Robert L. Frost, Ph.D.
President
Robert L. Frost, Ph.D., serves as president of Nuclear Safety Associates (NSA), a company he founded in 2001. Nationally recognized as an expert in criticality safety and regulatory affairs, Dr. Frost has led NSA through 10 years of exceptional growth, from a one-person operation focused primarily on nuclear criticality safety, to a diverse organization of over 100 employees with expertise in Nuclear Safety and Licensing, Readiness Assurance and Operations Management, Safeguards and Security, and Specialized Design Engineering. From the beginning, NSA was based on a philosophy of hiring only professionals who are recognized as being amongst the best in their peer group, with a sincere desire to help clients achieve success. That philosophy remains the foundation for NSA today.
Prior to launching NSA, Dr. Frost worked for Westinghouse Savannah River Company where he initially supported K reactor restart performing reactor physics calculations. He later transitioned to nuclear criticality safety and shielding, supporting both non-reactor nuclear facilities and SARP development for Type B packaging. In 1997 he left Westinghouse Savannah River to join a contracting firm where he primarily worked in the field of criticality safety, supporting clients at the Y-12 plant, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, and Nuclear Fuel Services.
Dr. Frost holds a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of South Florida. He was twice awarded the George Westinghouse Signature Award of Excellence and in 2005 he became involved in the Nuclear Criticality Safety Division (NCSD) of the American Nuclear Society, culminating in 2009 when he served as Chair of the Division.
Michael R. Corum
Vice President, Charlotte Operations
Michael Corum has been with Nuclear Safety Associates (NSA) for 10 years and currently serves as vice president of commercial operations. Mr. Corum brings more than 20 years of experience in the nuclear industry to his position and is responsible for managing NSA’s expanding commercial operations, including business development, recruiting, and marketing.
Mr. Corum first joined NSA in 2001 to support the Blended Low Enriched Uranium (BLEU) project at Nuclear Fuel Services (NFS) as a criticality safety design team member for the Uranium-Aluminum Dissolution and Solvent Extraction Processes. Through the years, his expertise in nuclear criticality safety led him to work with a number of NSA’s early clients including: AREVA on the BLEU project, AREVA and GNF in licensing the RAJ-II BWR fresh fuel container, the Slightly Enriched Uranium (SEU) project for Cameco Corporation and Zircatec Precision Industries (ZPI), and more recently, the Westinghouse Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility (CFFF).
Prior to joining NSA, Mr. Corum worked for Westinghouse Savannah River Company, Westinghouse Core Engineering Department, and Westinghouse Fuel Fabrication Facility. During this time he received numerous quality awards, authored a variety of reports with protocols still being used today, and developed in-house training programs for engineers.
Mr. Corum is a graduate of the University of Tennessee (Knoxville), where he earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Nuclear Engineering in 1990. Upon graduation, he received an INPO fellowship and a graduate research assistantship to further his nuclear engineering education. He earned a Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering in 1991.
James C. Dean (Chris)
Vice President, Oak Ridge Operations
Mr. Dean joined Nuclear Safety Associates (NSA) in 2006 as Vice-President for Government Operations. In this role he has helped develop and lead the growth and diversification of NSA’s business including expansion into Operations Support and Readiness, Specialty Mechanical Design Engineering, and Security Services.
Mr. Dean brings to his role more than 20 years of experience having worked as a Hazard and Risk Analyst, Nuclear Safety Engineer, Nuclear Safety Manager, Security Analyst, and Program/Project Manager in the Aerospace, Chemical Processing, Federal Government, and Nuclear Industries. He is also an experienced fire and explosion hazards analyst, a qualified senior nuclear criticality safety engineer, and an experienced nuclear facility safety engineer who has developed, implemented, and reviewed safety basis documentation at several DOE and commercial facilities. His significant experience in development and managing safeguards and security programs, including performing classification reviews, radiological sabotage assessments, and conducting security vulnerability assessments for critical infrastructure, has enabled him to position NSA’s new Safeguards and Security business for rapid growth.
Prior to joining NSA, Mr. Dean worked for Hercules Aerospace Company in Rocket Center, West Virginia; with Lockheed Martin Utility Services in Paducah, Kentucky; and, with Science Applications International Corporation in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
Mr. Dean earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in physics from Marshall University and a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in physics from West Virginia University.
