RADSAFE brains turning to mush

["Dukelow, James S Jr" <jim.dukelow@PNL.GOV>]

Susan Gawarecki wrote:

-----Original Message-----

From: Susan L Gawarecki [mailto:loc@icx.net]

Sent: Friday, February 21, 2003 3:09 PM

To: RADSAFE

Subject: RE: Fwd: [DBRVH_LTBL] FW: NRC Inspector General Interview

Transcripts Now Available Online]





Dave Lochbaum represents himself as a "Nuclear Safety Engineer."



However, he is not a licensed engineer.  His profile at Union of

Concerned Scientists (Washington, DC) states "Lochbaum is a nuclear

engineer by training..." so he apparently does not have an engineering

degree.  In fact, if he has a college degree, it is not mentioned. 

Generally experts like to promote their educational background.



The following information was provided by Arthur Schwartz, the General

Counsel of the National Society of Professional Engineers:



Under the DC Code § 47-2853.133. Certain representations prohibited.



Unless licensed to practice engineering under this subchapter, no person 

shall engage directly or indirectly in the practice of engineering in

the 

District or use the title "engineer", "registered engineer",

"engineering 

design", "professional engineer" or display or use any words or letters, 

figures, titles, signs, cards, advertisement or any other symbols or 

devices indicating or tending to indicate that the person is an engineer

or 

is practicing engineering.



Mr. Lochbaum appears to be in violation of the above law, as well as

misrepresenting his professional position. 



Any opinons expressed are my own.



Susan Gawarecki



======================



It appears that the mention of David Lochbaum's name turns the brains of a number of RADSAFE subscribers to mush, leading them into ad hominem argumentation and other logical fallacies.



David Lochbaum is a nuclear engineer by education (BSNE, Univ. of Tennessee - Knoxville, 1979, see Glenn Carlson's RADSAFE message of 4 October 1999) and work experience (at TVA, General Electric, Enercon Services, and General Technical Services).  His work experience include qualification as a reactor operator, shift technical advisor, BWR instructor, and a variety of reactor operations and design activities.  He is qualified by education and training to speak on reactor safety issues.



Being qualified to speak on the issues doesn't mean he is right.  I sent RADSAFE  (29 August 2000) a detailed rebuttal of assertions in a UCS report on NRC use of probabilistic risk assessment that Lochbaum wrote.



RADSAFE subscribers who are qualified to dispute Lochbaum's assertions should do that; others would be well advised to follow Abraham Lincoln's advice.



If Lochbaum and all of the other DC Code scofflaw were prosecuted, that would have the perhaps useful effect of emptying the offices of a number of Beltway Bandits.  I suspect that is not going to happen.  I have worked for large engineering firms employing thousands of degreed engineers among whom far less than 10% were licensed professional engineers.  Among the several hundred thousand US engineers some 60 thousand are members of NSPE. A visit to the NSPE just informed me you don't have to be a licensed PE to join NSPE.  Those with Engineer-in-Training certification (a first step toward PE certification) or those with engineering degrees from accredited engineering programs can join as Members and students in accredited engineering programs can join as Student Members.



Best regards.



Jim Dukelow

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Richland, WA

jim.dukelow@pnl.gov



These comments are mine and have not been reviewed and/or approved by my management or by the US Department of Energy.

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