Dr. Thomas D. Burns Jr. This is Me

Education

 Web References

1. 1. lamonitor.com: The Online News Source for Los Alamos

   www.lamonitor.com/articles/200 - [Cached]

   Published on: 9/1/2004   Last Visited: 9/1/2004

   In June, the board announced that Thomas D. Burns Jr., at that time site representative at the Savannah River Site in Aiken, S.C. would join Keilers.
   ...
   Burns began work on Aug. 23.
   ...
   Burns went to college and graduate school at the University of Virginia, eventually receiving his PhD in nuclear engineering and applied mathematics. He was also a star linebacker for the Virginia Cavaliers football team.
   
   In 1993, he was the third winner of the Draddy Awards given by the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.
   ...
   During graduate work, Burns had a tour of duty at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, where he worked in nuclear medicine. Research at UVA included dynamic analysis of accelerator-driven sub-critical nuclear systems.
   
   He joined the safety board in 1997 with responsibilities for staff activities related to plutonium pit management, tritium processing and storage, critical safety and general safety analysis issues - all of which have local relevance.
   
   "The goal is to get work done safely," Burns said. He described his approach as "constructive interaction, not trying to embarrass anybody, but to facilitate things" and "to be firm and unwavering in the demand for safety."
   
   "Never underestimate the power of rebuttal. There may be something you've missed. Don't jump to conclusions," he added.
   
   He said the "conduct of engineering issues," at Los Alamos had caught the attention of the board, leading to his appointment as a second site representative.
   
   "Two representatives will cover more waterfront," he said, and will "add bandwidth" in reporting capability.
   ...
   Burns said he was not yet prepared to discuss the fine points of the resumption activities, but that anyone doubting the board's commitment to safety or its willingness to stand up to DOE, need only look at its record over the last decade.
   
   Burns expects to close on a house and be living on the Hill shortly with his wife Robin and daughter Grace.
   
   SIDEBAR
   
   As the laboratory endeavors to restart all operations by the end of September, safety talk is food for thought.
   
   Here are a few observations by Tom Burns, the new site representative for the Defense Nuclear Facility

2. 2. Power Engineering - power generation technology, Power-Gen Conference

   pe.pennwellnet.com/News/Displa - [Cached]

   Published on: 10/11/2002   Last Visited: 10/11/2002

   But Dr. Thomas Burns, a site representative for the safety board, said Tuesday that an investigation since that date has determined the problem to be minimal and limited to that area.
   
   The problem, he said, is related to the routine process of recasting the shielding.
   
   "You don't use all your transfer lines all of the time," he said. "When the line is flushed and you're done with the transfer, you don't need the shielding material there anymore."
   
   The lead is reused on active pipes and hardened with a metal element called antimony. But the melting and reforming can lead to inconsistencies, leaving too much antimony in some parts of the shield.
   
   "Antimony is not as good at shielding as lead," Dr. Burns said.

3. 3. Alumni News - Bishop McNamara High School

   pony.bmhs.org/alumni/alumninew - [Cached]

   Published on: 3/1/2003   Last Visited: 7/21/2005

   Dr. Thomas D. Burns, Jr. '90 was the guest speaker at the McNamara High School Annual Sports Awards Banquet. Dr. Burns has a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering and Applied Math from the University of Virginia, and he works for the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. Dr. Burns also holds an Associate Professorship in the Mathematics and Physics Department at American University.