ESARDA aims to bring together all those involved in safeguards, so that progress and continuous improvement in international safeguards can be achieved efficiently and to a professional standard. The principal issues are co-ordination of research, exchange of information and joint execution of R&D programmes. To this end the following activities take place:
Annual Meetings and Symposia
These provide an opportunity for collaboration and the exchange of scientific information. The latest developments and different perspectives on tackling the challenges in the field are presented and debated at the meetings, which traditionally take place in May.
Typically, about 150-250 specialists attend the biennial open "Symposium on Safeguards and Nuclear Material Management". Internal or Topical Meetings are also organised, which address special issues. Approximately 100-150 papers are presented at each symposium. These are later published in the symposium / meeting proceedings, which are made available to the general public.
Alternating with open symposia, a biennial internal meeting takes place where all ESARDA working groups convene and have the opportunity to discuss issues of common interest in joint meetings.
Working Groups
They are established to promote and undertake collaborative R&D and information exchange activities in particular fields. These are either discipline-oriented, such as Destructive and Non Destructive Assay (analytical chemistry, spectrometry) and Containment and Surveillance (mechanics, optics, informatics); facility-oriented, such as MOX Fuel Fabrication and Back End of Fuel Cycle operations (control process, system analysis); or ad hoc working groups that address, on a temporary basis, specific issues such as IAEA Integrated Safeguards, verification technologies and methodologies (information technologies) or the auditing of nuclear material accountancy and control. Training and knowledge management are dealt with by a dedicated working group focusing on educational issues.
The Working Group Editorial Committee takes care of all external communication issues in ESARDA, including the publication of the ESARDA Bulletin and the organisation of biennial meeting and symposia.
The R&D activities are performed by more than 100 experts (members or observers of ESARDA) collaborating within the various working groups.
ESARDA Publications
In the ESARDA Bulletin, scientific and technical articles relating to safeguards and verification are published. The Bulletin features peer-reviewed papers, and is indexed in the Scopus citation database of peer-reviewed literature.
ESARDA also publishes the Proceedings of its events, containing all the papers and posters presented at the Annual Symposia and the regular workshops that take place with INMM.
The Newsletter, called the ESARDA Connector, is the latest addition to the ESARDA publication line-up, released twice a year in autumn and spring. The scope of this e-newsletter is to establish communication by disseminating contributions across the ESARDA Community.