1. THOMAS LEE RUCKER
Education:
University of Tennessee, Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry (Radiochemistry Emphasis, Health Physics
Minor), 1988
University of Tennessee, M.S., Environmental Chemistry (Analytical Emphasis), 1977
David Lipscomb University, B.S., Chemistry (Biochemistry Emphasis), 1975
Experience Summary:
Dr. Rucker has 41 years of experience in analytical chemistry, radiochemistry, radiological
detection and measurement, dose and risk assessment, environmental and waste management, and
nuclear material disposition, control, accountability, non-proliferation. His experience
radiochemistry and radiation detection and measurement includes laboratory management;
laboratory automation; research and development; quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC)
program management; document/procedure preparation and review; personnel training; method
development; equipment purchasing, setup, and calibration; data interpretation; information
management, and statistical analysis. He has extensive experience in alpha and gamma
spectroscopy, liquid scintillation counting, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, and nuclear
nondestructive and field analysis techniques. Dr. Rucker also has extensive experience in
analytical data evaluation, validation, and management.
Dr. Rucker's radiological monitoring, dose and risk assessment, environmental and waste
management, and nuclear non-proliferation experience includes evaluation and preparation of
recommendations for radiological effluent and environmental monitoring programs; the
interpretation and implementation of radiation protection regulations in technical basis documents
for internal dosimetry, air monitoring, radiological survey, and contamination control;
establishment of internal dosimetry bioassay programs; evaluation of nuclear accident dosimetry
programs; development of site and facility characterization plans; development of analytical data
summary reports; development and verification of characterization databases and dose calculation
software; development of waste characterization plans; evaluation of waste characterization data;
and preparation of waste minimization reports, special nuclear material control and accountability,
and high enriched uranium transparency monitoring. He has participated in the development or
review of environmental assessments (EAs), environmental impact statements (EISs),
decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) plans and reports and D&D Funding Plans for
NRC license termination, ALARA assessments, air and water quality studies, data management
and validation studies, waste characterization plans; waste certification assessments, sampling and
analysis plans (SAPs), data quality objectives, field sampling plans, quality assurance project plans
(QAPPs), health and safety plans, remedial investigation reports, pathway analyses, dose
assessments, and human health risk assessments. He has also developed training materials and
conducted training in the areas of Radiation Measurements and Instrumentation, Radiation
Detection and Measurement, Determination and Use of Radiological Decision Levels and Minimal
Detectable Activities, Radioactivity and Radiation Basics, Background Radiation and Typical
Exposures, Internal Dosimetry, External Dosimetry, Verification and Validation of Radiological
Data, Statistical Sampling and Analysis, and Statistical Treatment of Radiochemical Data for
Dose and Risk Assessment.
Employment History:
Dr. Rucker joined Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC, now renamed Leidos)
in 1987 as a Senior Radiochemist. He provides technical and project leadership for a team of
health physicists and radiochemists in providing radiological characterization, assessment, and
protection services. Dr. Rucker specializes in radionuclide measurement and dose/risk assessment
for human health and environment protection. He also provides expertise in other areas of
analytical chemistry, environmental chemistry, and health physics including environmental
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2. monitoring, waste management, and nuclear safeguards and security. Dr. Rucker is an
experienced project manager serving as the principal investigator and being responsible for
delivery of services and products on time and within.
Before joining SAIC, Dr. Rucker served as a Research Associate at the Oak Ridge National
Laboratory with Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., from 1984 to 1987. Dr. Rucker provided
radiochemistry procedures and radiation counting facilities development and upgrade for the
Radioactive Materials Analytical Laboratory in 1987. From 1985 to 1987, he developed a
scintillator-fiber radiation detector for flow-cell applications, such as liquid chromatography
effluents, in the Radiochemical Research and Development Group. From 1984 to 1985, he
worked in the Low-Level Radiochemical Analysis Group where he supervised counting activities,
developed radiochemical methods, and conducted QA activities. He also developed a system for
automated ion exchange separations of radionuclides in environmental samples.
Dr. Rucker also worked at the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant with Union Carbide Nuclear
Division from 1977 to 1984. From 1981 to 1984, as Group Leader of the Radioanalysis Group,
Dr. Rucker was responsible for overall management of the group, including supervision of seven
senior laboratory analysts. He also developed and taught a "Fundamentals of Radioanalysis"
course for the training of laboratory analysts and health physics technicians. As a development
chemist in the Radioanalysis Group from 1977 to 1981, he was responsible for the development
of cost effective and sensitive methods of analysis for the determination of radionuclides in
bioassay, environmental, waste, and process samples. He was also responsible for the
development and analysis of environmental and process samples by GC/Mass Spectrometry. He
was also involved in Nuclear Accident Dosimetry Testing and Evaluation Programs. He also
served as the Technical Services Division QA Coordinator and was responsible for the QA
program for a division of 400 people.
