Programs at Participating Universities
Fellowship awardees are required to attend a university participating in the NNIS Graduate Fellowship Program. To become a participating university, interested faculty members must submit an application, which can be found at www.scuref.org on the Forms page. Universities selected to participate in the program will have demonstrated a commitment to advancing nuclear nonproliferation international safeguards education and creating a sustainable academic program. Interested Fellowship applicants may contact any Fellowship university coordinator directly for detailed information related to the university’s nuclear nonproliferation international safeguards program. The list of participating universities and university Fellowship coordinators can be found here.
Enrollment
Fellowship appointment is contingent upon acceptance into an approved program at a participating university. The initial Fellowship appointment is for a 12-month period, typically renewable for up 48 months. Prorated for previously completed graduate work, appointments may be shorter than the maximum allowable number of months. Extensions beyond the initial appointment will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Throughout their Fellowship period, Fellows must be enrolled full-time at an approved university and working toward the degree described in their application. During the summer months, Fellows will conduct relevant research, enroll in summer classes, complete a practicum assignment, or perform a combination of any of these activities.
Terms of Appointment
Each Fellow must agree to the terms and conditions of appointment delineated in their Appointment Letter and Terms of Appointment documents. This includes agreement to pursue the course of study and research described in their application, participate in at least one summer practicum, and entertain DOE/NNSA contractor employment opportunities. Fellows must inform the SCUREF program administrators of address changes and must complete any evaluation/assessment questionnaires sent by SCUREF for program information and/or evaluation during the Fellowship and for at least five years after the end of their Fellowship.
Annual Renewal
Each Fellowship appointment is renewed annually through a renewal application process. Each renewal is based upon the Fellow’s maintaining excellent performance and professionalism including, but not limited to, passing examinations in pursuit of a masters or doctoral degree required by their academic department, progressing research toward completion of a degree, and otherwise maintaining eligibility for a degree (for example, maintaining necessary grade point average and good standing with their academic department and university). Renewal forms along with supporting references and current official transcripts must be submitted to SCUREF annually. All awards and renewals are subject to the continuing availability of funding.
Practicum
Fellows are required to participate in at least one practicum for 10-weeks (minimum) at a designated DOE/NNSA facility to gain applied experience. Fellows typically complete a practicum during the summer term and select a practicum opportunity that can be used to support their thesis research. Fellows are responsible for securing their own practicum appointments by contacting the appropriate laboratory coordinator and completing a practicum request form. In addition to the opportunities at U.S. national laboratories, there are also international practicum and research opportunities at European Union (EU) laboratories listed on the last page of this booklet. Fellows interested in an international assignment should contact SCUREF. Fellows will receive a Dislocation Allowance of $800 per month (prorated) while on a practicum assignment.
Fellows may be required to apply for security clearance upon acceptance of a practicum appointment at a DOE/NNSA facility or an affiliated federal agency.
A list of participating laboratories and laboratory Fellowship coordinators can be found here.
Publication Acknowledgment
The program sponsor and administrators encourage Fellows to publish reports and articles in scientific and engineering journals and present posters or papers at conferences. Prior to submission, all publication and presentation materials must undergo classification, export control, and technical reviews. The Fellow must submit abstracts, articles, reports, posters, papers, etc. to the SCUREF at least three weeks before submission for publication or presentation. These works should show the joint affiliation of the Fellow with the university and, if appropriate, with the laboratory at which the research was conducted, and acknowledge Fellowship support with the following:
“This research was performed under appointment to the Nuclear Nonproliferation International Safeguards Fellowship Program sponsored by the Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of International Nuclear Safeguards (NA-241).”