Dr. Robert A. August Jr.

Dr. Robert A. August Jr. is a nationally recognized nuclear detection expert who has decades of experience developing technology and methods for addressing the clandestine nuclear attack issue. He has advised the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) on policy development and has served on National committees concerning nuclear detection issues like the Nuclear Defense Working Group (NDWG) that developed recommendations for DNDO. Previously he served as Chief Scientist and Deputy Director of the Homeland Security Institute (HSI). Prior to this, for 21 years, Dr. August was a physicist with the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), where he invented, developed, and deployed nuclear detection systems and provided expert analysis and interpretation of nuclear intelligence data, much of which has had policy impacts for current nuclear antiterrorism concerns. Highlights include being one of the developers of the HELGA System, which provided best-in-the-world passive identification of covert nuclear weapons for the DoD. This remains the most capable system ever transitioned to field deployment for the detection/ identification of clandestine nuclear devices. He has published numerous research and analysis papers in journals and government reports.

Specialization

Nuclear detection, CONOPS and policy development concerning nuclear detection, radiation transport simulation, radiation detection material research, radiation characterization tool design, radiation detector test and evaluation, nuclear detection systems development, nuclear detection systems requirements development

Education

Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics, 1984, Duke University, Durham, NCM.S. in Physics, 1981, Duke University, Durham, NCB.S. in Physics, 1979, Rutgers University, Camden College of Arts and Sciences, Camden, NJ

Experience

2/2008 to present Principal Scientist at Applied Research Associates

•Develop company-wide initiatives in Homeland Security/Defense. Provide integration of company nuclear detection capabilities. Build new capabilities in nuclear intelligence and related fields. Specific new capabilities include state-of-the-art nuclear detection algorithm and novel active/passive man portable SNM detection device. Working on numerous USG contracts concerned with combating the clandestine nuclear attack issue, including advising OSD on policy development. Issues include metrics development for nuclear detection, modeling capabilities for DTRA, DTRA SNM detection demonstration planning, SNM detection CONOPS.

5/2007 to 12/2008 Member of the Nuclear Defense Working Group (NDWG)

•The NDWG is a group chartered to provide independent advice to executive branch agencies and to the Congress on matters related to the threat of clandestine nuclear attack and protecting the nation from it. A particular focus was the future of DNDO. I participated in this group separately from my duties at ARA and the Homeland Security Institute, as an independent expert on nuclear detection technology as applied to the covert nuclear attack issue, and with an historical perspective on U.S. Government efforts in this area.

10/2007 to 2/2008 Chief Scientist of the Homeland Security Institute

•The Homeland Security Institute (HSI) is a Studies and Analysis (S&A) Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) established pursuant to Section 312 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002. As Chief Scientist for HSI I was the point of contact for all science and engineering issues, including systems engineering. I was responsible for ensuring that staffing and execution of all such studies by the Institute are of world class quality. I was also responsible for Institute strategic planning, management & business development. I had direct line management of the Systems Engineering and Architectures Division, and used the expertise of this staff to ensure that all HSI studies and analysis are executed from a systems thinking perspective.

5/2007 to 2/2008 Deputy Director for Professional Development of the Applied Systems Thinking Institute

•The Applied Systems Thinking (ASysT) Institute is a collaborative endeavor of the Stevens Institute of Technology and Analytic Services Inc (HSI’s parent company). The mission of ASysT is to advance the application of systems thinking principles in the fields of national security, homeland security, intelligence, and public safety. As Deputy Director for Professional Development I oversaw the professional development program designed to aid professionals in applying systems thinking to the problems faced by their organizations. The ASysT Institute offers executive seminars, workshops and short courses of tactical and strategic value to professionals on topics relating to the principles and application of systems thinking and related disciplines. Offerings are tailored to both individual education as well as customized group offerings to help organizations focus on problems of specific interest to them.