From 1975 to 1977, Dr. Rucker served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of
Tennessee in the Department of Chemistry, where he taught freshman chemistry classes and labs
and tutored in analytical chemistry.
Dr. Rucker worked as a Laboratory Analyst for Associated Water and Air Resources Engineers
(AWARE) Inc. (now know as Ekenfelder Inc.), from 1973 to 1975. He worked in the laboratory
of this environmental engineering consulting firm where he performed a full array of water and air
quality analyses and testing supporting many waste treatability studies. He also developed
analytical procedures, prepared results for clients, participated in public relations and marketing
activities, evaluated cost, trained analysts, and, on occasion, supervised the laboratory.
Professional Activities:
Health Physics Society - Plenary Member; Board Member of Decommissioning Section;
Member of National Academic Education Committee; President of East Tennessee Chapter;
Council Member of East Tennessee Chapter
American Chemical Society - Plenary Member; Member of Nuclear Chemistry Division; Member
of East Tennessee Local Section
Specialized Technical Training:
Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM) Training; RESRAD,
RESRAD-BUILD, and RESRAD-RECYCLE Training Courses; “Decontamination and
Decommissioning of Radiologically-Contaminated Facilities” – ITRC Training Course; “Decision
Framework for Applying Attenuation Processes to Metals and Radionuclides” – ITRC Training
Course; “Use of Risk Assessment in Management of Contaminated Sites” - ITRC Training
Course; “Soil Sampling and Decision Making Using Incremental Sampling Methodology” - ITRC
Training Program; "Traceability and Uncertainty" - U.S. Department of Energy National
Analytical Management Program (NAMP) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Webinar;
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3. “Radium Chemistry” U.S. Department of Energy National Analytical Management Program
(NAMP) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Webinar; “Gamma Spectrometry” U.S.
Department of Energy National Analytical Management Program (NAMP) and U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency Webinar; “Design of Experiments” - Statistical Course; “EPA
Unified Statistical Guidance” Webinar; “EPA ProUCL” Webinar; EPA/GSA “Implementing
CERCLA Section 120(h)” Webinar; High Enriched Uranium (HEU) Transparency
Implementation Program; “In-Plant Nondestructive Assay Instrumentation” – Safeguards
Technology Training Program, Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Publications:
Rucker, T.L., Salaymeh, S.R., McCurdy, D.E., Griggs, J.G., “American National Standard -
Verification and Validation of Radiological Data for Use in Waste Management and
Environmental Remediation,” American Nuclear Society, ANSI/ANS-41.5-2012, (2012).
Rucker, T.L., “Calculation of Decision Levels and Minimum Detectable Concentrations from
Method Blank and Sample Uncertainty Data – Utopian Statistics,” Journal of
Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 248, No. 1, 191 (2001).
Johnson, C. M., Jr., Rucker, T. L., "Beyond Contract Compliance: Common Problems found
During Validation of Radioanalytical Data," Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear
Chemistry, 248, No. 1, 197 (2001).
Rucker, T. L., Johnson, C. M., Jr., “Relationship between Isotopic Uranium Activities and Total
Uranium at Various Uranium Enrichments,” Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear
Chemistry, 235, Nos.1-2, 47-52 (1998).
Rucker, T. L., “Methodologies for the Practical Determination and Use of Method Detection
Limits,” Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 192, No. 2, 345 (1995).
Johnson, C. M., Jr., Rucker, T. L., "CLP Type Data Validation Guidelines for Neutron Activation
Analyses," Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 192, No. 2, 339 (1995).
Rucker, T. L., "Calculational Method for the Resolution of 90
Sr and 89
Sr Counts from Cerenkov
and Liquid Scintillation Counting," Liquid Scintillation Counting and Organic
Scintillators, pp 529-535, Lewis Publishers (1991).
Rucker, T. L., Ross, H. H., Schweitzer, G. K., "Fiber Scintillator Flow-Cell Radioactivity
Detector for Liquid Chromatography," Chromatographia, 25, 31 (1988).
Rucker, T. L., Ross, H. H., Schweitzer, G. K., "Monte Carlo Modeling of Fiber-Scintillator Flow-
Cell Radiation Detector Geometry," Nuc. Instr. and Meth., A267, 511 (1988).
Rucker, T. L., Ross, H. H., Schweitzer, G. K., "Computer Modeling of Fiber-Scintillator Flow-
Cell Radiation Detector Geometry," Trans. Am. Nuc. Soc., 55, 52 (1987).
Rucker, T. L., "A Multi-Column Step-Gradient Chromatography System for Automated Ion
Exchange Separations," Analytical Chemistry Instrumentation, pp. 239-249, Lewis
Publishers (1986).
Rucker, T. L., Mullins, W. T., "Radioanalysis of Technetium-99 at the Oak Ridge Gaseous
Diffusion Plant," Radioelement Analysis, pp. 95-100, Ann Arbor Science (1980).
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