Search within this site.
Rui Fang has been awarded the SIHS Summer Research Scholarship. Her summer research project, “Developing a Web-Based Platform for Automated Data Processing in Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA),” focuses on creating an online platform to streamline and automate data processing for neutron activation analysis.
Congratulations to Rui on this well-deserved recognition, and best wishes for a productive and successful summer research experience!
Rui Fang and Yeasin Noor have received Graduate Student Research Awards in recognition of their outstanding research proposals.
Their funded research projects are:
Congratulations to Rui and Yeasin on this well-deserved achievement!
Rui Fang (Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences) delivered two presentations at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Health Physics Society (HPS 2026) in National Harbor, Maryland, with titles: “Bibliometric Analysis of Research Articles in Health Physics Journal from 1958–2025” and “A Novel Computer Program for Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA).” Her participation in the conference was supported by a student travel grant she recently received from the Health Physics Society.
Fang is a Ph.D. student in the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Program with a subfield in medical physics. Her research is conducted under the supervision of Dr. Zaijing Sun in the research group of Health, Environment, and Radiation Detection (HERD).
Thomas Knoblauch (Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences) presented his research at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Health Physics Society (HPS 2026) in National Harbor, Maryland. His presentation, titled “From Toe Tags to Triage: Rapid PNAD-Based Neutron Dose Estimation for Post-criticality Emergency Response,” highlighted a rapid neutron dose assessment method for emergency response following criticality accidents.
Thomas is a Ph.D. student in the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences program at UNLV. He is also a health physicist employed by Mission Support and Test Services (MSTS) at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). His research is conducted under the supervision of Dr. Zaijing Sun in the Health, Environment, and Radiation Detection (HERD) Research Group.
Rui Fang (Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences) delivered a presentation at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Council on Ionizing Radiation Measurements and Standards (CIRMS) in Rockville, Maryland, titled “A New Online Program for Neutron Activation Analysis.” Rui is a Ph.D. student in the interdisciplinary health sciences program, with a subfield of medical physics. Her research is conducted under the guidance of Dr. Zaijing Sun in the Group of Health, Environment, and Radiation Detection.
Zaijing Sun (Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences) was recently invited by his collaborators in the College of Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno, where he presented a seminar on the development of a remote gamma spectra collection system using a high-purity germanium detector integrated with a CosmicGuard system. This research was supported by the UNR–UNLV partnership program through the UNR Extension.
Danesha Hunter will defend her thesis entitled “APPLYING INSTRUMENTAL NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS (INAA) TO CHARACTERIZE TRACE ELEMENTS IN WATER SAMPLES AROUND LAKE MEAD” on 3 pm July 10th, 2025. If you are interested, please consider attend. The defense will be online with Zoom Meeting. The Zoom link are as below:
Danesha’s Thesis Defense
Join Zoom Meeting
https://unlv.zoom.us/j/94337124105?pwd=UyHqDRN8GC1H2jjq9A7neKw1j6D4aJ.1&jst=2
Meeting ID: 943 3712 4105
Passcode: 91315134
—
One tap mobile
+16694449171,,94337124105#,,,,*91315134# US
+16699009128,,94337124105#,,,,*91315134# US (San Jose)
—
Dial by your location
• +1 669 444 9171 US
• +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
• +1 719 359 4580 US
• +1 253 205 0468 US
• +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
• +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
• +1 564 217 2000 US
• +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
• +1 646 931 3860 US
• +1 689 278 1000 US
• +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
• +1 305 224 1968 US
• +1 309 205 3325 US
• +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
• +1 360 209 5623 US
• +1 386 347 5053 US
• +1 507 473 4847 US
Meeting ID: 943 3712 4105
Passcode: 91315134
Find your local number: https://unlv.zoom.us/u/acXPbV4jk2
Danesha Hunter (Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences) gave presentations at the American Water Resources Associate 2025 Spring Conference in Anchorage, AK titled, “Applying Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) to Characterize Trace Elements in Water Samples Around Lake Mead.” Hunter is a graduate student in the environmental health physics program, and her research is guided by Zaijing Sun in the Group of Health, Environment, and Radiation Detection.
Tim Tran (Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences) gave presentations at the Thirteenth International Conference on Methods and Applications of Radioanalytical Chemistry (MARC XIII) titled, “Using Neutron Activation to Study Heavy Metals in Water Samples of Lake Mead” and “Evaluating Cosmic-ray Background in an HPGE Detector System: Experimental Observations and Geant4 Simulations.” Tran is an undergraduate student in the environmental health physics program, and his research is guided by Zaijing Sun in the Group of Health, Environment, and Radiation Detection.
Zaijing Sun (Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences) and collaborators published a study in Applied Radiation and Isotopes titled “Evaluating Cosmic-Ray Backgrounds in HPGe Gamma Spectrometry: Experimental Observations and GEANT4 Simulations.” Using a High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector with an active cosmic veto system, the team analyzed atmospheric cosmic-ray backgrounds at the UNLV main campus. GEANT4 simulations validated the experimental results, demonstrated effective background reduction, and improved gamma spectrometry accuracy. This research was done by the Health, Environment, and Radiation Detection group.
