Adam Hecht is a Professor of Nuclear Engineering at the University of New Mexico (UNM), leading research in radiation detection, nuclear nonproliferation, and fission data. He holds a Ph.D. from Yale University (2004) and has held academic positions since 2008, progressing from Assistant to Associate Professor before becoming full Professor in 2022. His work focuses on advanced detector development (e.g., AlSb semiconductors, perovskites), muon imaging for spent fuel verification, and machine learning applications in radiation spectroscopy. He directs the UNM Radiation Research and Detector Development (R²D²) lab and co-leads the Center for Nuclear Nonproliferation Science and Technology (CNNST). Education: Ph.D. Physics (Yale, 2004), M.Phil. (Yale, 2001), M.S. (Yale, 1998), B.S. Physics (UC Irvine, 1997). Research emphasizes fission fragment measurements, nonproliferation technologies, and environmental radiation analysis. He has authored/co-authored over 70 peer-reviewed articles, with recent work on neutron multiplicity, detector materials, and muon tomography for nuclear safeguards. Research interests span experimental nuclear physics, including SPIDER fission spectrometry, novel detector materials (AlSb, perovskites), and radiation data mining. Awards include the J.W. Gibbs Fellowship (Yale). Collaborations include LANL, UNLV, and the Canadian Penning Trap mass spectrometry projects. Students and postdocs in his lab work on projects such as fission yield measurements, neutrino detection, and neutron/gamma identification algorithms. Key contributions include the development of the UNM Fission Fragment Spectrometer and advancements in room-temperature semiconductor detectors. His work bridges fundamental nuclear science with applied security needs, including projects funded by DOE, DTRA, and NSF.










