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Peer Review and Design Competition in the NNSA National Security Laboratories (2015)

Chapter: Appendix B: Information-Gathering Meetings of the Committee

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Page 61 Cite
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Information-Gathering Meetings of the Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Peer Review and Design Competition in the NNSA National Security Laboratories. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21806.
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B


Information-Gathering Meetings of the Committee

MEETING 1
JUNE 10-11, 2014
NATIONAL ACADEMIES’ KECK CENTER, WASHINGTON, D.C.

June 10, 2014

CLOSED SESSION

8:30 - 9:30 am

Closed Committee Discussions

OPEN SESSION

9:30

Break

9:45

Discussion with NNSA Senior Staff
 

Dimitri Kusnezov, Kathleen Alexander, Robert Hanrahan, and Kevin Greenaugh

  • NNSA expectations from the study
  • Discussion of the statement of task, including the final item: “such other matters related to peer review and design competition related to nuclear weapons as the NNSA Administrator considers appropriate”
Page 62 Cite
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Information-Gathering Meetings of the Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Peer Review and Design Competition in the NNSA National Security Laboratories. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21806.
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  • High-level view of peer review and design competition at the laboratories

11:15

Discussion of study charge with congressional staff members

Drew Walter, Strategic Forces Subcommittee, House Armed Services Committee

  • Clarify charge
  • Discuss desired outcomes from the study

12:15 pm

Working Lunch

1:00

Reflections on Peer Review and Design Competition: History, Current Practices, and Future Opportunities

Speakers    Gary Sanders, Sandia National Laboratories
Michael Dunning, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Michael Bernardin, Los Alamos National Laboratory

3:00

Break

3:15

Open Discussion about What Information to Request and What Questions to Discuss During Site Visits to the Three NNSA Laboratories

4:15

Discussion of Peer Review in Other Settings for Specialized R&D

John Lyons, former director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and of the Army Research Laboratory (ARL); chair of the NRC’s Laboratory Assessments Board
5:15 Adjourn

CLOSED SESSION

6:00 - 8:00

 
Page 63 Cite
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Information-Gathering Meetings of the Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Peer Review and Design Competition in the NNSA National Security Laboratories. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21806.
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June 11, 2014

CLOSED SESSION

8:30 am - 2:00 pm

Closed Committee Discussions

MEETING 2
SEPTEMBER 23-25, 2014
SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORIES, ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.,
AND LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY,
LOS ALAMOS, N.M.

September 23, 2014, at SNL

DATA-GATHERING SESSION: NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

8:00 am

Introductions and Logistics

Ron Hartwig

8:15

Welcome by Executive Management

Paul Hommert

8:30

Overview of Peer Review and Cost Competitiveness at Sandia

Gary Sanders
 
  • Motivation for Peer Review
  • Requirements and Principles for Sandia Peer Review
  • Evolution of Sandia Peer Review Process
  • Framework for Our Technical Basis and Reviews
  • Cost Competitiveness Approaches and Examples
  • Introduction to Case Studies

9:45

Break

10:00

Requirements Review Case Studies
 
  • Unique Signals Technical Basis Peer Review
  • B61 Spin Rocket Motor Igniter Peer Review
  • W76-1 Inter-Lab Peer Review

Jeff Brewer
Steve Harris
Brent Blankenship

11:00

Design Review Case Studies
 
  • W88 ALT 370 Peer Review

Celeste Drewien
Page 64 Cite
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Information-Gathering Meetings of the Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Peer Review and Design Competition in the NNSA National Security Laboratories. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21806.
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  • Explosive Component Peer Reviews

Everett Hafenrichter

11:50

Working Lunch—Discussion Continues

12:35 pm

 Qualification Review Case Studies
 
  • Cougar ASIC Peer Review
  • Qualification Alternatives to Sandia Pulse Reactor
  • Radar Peer Reviews
  • B61-12 Peer Review

Perry Molley
Charles Barbour
John Moser
Curt Nilsen

2:00

Manufacturing Review Case Studies
 
  • W87 Neutron Generator Peer Reviews
  • Packaging Advisory Board

Carla Busick
Mike Kelly

2:45

Break

  

