LTC Christina L. Dugan, Assistant Professor of Nuclear Engineering
Director, NEAT Center
LTC Dugan is currently an Assistant Professor of Nuclear Engineering and the Director of the Nuclear Expertise for Advancing Technologies (NEAT) at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Wright Patterson AFB, OH. As the NEAT Director, she is focused on providing the nation with relevant expertise to address future nuclear warfighting capabilities, developing intellectual capital and knowledge through research, education and publication, and addressing technical nuclear warfighting challenges. LTC Dugan creates a nuclear
aware workforce with summer faculty fellowships, student summer research programs, teaching assistants, and post-doctoral research programs. Intellectual capital is garnered via graduate master’s level distance education certificate programs, STEM outreach classes to the operational Air Force, and human capital development through national laboratory fellowship programs. LTC Dugan coordinates research and educational opportunities with the national laboratories, service academies, ROTC programs, and civilian universities.
Working in partnership with Air Force Research Laboratory, LTC Dugan’s multi-disciplinary research required incorporating a fundamental knowledge base from nuclear engineering, mathematics, electrical engineering, chemistry, and material physics. LTC Dugan's study involves modeling the solid-state detector, characterizing the pre- and post- neutron irradiated uranium dioxide via various spectroscopic techniques, and satellite integration. Her master’s thesis focused characterizing undoped and Mn doped Lithium Tetraborate via cathodoluminescence and photoemission spectroscopy for novel solid state neutron detection. She presented her research at two American Physical Society conferences, a national meeting of the Material Research Society, and was selected as a top 10 finalist for presentation at the Colorado Homeland Defense Alliance National Security Innovation Competition.
LTC Dugan was previously assigned as a Nuclear Disablement Team Chief responsible for the characterizing, sampling, and disabling nuclear fuel cycle infrastructure. As an Assistant Professor of Physics at the United States Air Force Academy’s LTC Dugan led, mentored, taught and evaluated over 200 cadets per year encompassing 640 classroom contact hours. LTC Dugan exploited 12 years of leadership coupled with nuclear expertise to instill operational relevance across the department’s 39 physics, space and meteorology courses.
Finally, LTC Dugan educated cadets and faculty on nuclear weapons via creating a partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). This collaboration included seminars from LANL weapons experts, a cadet trip to New Mexico, a freshmen class seminar from the LANL Director, and the establishment of the United States Air Force Academy’s Nuclear Weapons Minor.
Operationally, LTC Dugan commanded a forward deployed Distribution Company in the 10th Mountain Division (LI) consisting of a transportation platoon, a distribution platoon, a warehouse platoon, and an ammunition section consisting of 195 Soldiers located at 6 dispersed Forward Operating Bases in Afghanistan. She flawlessly maintained a $17.1 million dollar property book and the brigade’s $21 million dollar repair parts budget while simultaneously providing seamless combat service support to 5 combat aviation battalions. As a logistics future operations planner for Combined Joint Task Force-76, LTC Dugan
planned, coordinated, and synchronized all joint coalition sustainment operations consisting of over 21,000 US and Coalition Soldiers in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. During her 2-year tenure as an Aide-de-Camp for the Commander of the Defense Logistics Agency, she coordinated travel, meetings, and change of commands at 26 defense distribution depots in 7 different countries. Serving as
a maintenance platoon leader in September, 2001 LTC Dugan was responsible as the Outload Support Battalion OIC for deploying the 10th Mountain DIV (LI) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Her dissertation research focused on the electrical characterization of Crystalline UO2, ThO2 and U0.71Th0.29O2 with the goal of developing a compact, portable solid-state neutron detector with a very large capture pulse. Working in partnership with Air Force Research Laboratory, her multi-disciplinary research required incorporating a fundamental knowledge base from nuclear engineering, mathematics, electrical engineering, chemistry, and material physics. LTC Dugan's study involves modeling the solid-state detector, characterizing the pre- and post- neutron irradiated uranium dioxide via various spectroscopic techniques, and satellite integration. Her master’s thesis focused on characterizing undoped and Mn doped Lithium Tetraborate via cathodoluminescence and photoemission spectroscopy for novel solid state neutron detection. She presented her research at two American Physical Society conferences, a national meeting of the Material Research Society, and was selected as a top 10 finalist for presentation at the Colorado Homeland Defense Alliance National Security Innovation Competition.
