With a focus on global security and scientific collaboration, the University of Florida hosted hundreds of students, professors, and national laboratory scientists and engineers last week for the 2025 National Nuclear Security Administration R&D University Program Review.
Held June 3-5, the event showcased five university consortia driving innovation in national nuclear security. UF leads the Consortium for Nuclear Forensics (CNF). Funded by a $26.4 million award from the NNSA, CNF comprises 16 universities and seven national laboratories to advance the United States’ nuclear forensics capabilities.
Serving as a technical symposium and a strategic oversight forum, the University Program Review (UPR) welcomed around 300 attendees to UF’s G. Edward Evans Champions Club over three days. Participants presented and evaluated research progress, aligned work with the NNSA mission priorities, and highlighted university and national laboratory collaborations.
The event emphasized fundamental research and workforce development and supported the growth of the student talent pipeline through discussions and networking opportunities with national laboratory representatives. Through plenary talks, poster sessions, and awards, the event encouraged cross-consortia exchanges, shaped future research and reinforced accountability for technologies that detect, deter, and respond to nuclear-proliferation threats.