9/2006 to 10/2007 Deputy Director for Systems of the Homeland Security Institute

•As Deputy Director for Systems I exercised responsibility for Institute strategic planning, management & business development and also oversight of the Systems Directorate. As head of the Systems Directorate I oversaw both the Science and Technology Assessments Division and the Systems Engineering and Architectures Division. My duties focused on assembling and leading a staff of subject matter experts to provide the highest quality studies and analysis on technical issues within the broad mission area of homeland security.

1/2006 – 9/2006 Manager – Science & Technology Assessments Division - HSI

•The Homeland Security Institute (HSI) is formulated as a number of program areas that consist of specialists in the disciplines that comprise each area of expertise. The different program areas perform studies in both their individual areas of expertise, and team with other program areas to perform studies that cross areas of expertise. An individual study, for instance, might involve experts from the S&T, Systems Engineering, and Risk Analysis program areas. My role involved personnel and project management of the S&T program area, sponsor outreach, as well as being the primary technical expert on nuclear issues.

2/1985 – 1/2006 Senior Research Physicist – Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC•Assigned as a Technical Direction Agent for the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO). The project that garnered most of my attention from April through December of 2005 was the Advanced Spectroscopic Portal (ASP) program. ASP funded ten vendors to design spectroscopic portals to be competitively compared to find the designs best able to detect radiological and nuclear threats while screening out false and nuisance alarms. My role included vendor guidance, Red Teaming test design, and technical evaluation of performance for source selection.

•Provided policy and project analysis for nuclear anti-terrorism to DOD, DHS and DOE, including such things as being selected as a panel member for the January 5th Center for the Study of the Presidency group that was tasked by the Bush administration to discuss the structure of the new Domestic Nuclear Defense Organization (DNDO).

•Invented the HELGA II anti-nuclear terrorism detection system, which provides best-in-the-world passive identification of covert nuclear weapons. The Navy and Coast Guard funded the prototype of this system.

•Developed and deployed special purpose gamma-ray and neutron detection systems in field platforms all around the world.

•Provided expert analysis and interpretation of nuclear intelligence data over twenty-one years, much of which has had policy impact for current nuclear anti-terrorism concerns.

•Invented the concept of the “neutron signature” and developed it for the Defense Nuclear Agency (now Defense Threat Reduction Agency) as a method of treaty verification of ICBMs as required by the SALT II Treaty.

•Headed the U.S. radionuclear contingent on a joint Russian-US cruise to the Russian Arctic, and subsequently set-up a U.S. lab for gamma-ray analysis of Arctic sediments.

•Senior nuclear scientist in a DOE/Navy expedition to sample Siberia’s river sediments and analyze them in-country for nuclear and chemical contaminants.

•Principal investigator of a multi-disciplinary environmental remediation study involving nuclear, chemical, geophysical and biological measurements.

•Invented and patented a unique fast-neutron detector (US Patent #5078951), and recently patented an entirely solid-state neutron detector (US Patent #7271389).

•Principal investigator of Navy/corporate investigation of sonoluminescent phenomena.

•Program manager of the Interactive Discrimination Project Review Program for the Army SDIO (Strategic Defense Initiative Organization).

•Key developer and principal for the field testing and deployment of the HELGA (High Efficiency Large Germanium Array) System, as of 2010 this remains the most capable system ever transitioned to field deployment for the detection and identification of clandestine nuclear devices.

8/1979 – 1/1985 Research and Teaching Assistant – Duke University, Durham, NC

•Dissertation concerned a first clear observation of a novel nuclear reaction mechanism entitled: "Radiative Capture of Neutrons and Deuterons into 13C: Evidence for a Secondary Doorway State Effect".

•Taught introductory physics lectures.

Selected Publications

A publication list documenting dozens of publications in scientific journals and government reports, patents, and hundreds of presentations to scientific conferences and government sponsors is available upon request.

Certification and Training

SCI / Top Secret Security Clearance, numerous radiation safety, government contracting (COTR), hazardous waste handling, nuclear weapons security protocol and computer training courses