The Alva Myrdal Centre for Nuclear Disarmament at Uppsala University hosted its annual multidisciplinary conference from June 10–12, 2026, gathering experts to discuss critical issues in nuclear disarmament, verification, and emerging technologies. Under this year's conference theme “Building Blocks for Disarmament” Sarah Friedrich, Benjamin Jung, Laura Mertes, Robin Möser, Yan-Jie Schnellbach and Fabian Unruh from CNTR participated together with colleagues from VeSPoTec Kim Westerich-Fellner (FZ Jülich) and Julian Schäfer (RWTH Aachen). Robin Möser, Fabian Unruh, and Yan-Jie Schnellbach presented their research on two different panels during the conference and Sarah Friedrich a poster.
Fabian Unruh and Yan-Jie Schnellbach participated at Panel 5B, titled "Cycle Modelling and Verification", which explored innovative approaches to nuclear safeguards and monitoring. The panel was chaired by Grant Christopher (Co-Programme Director, VERTIC) and co-chaired by Julien de Troullioud de Lanversin (Assistant Professor, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology). The session featured the following presentations:
Cecilia Gustavsson (Uppsala University) and Fabian Unruh (CNTR/PRIF) presented their comparative study on "Leveraging Operational Records for Verification: A Comparative Study of Heterogeneity and Commonalities in Nuclear Reactor Archives." Their research analyzed archives from the German research reactor MZFR and the Swedish commercial power plant Ågesta, identifying challenges in generalizing verification methods for nuclear reactor archives. The study contributes to developing robust tools for nuclear verification by addressing the heterogeneity of historical reactor data.
Sofia Brander (Federal Office for Radiation Protection) discussed "Atmospheric Krypton-85 Measurements and Their Value in Monitoring Plutonium Reprocessing." Her presentation highlighted how krypton-85 emissions from reprocessing plants can be detected through atmospheric monitoring. Using data from BfS’s noble gas laboratory in Freiburg, she demonstrated how historical and recent measurements can help reconstruct past plutonium production and identify ongoing reprocessing activities through atmospheric transport modeling.
Yan-Jie Schnellbach (CNTR/PRIF) introduced "nuSENTRY: Antineutrino-Based Reactor Monitoring for Future SMR Facilities." His research explored the potential of antineutrino detection as a safeguards tool for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). By combining OpenMC-based reactor simulations with GEANT4-based detection models, the nuSENTRY project investigates how antineutrino emissions can provide direct insights into reactor power and isotope composition, addressing the challenges posed by new reactor technologies and deployment scenarios.
The panel underscored the importance of innovative verification methods to address the evolving landscape of nuclear technologies. From archival analysis to atmospheric monitoring and antineutrino detection, the discussions highlighted the need for adaptive and reliable safeguards to ensure transparency and compliance in nuclear disarmament efforts.
A second panel with Robin Möser on “Verification systems: reflections and evolving approaches“, chaired by Dylan Spaulding (Senior Scientist, Union of Concerned Scientists), examined the epistemic and societal dimensions of nuclear verification.
Julian Schäfer (RWTH Aachen University) presented "Verification as Forming and Performing of Knowledge Infrastructures." His work used the concept of knowledge infrastructure to analyze how knowledge is collected, stabilized, and negotiated in verification regimes, with case studies on the CTBT and NPT.
Robin Möser (CNTR/ PRIF) discussed "Societal Verification and Nuclear Proliferation: Opportunities and Challenges of an Alternative Approach to Verification." His presentation explored how public participation, open-source data, and societal involvement can complement traditional verification methods, particularly in light of the erosion of arms control agreements.
For more details, visit the conference program.
