2020 MTV Student Virtual Research Symposium

The MTV Student Virtual Research Symposium will be hosted by the University of Michigan over three days from June 9, 11, and 15, 2020 (US Eastern Time). 

Click on the dates below to watch student presentation recordings.

Agenda at a Glance

June 9 Presentations

Session Chair: Dr. Shaun Clarke, University of Michigan
12:55 – 1:00 pm (ET), “Welcome and Logistics”, Shaun Clarke, Ph.D., MTV Associate Director, University of Michigan
1:00 – 1:20 pm (ET), “Consortium for Monitoring, Technology, and Verification”, Prof. Sara Pozzi, MTV Director, University of Michigan
1:20 – 1:40 pm (ET), “Neutrino induced nuclear fission”, Tyler Johnson, Duke University
1:40 – 2:00 pm (ET), “An Overview of Neutrino Directional Detection”, Connor Awe, Duke University
2:00 – 2:20 pm (ET), “Proton light yield of water-based liquid scintillator”, Edward Callaghan, University of California, Berkeley
2:20 – 2:40 pm (ET), “SANDD: A directional antineutrino detector with segmented 6Li-doped pulse-shape-sensitive plastic scintillator”, Felicia Sutanto, University of Michigan
2:40 – 3:00 pm (ET), “Development of 16N and 17N Sources for Calibration of a Large Gd-Doped Water Cherenkov Detector”, Kristofer Ogren, University of Michigan
3:00 – 3:15 pm (ET), BREAK

Session Chair: Prof. Igor Jovanovic, University of Michigan
3:15 – 3:35 pm (ET), “Evaluation of recoil rates in a CEvNS-based detector for reactor antineutrino monitoring “, David Trimas, University of Michigan
3:35 – 3:55 pm (ET), “NuLat: A New Compact Anti-Neutrino Detector”, Jack Borusinski, University of Hawaii
3:55 – 4:15 pm (ET), “Event-by-Event Correlations of Total Photon Energy and Neutron Multiplicity in Spontaneous Fission of 252Cf(sf)”, Leah Clark, University of Michigan
4:15 – 4:35 pm (ET), “Gamma-Ray Emission Correlations Following Spontaneous Fission”, Stefano Marin, University of Michigan
4:35 – 4:55 pm (ET), “Characterization of FS-3: a detection system for neutron-photon correlations in fission”, Isabel Hernandez, University of Michigan
4:55 – 5:15 pm (ET), “Simulated and Experimental Energy-Multiplicity Correlations in Neutrons from the Spontaneous Fission of Cf-252”, Eoin Sansevero, University of Michigan
5:15 – 5:35 pm (ET), “Modelling System Response for Neutron Spectroscopic Correlations”, Stephan Okar, University of Michigan
5:35 – 6:00 pm (ET), BREAK
6:00 – 7:00 pm (ET), Happy Hour: Research in the COVID-19 era.
Co-hosted by Sara Pozzi, Univ. of Michigan, and Meghan McGarry, LLNL

June 11 Presentations

Session Chair: Prof. David Wehe, University of Michigan
1:00 – 1:25 pm (ET), “Day 2, Welcome and Overview”, Prof. Sara Pozzi, MTV Director
1:25 – 1:45 pm (ET), “Neutron Multiplicity Distributions Using Stochastic and Deterministic Solution Methods”, Jawad Moussa, University of New Mexico
1:45 – 2:05 pm (ET), “Identifying Source Attributes of Spoofed Plutonium Samples using Isotopic Ratios”, Patrick O’Neal, Texas A&M University
2:05 – 2:25 pm (ET), “Hammer: a student-driven radiation transport solver framework”, Kyle A Beyer, University of Michigan
2:25 – 2:45 pm (ET), “Graph representation of a fuel cycle for acquisition pathway analysis”, Katie Mummah, University of Wisconsin-Madison
2:45 – 3:05 pm (ET), “Analysis of the Isotopic Composition of Uranium Enriched By AVLIS”, Henry Burns, Georgia Tech
3:05 – 3:20 pm (ET) – BREAK