Education
- PhD, Nuclear Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright Patterson, AFB, OH, 2018
- M.S., Nuclear Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright Patterson, AFB, OH, 2011
- B.S., Chemistry, Nuclear Engineering sequence, United States Military Acadamy, West Point, NY, 2000
Awards
- U.S. Army MG William L. Sibert Award – Best CBRN Unit, 2020
- U.S. Army Deployment Excellence Award - Small Unit Category, 2020
- USAFA Basic Science Division Instructor of the Quarter, Spring 2012
- Top 10 Finalist in 2011 National Security Innovation Competition, 2011
- Tau Beta Pi
- Sigma Pi Sigma
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
- Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
- Joint Service Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
- Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster Joint Military Unit Award
- Army Superior Unit Award Combat Action Badge
- Air Assault Medal
Publications
[12] B. C. Troxell, K. D. McGee and C. Dugan, “Aerial Radiation Detection Identification and Measurement System Detector Material Comparison Study,” Countering WMD Journal, Issue 24, pp. 51 – 58, 2022
[11] A. P. Rao, C. M. Sutphin, C. Dugan, “Augmenting field nuclear forensics capabilities with handheld atomic spectroscopy devices for nuclear debris analysis,” Countering WMD Journal, Issue 24, pp. 86 – 92, 2022
[10] C. Dugan, L. Wang, K. Zhang, J. M. Mann, M. Kimani, W. Mei, P. Dowben, and J. Petrosky, "Interband Transitions and Critical Points of Single Crystal Thoria compared to Urania", MDPI, (in press).
[9] Knight, C. Dugan, J. Petrosky, A. Mock, P. Dowben, J.M. Mann, M. Kimani, and M. Schubert, “Infrared- Active Phonon Modes in Single-Crystal Thorium Dioxide and Uranium Dioxide", Journal of Applied Physics, 127, 125103, March 2020
[8] A. Mock, C. Dugan, S. Knight, R. Korlacki, J. M. Mann, M. Kimani, J. Petrosky, P. Dowben, M. Schubert, “Band-to-Band Transitions and Critical Points in the Near-Infrared to Vacuum Ultraviolet Dielectric Functions of Single Crystal Urania and Thoria", Applied Physics Letters, 114, pp211901, May 2019
[7] C. Dugan, C. Young, R. Carmona, M. Schneider, J. Petrosky, J. M. Mann, E. Hunt, and J.W. McClory, “The Debye Temperature of a Single Crystal Thorium Uranium Dioxide Alloy”, Physica Status Solidi – Rapid Research Letters, vol. 12, no. 12, 1800436 (5 pages), December 2018
[6] C. Dugan, G. Peterson, A. Mock, C. Young, J. M. Mann, M. Nastasi, M. Schubert, L. Want, W. Mei, L. Tanabe, P. Dowben, and J. Petrosky, “Electrical and Material Properties of Hydrothermally Grown Single Crystal (111) UO2”, The European Physical Journal B, 91:67, April 2018
[5] C. Dugan, R. Hengehold, S. McHale, J. Santana, J. McClory, V. Adamiv, Y. Burak, Y. Losovyj and P. Dowben, "Reversible Mn Segregation at the Polar Surface of Lithium Tetraborate", Applied Physics Letters, vol. 102, 161602 (4 pages), April 2013
[4] C. Dugan, R. Hengehold, S. McHale, Ya. Losovyj, J. W. McClory, and J. Petrosky, “Photoemission and Cathodoluminescence of Doped Lithium Tetraborate Crystals Being Developed for Neutron Detection", Material Research Society Symposium, vol. 134, Nuclear Radiation Detection Materials, July 2011
[3] C. Dugan, S. McHale, B. Kananen, and B. Thomas, “Enhancing Neutron Detection Capabilities with Solid State Devices”, 2011 National Security Innovation Competition Proceedings Report, April 2011
[2] C. Dugan, R. Hengehold, and J. McClory, “Cathodoluminescence Study of Undoped and Mn Doped Lithium Tetraborate Crystals Being Developed for Neutron Detection”, Meeting Ohio-Region Section of the APS, Vol. 56, Number 3, Spring 2011, April 2011
[1] C. Dugan, R. Hengehold, S. McHale, J. McClory, and J. Petrosky, “Photoemission of Doped Lithium Tetraborate Crystals Being Developed for Neutron Dosimetry”, Joint Fall 2010 Meeting of the APS Ohio Section and AAPT Appalachian and Southern Ohio Sections, Vol. 55, Number 8, October 2010
Refereed Conference Presentations:
[2] A. P. Rao, C. M. Sutphin, C. Dugan, “Applications of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for field analysis of nuclear debris,” presented at 2022 April Meeting in New York City, NY on 11 APR 2022
[1] C. M. Sutphin, A. P. Rao, C. Dugan, “Chemical analysis of nuclear debris via portable LIBS device,” presented at 2022 April Meeting in New York City, NY on 11 APR 2022