Tamara Baldwin
Tamara Baldwin
Consultant
Dr Tamara Baldwin is a physicist with degrees in physics (MPhys Hons) and experimental nuclear structure physics (PhD) from the University of Surrey, and is a Member of the Institute of Physics and a Chartered Physicist. Tamara has over eight years experience in nuclear research and radioactive waste management in support of programmes to develop safe storage and disposal of radioactive waste. This includes experience in repository design and performance assessment, regulation and planning of nuclear facilities, option studies and stakeholder dialogue. Prior to joining Galson Sciences, Tamara spent a year providing scientific support to CoRWM. Tamara is experienced in criticality safety assessment, having trained in the use of MCNP for Monte-Carlo neutron transport calculations, and in repository performance assessment, having trained in the use of the GoldSim assessment code. Additionally, Tamara has significant experience in the development and application of computational solutions, using languages such as Fortran and VBA, for diverse problems from nuclear reaction reconstruction to cost management models. Recent experience includes:
NDA. Provided interim staff support to the Disposal System Specification department of RWMD. Worked on projects to review and document options for disposal of HLW/SF and ILW/LLW, and to analyse the thermal, hydro, mechanical and chemical interaction in a co-located HLW and ILW geological disposal facility. Reviewed options for engineered barrier materials and the potential for recycling decommissioning wastes. Co-authored a criticality safety assessment and performed MCNP neutron transport calculations to consider the viability of plutonium immobilisation in polymer under the NDA’s Direct Research Portfolio. Developed a high-level computer model for estimating the impact of a delay in the date of repository operation on the NDA’s storage programme. Carried out an options assessment for packaging and transport of low specific activity wastes.
Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM). Participated in a review of quality assurance (QA) in SKB’s copper corrosion experiments. Reviewed SKB’s QA programme for the SR-Site safety assessment and QA in SKB’s supporting experimental programme. Evaluated QA aspects of SKB’s experimental data, codes and safety assessment.
Environment Agency. Worked on the revision of the environment agencies’ Guidance on the Requirements for Authorisation (regulations for near-surface and geological disposal of radioactive waste).
DSRL Dounreay. Developed the criticality safety assessment for the planned New LLW Facilities, which included undertaking MCNP calculations to determine fissile material limits for waste packages.
LLWR. Participated in the human intrusion assessment in support of the 2011 ESC for the LLWR in Cumbria, which involved development and use of a GoldSim implementation of a human intrusion model.
Examples of public domain documents produced for RWMD include a review of concepts for the geological disposal of HLW/SF and a review of concepts for the disposal of ILW/LLW. Several reports on reviews of QA in SKB’s R&D programme have been published by SSM.