Speaker Bio

Dr. Hank Zhu is a Senior Program Manager for Near-field Detection and Radiological Source Replacement Portfolios of the Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation where he manages Research & Development projects conducted at the Department of Energy’s national laboratories, plants and sites, as well as small businesses.  Prior to DNN R&D, Dr. Zhu is a Program Manager and Distinguished Technical Fellow at the Department of Defense, Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DoD/DTRA), where his expertise lies in radiological/nuclear detection R&D. His notable accomplishments at DTRA include the successful development of the He-3 alternative technologies amid the world-wide crisis on He-3 supply shortage, and delivering game-changing nuclear detection technologies for effective wide-area search and characterization missions to the warfighters. Before joining DTRA, Hank is a lead physicist at Canberra Industries on nuclear detection algorithms and non-destructive assay systems development.  Hank earned his B.S. in theoretical physics from Zhejiang University, a M.S. in experimental particle physics from Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, and a Ph.D. in experimental nuclear physics from University of Virginia.  He publishes extensively in peer reviewed journals prior to joining DTRA in 2010. Hank holds two (2) U.S. patents, he is the winner of eight (8) R&D 100 Awards, and recipient of the DoD/DTRA meritorious civilian service medal in 2019.

Contact: hank.zhu@nnsa.doe.gov