Senior Engineer, National Security Analysis Department, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
July 2019 - Present
The National Security Analysis Mission Area combines innovative technical knowledge and operational analysis to create emerging capability solutions to national security challenges, thereby ensuring our nation’s preeminence in the 21st century. NSAD's analysis and concept development inform senior decision-makers across the government and operational commanders on national policy, technology, acquisition, exercises and experimentation, and complex current and future operations. In addition to shaping decisions across the national security spectrum, NSAD's work often involves maturing technology, creatively employing technology in new ways, and even rapidly demonstrating capabilities in partnership with the rest of the Laboratory, external partners, and the government.
Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow, Nuclear Policy Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
July 2018 - July 2019
The Stanton Nuclear Security Fellows program allows young scholars to pursue policy relevant research for twelve months in the CEIP Nuclear Policy Program. While in residence full-time at CEIP, selected fellows will be expected to lead a project of their own design, conduct original research, and write at least one policy relevant document.
Dr. Robinson Snowden's research interests focus on nuclear arms control verification, nonproliferation, and modernization.
Graduate Fellow, Defense Programs, National Nuclear Security Administration
June 2017 - June 2018
Dr. Robinson Snowden served at the intersection of science, policy and politics as an NNSA Graduate Fellow in the Office of Major Modernization Programs (NA-19). In this role, she provided programmatic support to both the NA-19 Front Office and the Uranium Program. As a fellow, she was able to gain a deeper understanding of how the nuclear enterprise functions as well as understand the perspectives of government decision makers tasked with overseeing our arsenal.
PhD Candidate, MIT Laboratory of Nuclear Security and Policy
September 2011 - May 2017
Problem Statement of Research:
The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty requires weapon-state signatories to pursue disarmament agreements. Future treaties that seek to limit warhead numbers, or eliminate them outright, will likely require further development of verification technologies beyond those currently used in bilateral disarmament agreements. This verification goal is complicated by the competing missions of providing high confidence in compliance while limiting access to national secrets.
My research investigated the potential for using secondary gamma rays generated naturally in high explosive exposed to a radiation source as a signature of the presence of a warhead-like object. This investigation defined a ‘warhead-like’ object as containing materials consistent with a warhead, specifically a neutron source and high explosives. Combining mock-up laboratory measurements with radiation transport simulations, this research sought to determine the passive detectability of a warhead-like object using this secondary gamma signature.
Nuclear Science and Engineering Communication Coach, MIT
Sept 2014 - Dec 2015
The mission of the NSE Communication Lab is to empower students to become confident and effective communicators. By offering content-specific support in written, oral, and visual communication, we help NSE students build the skills necessary to help spread knowledge in research, advocate for innovative endeavors, and educate the public in areas of nuclear science and technology.
The NSE Communication Lab offers writing and speaking support for scientists, by scientists. It relies on a peer-coaching model, in which specially selected NSE graduate students are trained to become exceptional communication coaches. They work one-on-one with NSE clients, providing guidance and assistance for all NSE Department members in the effective creation of any and all forms of written and oral communication used by modern scientists. These include, but are not limited to, scientific journal articles, conference presentations, course materials, lab reports, research posters, and theses.
PLS Physics Division Research Intern - Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Summer 2014
Investigated the feasibility of using the detection of neutrons and gammas generated within a warhead as a signature of its presence.
PLS Physics Division Research Intern - Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Summer 2013
Studied the pulse shape discrimination properties of different organic scintillators: Stilbene, Boron-loaded plastic and liquid based scintillators with Dr. Natalia Zaitseva.
National and Homeland Security Directorate Research Intern - Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID
Summer 2012
Determined efficiency of CVD diamond neutron detectors for neutron energies from thermal to 14.1-MeV
Best Poster Winner in INL Summer Poster Session 2012
Education
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
PhD Candidate, Nuclear Science and Engineering Department
Thesis Advisors: Dr. Richard Lanza (MIT), Dr. Adam Bernstein (LLNL)
GPA: 4.7/5.0 Expected Graduation Date: Spring 2017
Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL
B.S. Physics Department
Research Advisor: Dr. Joseph Johnson III
Summa Cum Laude, Cumulative GPA: 3.8/4.00 Major GPA: 3.714/4.00