANDU
  • Authors: Shah, M.D.; Morreale, A.C.; Lebel, L.S.

  • Journal/Source: Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science

  • Year: 2023

Sensitivity Analysis of Severe Accident Calculations for the Estimation of CANDU-Specific OILs
  • Authors: Morreale, A.C.; Shah, M.D.; Lebel, L.S.; Brown, M.J.

  • Journal/Source: Annals of Nuclear Energy

  • Year: 2023

Conclusion

Manit Shah is a dedicated nuclear engineer whose multidisciplinary expertise bridges the gap between technical innovation and policy implementation in the nuclear sector. With a strong academic foundation, practical regulatory experience, and a passion for teaching and mentorship, he continues to play a critical role in shaping the future of nuclear safety, safeguards, and security. His work has influenced domestic and international approaches to advanced nuclear reactor deployment, material control strategies, and emergency preparedness. As both a leader and contributor in key technical and policy-driven projects, he exemplifies the qualities of a forward-thinking researcher committed to global nuclear nonproliferation and safety.