Deep Borehole Demonstration Center Expands Advisory Committee with Nuclear Experts

CAMERON, Texas, Sept. 16, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- The Deep Borehole Demonstration Center (DBDC) has expanded its Independent Advisory Committee with the addition of three nuclear experts. The new members, Danya Braun, Karl Travis, and Yassin Hassan, bring a diverse range of expertise to the committee, which is overseeing the center's multi-year, full-scale demonstration program at its site near Cameron, Texas.

Neil Chapman, who was previously named Chair of the committee, will continue to lead the group. Chapman, a geologist by training and an independent consultant in radioactive waste management, has over 45 years of experience in the field. His work has supported waste management agencies, regulatory authorities, and international organizations globally. Chapman has published extensively, including more than 200 papers and several books on deep geological disposal.

Danya Braun, a Senior Social Scientist at SLR/Avaanz, brings nearly two decades of experience in impact assessment and nuclear waste management public policy. Her work has focused on how communities adapt to nuclear waste facility siting programs and community-level socio-economic impact assessments. Braun has been a socio-economic impact assessment consultant for Canada’s Nuclear Waste Management Organization since 2010 and currently serves as a Strategic Advisor to the organization.

Karl Travis, a Reader in Computational Physics and Nuclear Waste Disposal at the University of Sheffield, has over 30 years of research experience, including 20 years in nuclear waste management and deep borehole disposal. His recent work has focused on developing deep borehole disposal schemes for spent nuclear fuel, sealing and support materials, and numerical modeling. Travis is also a key member of the IAEA’s Coordinated Research Project on deep borehole disposal.

Yassin Hassan, a University Distinguished Professor, Regents Professor, and the L.F. Peterson '36 Chair II in Engineering at Texas A&M University, directs the Center for Advanced Small Modular and Microreactors. His research focuses on computational and experimental thermal hydraulics and advanced nuclear reactors. Hassan is also a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering.

Founded in 2023 as an independent nonprofit organization, the DBDC is dedicated to accelerating the global deployment of deep borehole disposal technologies. Through non-radioactive demonstrations, robust safety case development, and international collaboration, the Center aims to address critical challenges in radioactive waste management. The DBDC’s multi-year, at-depth, full-scale demonstration program, which officially launched in January 2026, is designed to generate data and operational experience that can strengthen the technical readiness and safety case for deep borehole disposal.

Andy Griffith, Executive Director of the DBDC, emphasized the importance of the committee’s expertise. “Neil, Danya, Karl, and Yassin each know this field from a very different perspective, from deep borehole disposal and nuclear engineering to regulation and community engagement. That breadth of experience is exactly what we want on the Advisory Committee as the work in Cameron moves forward.”

The DBDC’s mission is to conduct demonstrations and develop safety cases to support the global deployment of deep borehole technologies. Through scientific excellence and transparency, the Center engages global experts, communities, and stakeholders to promote safe and practical solutions for managing long-lived radioactive materials.