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Lab's Mark Rowland named IEEE senior member

(Download Image) Mark Rowland has been named a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Photo by Jacqueline McBride/LLNL
Mark Rowland, a physicist in Global Security's "N" Program, has been named a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Fewer than 8 percent of IEEE members attain this level.

Rowland, who joined the Laboratory in 1984, has worked in the field of radiation detection for much of his 28-year career.

He has led Livermore teams that developed a pair of identification instruments -- the Detective, to detect and measure gamma rays, and the Fission Meter, to detect and measure neutrons. These technologies, both licensed to Tennessee-based ORTEC, assist in meeting the challenges of inspecting cargo.

In March, 2011, within several days of when the tsunami-crippled Fukushima nuclear plant started leaking radiation, four Detective instruments were shipped to Japan. The instruments were moved around the island nation and used to calibrate the aerial measurement systems for about two months.

The Detective's mechanically-cooled design was highly practical in comparison with liquid nitrogen-cooled systems because of the disaster conditions that prevailed in Japan at that time and because of supply and transportation problems.

As the number of Detective instruments has reached beyond the hundreds, the instrument has become recognized as the gold standard in real-time performance.

Rowland also has led or worked on the development of a number of other instruments, including a gamma-ray camera, a large neutron scintillator multiplicity array, a handheld low-resolution sodium iodide nuclear material identification system and an X-ray fluorescent analyzer. In addition, he led a team that designed and built two robots that were delivered to the Chernobyl nuclear plant for fuel characterization.

The holder of 12 patents, Rowland has served as an adviser and policy expert to the International Atomic Energy Agency since 1990.

To become an IEEE senior member requires experience reflecting professional maturity, including 10-plus years of experience and significant contributions, achievements, publications, course development and/or technical direction in IEEE-designated fields. IEEE is the world's largest professional association dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence.