International Conference on Nuclear Security: Shaping the Future

Scientific Programme

Conference Themes

Consistent with the objectives outlined for ICONS 2024, the overall themes for the conference will include:

• Policy, Law and Regulations for Nuclear Security (PR)

  • International framework for nuclear security, including legally binding and non-binding instruments

  • Regulation development and implementation
  - Support for embarking countries
  - Approaches to regulation (prescriptive, performance-based, technology neutral)
  - Challenges in meeting changing demands due to emerging technologies and emerging threats
  -Tools and approaches for regulators for evaluation of policy and regulations

• Technology and Infrastructure for Nuclear Security Prevention, Detection and Response (TI)

  • Current and existing technologies including issues related to aging facilities and lifecycle management, research reactors, decommissioned facilities and facilities being decommissioned, and other facilities using and/or manufacturing nuclear or other radioactive material
  • Emerging nuclear technologies including small modular reactors, micro reactors, other novel reactor designs, spent fuel storage and disposal, and evaluation of such technologies in relation to nuclear security
  • Emerging non-nuclear technologies including artificial intelligence, uncrewed systems, etc. (both as potential tools for nuclear security and as potential risks) and evaluation of such technologies as related to nuclear security
  • Approaches to nuclear security including graded approach, defence in depth, and risk-informed
  • Existing and emerging threats, prevention, protection and assessment including design basis threat, insider threat and evaluation and assessment of protection systems
  • Supply chain security
  • Nuclear forensics
  • Materials security, including transportation of nuclear and other radioactive material, material accounting and control, national accounting and control measures, and preventing illicit trafficking
  • Building and maintenance of nuclear security detection architecture
  • Coordinated response to nuclear security events

• Capacity Building for Nuclear Security (CB)

  • Workforce development
  - Skills for nuclear security
  - Cross and inter-disciplinary concepts

  • Workforce management
  - Attracting the next generation
  - Retention and knowledge management
  - Creating and maintaining workforce diversity

• Cross-cutting Nuclear Security Topics (CC)

  • Information exchange and regional and international cooperation
  • Information and computer security considerations for nuclear security
  • Interfaces between nuclear security and safety
  • Interfaces between nuclear security and State systems of accounting and control
  • IAEA assistance programmes and advisory services
  • Communication on nuclear security
  • Nuclear security culture
  • Contribution of industry to nuclear security