3:00

Life Cycle Independent Assessment Processes

J.F. Nagel
 
  • Org 400 Independent Assessment
  • Red Team Process

4:00

Sandia Summary

Gary Sanders

4:15

Wrap-up/Concluding Discussion

5:00

Adjourn

September 24, 2014, at LANL

DATA-GATHERING SESSION: NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

8:00 am

Welcome, Security Review

8:10

Overview Remarks of NAS Co-Chairs

Jill Dahlburg, Paul Peercy

8:15

Overview of Peer Review and Design Competition

Robert Webster
Page 65 Cite
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Information-Gathering Meetings of the Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Peer Review and Design Competition in the NNSA National Security Laboratories. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21806.
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8:30

Design Competition and Stockpile Assessments
 
  • Nuclear Testing Era (50 minutes)
  • Post Nuclear Testing Era (40 minutes)

Michael Bernardin
John Scott

10:00

Break

10:15

Pit Certification and Peer Review

Maurice Sheppard

11:00

SFIs—Connections to Design and Peer Review

Patrick Garcia

11:45

Discussion

  

12:15 pm

Working Lunch—Discussion Continues

1:15

Competition of Ideas and Role of Peer Review in Weapon Science

Mark Chadwick

2:00

Competition of Ideas and Role of Peer Review in Weapon Code Development

Mathew Bement

2:45

Break

3:00

HPRF Design Competition
 
  • RRW Peer Review
  • Weapon System Margin
  • Second 120-Day Study

Jas Mercer-Smith

4:00

Future Design and Certification Challenges

Charles Nakhleh

4:30

Discussion

  

5:15

Adjourn to Working Dinner

  

5:45 - 8:30

Working Dinner to Continue Discussions with Senior LANL Staff Members

END OF DATA-GATHERING SESSION: NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Page 66 Cite
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Information-Gathering Meetings of the Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Peer Review and Design Competition in the NNSA National Security Laboratories. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21806.
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September 25, 2014, at LANL

CLOSED COMMITTEE MEETING: MEMBERS AND NRC STAFF ONLY

8:00 am

Discussions and Development of Draft Materials

2:00 pm

Adjourn

MEETING 3
NOVEMBER 14-15, 2014
LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY,
LIVERMORE, CALIF.

November 14, 2014

DATA-GATHERING SESSION: NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

8:00 am

Welcome, Security and Safety Comments

Michael Dunning

8:05

Introductory Remarks by NAS, Introductions

Dahlburg, Peercy

8:20

Welcome by LLNL Senior Management

Charles Verdon

8:45

Peer Review and Competition in the Russian Laboratories

Siegfried Hecker

9:30

Historic Process-Motivated Peer Review and Design Competition

  • Dual Revalidation

Joseph Bauer

10:00

Break

  

10:15

Historic Process-Motivated Peer Review and Design Competition (cont.)

  • W87 Life-Extension Program

K. Henry O’Brien

11:15

Ongoing Process-Motivated Peer Review

  • Annual Assessment Review of the Stockpile
  • Intelligence Assessments

Susan Taylor
Nils Carlson
Page 67 Cite
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Information-Gathering Meetings of the Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Peer Review and Design Competition in the NNSA National Security Laboratories. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21806.
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12:15 pm

Working Lunch

1:15

Issue-Motivated Peer Review

  • Cushion
  • W88
  • Pit Lifetimes/Plutonium Aging

Cynthia Nitta
Peter Raboin
Patrick Allen

2:45

Break

3:00

Science-Motivated Peer Review

  • National Ignition Facility/National Ignition Campaign
  • Predictive Science Panel
  • High-Z Experiments

Michael J. Edwards
Michael Zika
Arthanasios Arsenlis

4:30

Future Design and Certification Challenges

Des Pilkington

5:00

Plenary Discussion

5:30

Transfer to Dinner

6:15 - 8:30

Working Dinner to Continue Discussions with Senior LLNL Staff Members

END OF DATA-GATHERING SESSION: NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

November 15, 2014

CLOSED COMMITTEE MEETING: MEMBERS AND NRC STAFF ONLY

8:00 am

Discussions and Development of Draft Materials

2:00 pm

Adjourn

SMALL-GROUP MEETING TO OBTAIN BRITISH INPUT
JANUARY 21, 2015
NATIONAL ACADEMIES’ KECK CENTER, WASHINGTON, D.C.

