Dr. Richard Tontodonato is an independent researcher with more than 30 years experience in safety oversight of nuclear facilities, including a lengthy tenure on the technical staff of the U.S. Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board—an independent federal agency charged with safety oversight of the Department of Energy’s defense nuclear facilities complex—and service on the engineering staff of Naval Reactors headquarters as an officer in the U.S. Navy.

Dr. Tontodonato holds a Bachelor of Science in Materials Engineering from Virginia Tech, a Master of Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Virginia, and a Master of Science and doctorate in Science and Technology Studies from Virginia Tech.  His research interests focus on the safety and regulation of civilian applications of nuclear technologies.