Idaho State University Professor Harris to address United Nations committee Nov. 17 on nuclear security

Idaho State University Associate Professor of Health Physics Jason Harris will address the United Nations 1540 Committee at U.N. headquarters in New York City on the topic of nuclear security on Nov. 17.

The 1540 Committee is under the U.N.’s Security Council. Harris will deliver a half-hour talk devoted specifically on the activities of the International Nuclear Security Education Network (INSEN), which is a partnership between educational institutions and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Harris served as chair of the INSEN 2012-14. He stepped down in August, but is still active with the INSEN.

“INSEN has been very productive in developing reports, textbooks and educational materials in a wide range of nuclear security topics that are being used throughout the world,” said Harris, who is also associate director of the Center for Advanced Energy Studies in Idaho Falls.

“We’ve done a lot in a short period of time,” he continued, “and that has gotten the attention of various other groups to see how we’ve been able to do this, and, more importantly, how we were able to work together because we’ve working with people from all over the world from different cultures with different ideas about nuclear security.”

The U.N.’s 1540 is a law-binding resolution requiring states or countries to make every effort possible to prevent and reduce proliferation of nuclear materials, Harris said. One way for countries to meet their non-proliferation goals is through education and the adoption of standards and protocols, goals that the INSEN has been devoted to.

“Originally, INSEN was created to help the IAEA partner with educational institutions to develop a workforce, build infrastructure and create nuclear security educational materials,” Harris said, “but INSEN’s role has expanded to getting involved with training and helping countries and states work together with various educational institutions.”

For more information on U.N. Resolution 1540 and its committee activities visit http://www.un.org/en/sc/1540/.