6:00 pm

Introductions and General Discussion

6:30

Overview of Peer Review in the Atomic Weapons Establishment

Graeme Nicholson, A.W.E.
Page 68 Cite
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Information-Gathering Meetings of the Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Peer Review and Design Competition in the NNSA National Security Laboratories. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21806.
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7:30

Dinner and Continue Discussion

8:00

Discussion of Committee Questions about Peer Review in the British Nuclear Weapons Enterprise

David Overskei

9:00

Adjourn
Attendance:

Committee members Jill Dahlburg, Paul Peercy, and David Overskei

Committee staff Scott Weidman

Guests:

Graeme Nicholson, Atomic Weapons Establishment

Craig Shobrook, Strategic Weapons Project Team, U.K. Ministry of Defence

David Holder, Ministry of Defence, British Embassy, Washington, D.C.

SMALL-GROUP MEETING TO OBTAIN CUSTOMER INPUT
JANUARY 22, 2015
RONALD REAGAN BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C.

12:00 pm

Introductions

12:05

Comments on NNSA Laboratories’ Peer Review and Design Competitions from Senior Staff of the U.S. Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs

12:50

Wrap-up Discussion

1:00

Adjourn

Attendance:

Committee members Paul Peercy and David Overskei

Committee staff Scott Weidman

Guests:

John Hill, Navy Strategic Systems Programs

Barry Hannah, Navy Strategic Systems Programs
Page 61 Cite
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Information-Gathering Meetings of the Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Peer Review and Design Competition in the NNSA National Security Laboratories. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21806.
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Page 62 Cite
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Information-Gathering Meetings of the Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Peer Review and Design Competition in the NNSA National Security Laboratories. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21806.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Information-Gathering Meetings of the Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Peer Review and Design Competition in the NNSA National Security Laboratories. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21806.
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Page 64 Cite
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Information-Gathering Meetings of the Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Peer Review and Design Competition in the NNSA National Security Laboratories. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21806.
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Page 65 Cite
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Information-Gathering Meetings of the Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Peer Review and Design Competition in the NNSA National Security Laboratories. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21806.
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Page 66 Cite
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Information-Gathering Meetings of the Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Peer Review and Design Competition in the NNSA National Security Laboratories. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21806.
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Page 67 Cite
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Information-Gathering Meetings of the Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Peer Review and Design Competition in the NNSA National Security Laboratories. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21806.
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Page 68 Cite
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Information-Gathering Meetings of the Committee." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Peer Review and Design Competition in the NNSA National Security Laboratories. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21806.
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The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is responsible for providing and maintaining the capabilities necessary to sustain a safe, secure, and reliable nuclear weapons stockpile for the nation and its allies. Major responsibility for meeting the NNSA missions falls to the three NNSA laboratories: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). The NNSA National Security Laboratories contribute to that goal by maintaining the skills and capabilities necessary for stewardship of a reliable nuclear stockpile and also by maintaining a high level of technical credibility, which is a component of the nuclear deterrent.

Since 1992 it has been U.S. policy not to conduct explosion tests of nuclear weapons. The resulting technical challenges have been substantial. Whereas a nuclear test was in some sense the ultimate "peer review" of the performance of a particular NEP design, the cessation of nuclear testing necessitated a much greater reliance on both intralab and interlab expert peer review to identify potential problems with weapon designs and define the solution space. This report assesses the quality and effectiveness of peer review of designs, development plans, engineering and scientific activities, and priorities related to both nuclear and non-nuclear aspects of nuclear weapons, as well as incentives for effective peer review. It also explores how the evolving mission of the NNSA laboratories might impact peer review processes at the laboratories that relate to nuclear weapons.

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