About Uchechukwu

Mr. Uchechukwu Christian Arinze is an Assistant Manager (ICT), World Institute for Nuclear Security Certified (WINS) Nuclear Security Professional/Ambassador, Arms Control, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation expert with the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA). Mr. Arinze possesses B.Sc. and M.Sc degrees in Computer Science and is currently preparing for his viva defense towards his PhD program in Computer Science at the University of Nigeria. As a WINS Academy Certified Nuclear Security Professional (CNSP) since 2016, I enrolled and completed the Foundation Module and five (5) electives viz – Nuclear Security Management for Scientists, Technicians and Engineers (M-04P), Nuclear Security Regulation (M-09S), Nuclear Security Governance (M-02S), Cybersecurity (M-11S) in the Nuclear Industry and Nuclear Security Programme Management respectively. Later in the year, I will sit for the seventh (7th) module: Radioactive Source Security Management (RSSM) programme. My background in Nuclear Security, Safeguards, Arms Control, Disarmament and Nonproliferation CBRN issues dates back to 2016 when I attained CNSP status with WINS and continued with workshop, conference, training, and symposium attendance till date such as: 2nd International Symposium on Insider Threat Mitigation (INFCIRC/908) jointly organized by the United States Department of Energy (USDOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Belgian Federal Agency for Nuclear Control, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (Brussels, 5-7 March, 2024); UNSCR 1540 Group of Experts Meetings (UNODA, 25th May, 2023); Ethical and Societal Challenges of Machine Learning (ICTP-SMR 3749-2022); Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Course (VCDNP/The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, U.S.A., 16-20 May, 2022); The Spread of Nuclear Weapons: History, Threats and Solutions (VCDNP/The James Martin Center for Non-Proliferation Studies, Middlebury Institute for International Affairs, Monterey, California, USA., February, 2022); IAEA Technical Meeting on Artificial Intelligence for Nuclear Technology and Applications (#AI4Atoms), 25th-29th October, 2021); Nuclear Energy Management (ICTP/IAEA 2021); National Workshop on formulating a CBRN National Action Plan and Risk Mitigation Strategies, Emergency Response and Forensics (2020); Safety of Radioactive Sources (IAEA, Vienna, CN-269, 2019); Nuclear Security Professional Development Course (VCDNP/The James Martin Center for Non-Proliferation Studies, Middlebury Institute for International Affairs, Monterey, California, USA., February, 2019); and Nuclear Knowledgment Management (ICTP/IAEA, 2017) respectively. These courses, trainings and workshops provided him with in-depth knowledge on emerging issues in nuclear security, safeguards and nonproliferation such as: Human Reliability and Personnel Trustworthiness program, Fitness-to-Duty program, Cybersecurity, Peaceful Nuclear Energy Applications and their contributions to UN SDGs, Overview of Nuclear and Radioactive Materials Facilities, Nuclear Fuel Cycle and proliferation concerns and international Safeguards, Nuclear Security: Objectives and essential elements: Intersection with Nuclear Safety and Safeguards, Nuclear Security Regime Development; Nuclear and Radiological Terrorism: Potential Scenarios, Legal Framework for Nuclear Security, UNSCR 1540 and Nuclear Security, Security of Radioactive Sources, IAEA Key Guidance and Technical Documents on Nuclear Security, Bilateral Instruments and other Multilateral Commitments and Initiatives Strengthening Nuclear Security, Key International Organizations in Nuclear Security, Case Studies such as Sweden, Nuclear Material Accounting and Control (NMAC), Insider Threats, Sabotage of Nuclear Facilities, Incident & Emergency Management for Nuclear Security Events, Materials out of Regulatory Control (MoRC), Nuclear Material Smuggling and Radiological Security Incidents and Illicit Trafficking Database, Nuclear Security Culture, Nuclear Security and Prevention of Nuclear Terrorism in the Context of the NPT and its Review Process, Nuclear Security Summits and Post-Summits Developments, History of IAEA Safeguard Regime and Implementation Mechanism, Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, CTBTO, Nuclear Weapons-Free-Zones (NWFZ), the Export Control Regime, Iran and the JCPOA, WMD in the Middle East, DPRK Nuclear Weapons Program: History and Status, Nuclear Arms Control: Challenges & Prospects, UN Disarmament Machinery & International Disarmament Initiatives. My areas of research interests include: CBRN Risk Mitigation, Emergency Response, Forensics measures, Counter-Terrorism Strategies, leveraging existing and emerging technologies in the design, implementation and evaluation of physical protection systems (PPS), tackling Insider Threat in Nuclear and Radiological facilities, strengthening cybersecurity, personnel and information security measures, use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AIML) in minimizing congestion control in cellular networks, use of Information Management Systems and algorithms in solving problems in contracting, healthcare, education, economy, logistics and navigation respectively. He has over 45 research publications and dozens of conference proceedings and articles in local and international research journals covering nuclear security and computing such as: Arinze, U.C., Longe, Olumide Babatope; Eneh, Agozie Hyacinth (2020). “Regulatory Perspective on Nuclear Cybersecurity: the Fundamental Issues”. International Journal of Nuclear Security (IJNS), Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 1-35. Available on the web at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/ijns/vol6/iss1/3; and “Tackling Insider Threat in Nuclear and Radiological Facilities and Nigeria’s Nuclear Security Architecture: Challenges, Opportunities, Preventive and Protective Measures”, (International Journal of Nuclear Security, 2023 – Under Review) respectively. These researches employed qualitative, quantitative, descriptive and exploratory research methods.

