Adam Hecht

Adam Hecht is a Professor in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at the University of New Mexico since 2008. He holds a Ph.D. in Physics (Yale University, 2004) and has led multidisciplinary research in radiation detection, nuclear nonproliferation, and detector development. His educational background includes Ph.D., M.Phil., and M.S. in Physics from Yale University (2001-2004) and a B.S. in Physics from the University of California, Irvine (1997).

• Ph.D. in Physics (Yale, 2004)
• M.Phil. in Physics (Yale, 2001)
• M.S. in Physics (Yale, 1999)
• B.S. in Physics (UC Irvine, 1997)

His research focuses on Radiation Detection for nuclear nonproliferation, Fission Fragment Measurement via spectrometers at LANSCE, Muon Imaging for spent fuel casks, and Novel Detector Development (perovskites, AlSb semiconductors). He directs the Radiation Research and Detector Development (R2D2) Laboratory, collaborates with LANL/INL, and advises UNM's Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM) student group.

Key article trends show expertise in Muon Tomography (2025), Neuromorphic Computing for radiation detection (2024), AlSb Semiconductor Detectors (2016), and Fission Data Analysis (2015-2022). His work spans Physics of Atomic Nuclei, Nuclear Instruments and Methods, and Environmental Geochemistry.

Awards include the J.W. Gibbs Fellowship (Yale, 1997-1998). Students advised include Daniel Poulson (Muon Imaging), Richard Blakeley (Fission Spectrometer), Erin Vaughan (AlSb Detectors), and Joseph Morris (Refractive Index Analysis). Collaborations with electrical engineering, Portland State University, and LANL/INL are frequent.