More than 600 experts from 93 countries and 15 organizations will discuss current and future challenges and opportunities for nuclear verification at an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) symposium on safeguards next week.
The IAEA holds a safeguards symposium every four years at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria. This year’s event takes place from 5-8 November 2018 under the title Building Future Safeguards Capabilities. Media representatives can follow the opening and concluding sessions as well as selected other events.
Making best use of modern technology and techniques is crucial to enhancing capabilities and maintaining credible verification. During the conference, the global safeguards community will explore how emerging technologies, innovative approaches, and novel forms of cooperation can strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of safeguards implementation. The gathering is the 13th of its kind.
With over 300 papers to be presented, the symposium provides a unique platform to exchange knowledge among the world’s foremost experts in nuclear verification. Participants will also have opportunities to learn about promising technologies from research sectors not traditionally associated with safeguards tools and methods. Examples include machine learning, data visualization, additive manufacturing, robotics, augmented reality, and many others.
IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Safeguards Massimo Aparo will address participants during the opening plenary. Experts from Euratom, Rosatom, and N Square in the United States will contribute to this session. Cooperating organizations Asia Pacific Safeguards Network, the European Safeguards R&D Association and the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management will also welcome the participants.
Two special panel discussions will highlight the important contributions of women in safeguards. Numerous technical sessions and side events will engage the safeguards community and key experts in four thematic areas:
- Addressing emerging safeguards challenges.
- Leveraging technological advancements for safeguards application.
- Preparing for safeguards for new facilities, processes and campaigns.
- Shaping the future of safeguards implementation.
The closing plenary will feature two panel discussions: One highlighting the symposium’s key insights and outcomes, and one discussing mechanisms and partnerships for future innovation in safeguards implementation.
You can find a list of speakers and events in the Symposium’s programme.
Press Opportunities
Journalists are invited to the opening and closing plenaries and the panels on improving gender balance in safeguards.
The opening plenary takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on 5 November, and the gender panels are from 2:30 – 3:30pm. The closing plenary is to be held from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on 8 November.
The media is also invited to attend the talk “Innovation in Safeguards: Lessons from the Vienna State Opera” on Wednesday, 6 November from 5:45 p.m.
All of these events will take place in Board Room B, M-Building, Vienna International Centre.
The IAEA will also stream these sessions live on the conference webpage.
Presentations at the ESPACE area are also accessible to the press. ESPACE is a presentation environment in the M-building, where participants can showcase their work, software, technology, or other capabilities in an open format.
Accreditation
All journalists are requested to inform the IAEA Press Office of their plans to attend. Journalists with permanent credentials to the VIC need no additional credentials. We encourage those journalists who do not yet have permanent accreditation to request it at UNIS Vienna.
Others should contact the IAEA Press Office. Please email press@iaea.org or call [+43-1] 2600-21273.