Description

Mr. ARINZE, Uchechukwu Christian is a Senior Engineer and a WINS Certified Nuclear Security Professional/Ambassador, Nuclear Non-Proliferation expert with the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA). He also works as a Nuclear Security Research Consultant for the Ghana-based African Centre for Science and International Security (AFRICSIS) Expert Program on Capacity Building and Training. He holds B.Sc (Hons)., M.Sc degrees and currently finalizing his PhD program at the University of Nigeria. The NNRA is the statutory body established by the provisions of the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Act No. 19 of 1995, charged with the responsibility for nuclear safety, security, safeguards and radiological protection regulation in Nigeria, so as to ensure the protection of life, health, property and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation while allowing beneficial practices involving exposure to ionizing radiation. As an IT professional, his area of specialization are - Database Administration, Management Information systems, Network Engineering and Administration, Software Engineering & Cybersecurity. He has several IT professional certifications in Database Administration; Advanced SPSS; Software Development using Visual Basic.NET (VB.NET) programming language respectively. As a Nuclear Security professional, he has certifications from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna-Austria; Texas A&M University Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI), (U.S.A) and World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS), Vienna-Austria. He has attended several international and local conferences, training, seminars and symposium on Nuclear Security, Nuclear Knowledge Management (NKM), Nuclear Energy Management, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) sponsored by: Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA); Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC); Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN); the U.S. Department of States' Partnership for Nuclear Security (PNS); Institute for Nuclear Materials Management - INMM (Nigeria Chapter), World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS), Vienna; International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna; International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy; Moscow Engineering Physics Institute (MEPhI), Russia, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Geneva, Switzerland; the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP) and the James Martin Center for Non-Proliferation Studies (CNS) of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, Monterey, California, U.S.A. respectively. As a Research Scientist, Mr. Arinze has over 45 research journal publications and dozens of conference proceedings in high impact factor research journals and professional affiliations in recognized local and international professional bodies such as the: Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Nigeria Society for Radiation Protection (NSRP), Nigerian Nuclear Society (NNS), World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS), Vienna, Austria; Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), U.S.A; Institute for Nuclear Materials Management (INMM), U.S.A, respectively.

Area of expertise

Regulatory

Certification

CRSP