The Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP) was actively engaged in the 23rd Women in Nuclear (WiN) Global Annual Conference held at the Vienna International Centre (VIC) from 24 to 28 August 2015. This year’s theme was “Women in Nuclear Meet Atoms for Peace.” The week-long event provided opportunities for female professionals working—or interested in working—in the multifaceted fields of nuclear science, education, and technology to network, exchange ideas, learn about contemporary nuclear programs and activities around the globe, and discuss job opportunities. Over 400 men and women participated in the event.
On 24 August, VCDNP staff took advantage of the technical visit offered by the conference organizers to the Zwentendorf Nuclear Power Plant, the first and only nuclear plant built in Austria, which never went into operation. Given the unique history of the nuclear plant, the visit provided a rare opportunity to see the internal components of a nuclear reactor, such as the empty core, control rods, and detectors, a close look that is not possible in operational reactors.
Following the opening and welcome remarks on 25 August, VCDNP Executive Director Laura Rockwood chaired the keynote panel featuring Corey Hinderstein of the US Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration, Martina Schwaiger of the Seibersdorf Labor GmbH, and Ambassador Olga Algayerova from the Permanent Mission of the Slovak Republic to the International Organizations in Vienna. The panelists explored the evolution of nuclear security, (in particular the nuclear security summits), provided an overview of radiation protection training conducted by Seibersdorf Labor, and highlighted the importance of international cooperation in engaging nuclear applications to promote human health.
On 27 August, several of the VCDNP staff also participated in the nuclear security session. Ms. Rockwood chaired a panel of four esteemed speakers: Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins, the US Department of State’s Coordinator for Threat Reduction Programs in the Bureau of International Security and Non-proliferation; Dr. Oum Keltoum Hakam, Professor of Physics at the University of Ibn Tofail (UIT); Maria Lorenzo Sobrado, from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC); and Dr. Khammar Mrabit, Director of the IAEA’s Division of Nuclear Security. The panelists underscored the vital role played by women in nuclear security, and discussed the Moroccan experience in engaging the next generation in nuclear security education. They concluded with a presentation on the IAEA’s work in nuclear security, including their goals, resources, and programs.
Ms. Rockwood and Ms. Shirley Johnson—a former IAEA inspector—moderated the conference’s gala dinner, held in Vienna’s beautiful City Hall.
