Ruth Kips
About Ruth Kips
Ruth Kips is an Associate Program Leader at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where she has worked since 2014. She specializes in nuclear forensics and the analysis of nuclear materials, holding a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry and a master's degree in nuclear engineering.
Work at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Ruth Kips currently serves as an Associate Program Leader at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), a position she has held since 2023. Prior to this role, she was the Deputy Associate Program Leader from 2015 to 2023 and worked as a Staff Scientist from 2014 to 2015. Kips has been involved in managing international nuclear forensic engagements through the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the Department of Energy (DOE). Her work focuses on analyzing the microstructure of nuclear materials to determine their origin and process history, contributing to the laboratory's nuclear forensics team.
Education and Expertise
Ruth Kips holds a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry, which she obtained from the University of Antwerp between 2004 and 2008. She also has a master's degree in nuclear engineering from Hogeschool PXL, where she studied from 2001 to 2003. Additionally, Kips completed her early engineering studies at Groep T - Internationale Hogeschool Leuven from 1999 to 2001. Her educational background supports her specialization in the characterization of nuclear materials using advanced techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Nanoscale Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (NanoSIMS).
Background
Before her tenure at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Ruth Kips worked in various roles related to nuclear science and engineering. She served as a Project Engineer at Tecnubel for three months in 2004 and as a Doctoral Researcher at the European Commission from 2004 to 2008. Kips also worked as a Nuclear Safeguards Inspector at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from 2012 to 2014, where she collaborated with partner countries on nuclear forensic science and conducted inspections.
Achievements
Throughout her career, Ruth Kips has made significant contributions to nuclear forensics and material security. She has conducted research in uranium-particle analysis and has been involved in the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration's Global Material Security program. Kips is also known for delivering workshops on nuclear forensics, enhancing the understanding and application of nuclear material analysis among international partners.