Session Chair: Prof. Brian Kiedrowski, University of Michigan
3:20 – 3:40 pm (ET), “Demonstrating millisecond-duration attenuation of optical signals in the wake of femtosecond laser-driven filaments”, Patrick Skrodzki, University of Michigan
3:40 – 4:00 pm (ET), “Stress monitoring in plants via chlorophyll fluorescence and plant pigment analysis”, Lauren Finney, University of Michigan
4:00 – 4:20 pm (ET), “Quantifying Moss Response to Contaminant Exposure Using Laser-Induced Fluorescence”, Kelly Truax, University of Hawaii at Manoa
4:20 – 4:40 pm (ET), “Biosensors for Detecting Nuclear Production Activity in the Environment”, Isis Fukai, University of Tennessee
4:40 – 5:00 pm (ET), “Development of Methodologies for Nuclear Explosion Monitoring”, Emily Kwapis, University of Florida
5:00 – 5:20 pm (ET), “Analyzing legacy seismic data from nuclear explosions using modern approaches”, John Wilding, Columbia University

June 15 Presentations

Session Chair: Dr. Shaun D. Clarke, University of Michigan
1:00 – 1:05 pm (ET), “Day 3, Welcome and Overview”, Prof. Sara Pozzi, MTV Director
1:05 – 1:25 pm (ET), “Time-Encoded Dual Particle Imager (lanTErn)”, John Kuchta, University of Michigan
1:25 – 1:45 pm (ET), “Demonstrating Adaptive Imaging Concepts on Complex Source Scenes made with Special Nuclear Material”, Niral P Shah, University of Michigan
1:45 – 2:05 pm (ET), “A Palm-Sized Adaptive Neutron Scatter Camera”, Nathan Giha, University of Michigan
2:05 – 2:25 pm (ET), “Extracting Neutron Energy Spectra Using a Handheld Dual Particle Imager”, William Steinberger, University of Michigan
2:25 – 2:45 pm (ET), “Neutron Resonance Analysis of Warheads Using the Near-Threshold 7Li(p,n)7Be Reaction”, Ethan Klein, MIT
2:45 – 3:05 pm (ET), “Genetic Algorithm Optimization of Tin-Copper Graded Shielding for Improved Plutonium Safeguards Measurements”, Noah Kleedtke, University of Michigan
3:05 – 3:20 pm (ET) – BREAK

Session Chair: Prof. Zhong He, University of Michigan
3:20 – 3:40 pm (ET), “Nondestructive Assay of 237Np”, Michael Hua, University of Michigan
3:40 – 4:00 pm (ET), “Validating Organic Scintillator Rossi-alpha Measurements of Fast Metal Assemblies using Simulations”, Caiser Bravo, University of Michigan
4:00 – 4:20 pm (ET), “Stilbene Cube Characterization for a Mini Neutron Scatter Camera”, Elinor Mullin, University of Michigan
4:20 – 4:40 pm (ET), “Validation of Artificial Neural Network Systems for Neutron Detection in a Mixed Neutron-Photon Environment”, Abbas Johar Jinia, University of Michigan
4:40 – 5:00 pm (ET), “Detection of fast neutrons during photon active interrogation”, Christopher Alan Meert, University of Michigan
5:00 – 5:20 pm (ET), “Geometry effects in MCNP-PoliMi simulation of a cube-shaped, monolithic neutron scatter camera”, Taylor Harvey, University of Florida
5:20 – 6:00 pm (ET), BREAK
6:00 – 7:00 pm (ET), Happy Hour:
Room 1: Fundamentals of Nuclear and Particle Physics
Co-hosts: Adam Hecht, U. of New Mexico, and Patrick Huber, Va. Tech
Room 2: Signals and Source Terms for Nuclear Nonproliferation, host: Steven Biegalski, Georgia Tech
Room 3: Nuclear Explosion Monitoring, host: Andreas Enqvist, Univ. Florida