MARC Conference, Hawai'i

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to present my research at MARC XIII in Kailua-Kona, HI. It’s the premier conference for nuclear forensics and nuclear chemistry. Since my research applies machine learning to nuclear forensics, it was a perfect venue to show off my work - and get to visit Hawai’i for the first time.

As a data scientist at a radiochemistry conference, I thought I’d be out of my depth, but was excited when I saw how many talks would be presented on data science or types of imaging. On the final day, I sat in on a very interesting session of talks about neutron imaging. From what I gather, it’s similar to X-ray imaging, but shoots high-energy neutrons instead of X-ray radiation, allowing it to capture different materials. Maybe there’s an application for ML there!

The work I presented on explored the use of data fusion to combine SEM imagery and XRD spectroscopy. My work was very well received at the conference, and I had a busy poster session. Update: It’s been published at the Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry

The conference had a cool, laid-back feel as a result of it being in Hawai’i. Most presenters wore shorts and aloha shirts (including me). I think all of us from the mainland just leaving winter really appreciated the week in the sunny, warm weather.

I was able to fit in a bit of tourist stuff, like an evening manta ray snorkel trip and a hike through the jungle. I wanted to see the volcano, but it was a bit too far away. Sipping mai-tais on the beach was a solid replacement, though.

The conference was a fantastic opportunity for me to network with national lab scientists, present my work to a new crowd, and learn a lot. I’m so glad I was given the opportunity to attend.