Klaus Mayer

Klaus Mayer obtained his Ph.D. work in 1987 in the field of radiochemistry and analytical chemistry from the University of Karlsruhe. He then worked for two years at the Institute for Transuranium Elements as post-doctoral researcher.

From 1990-1996, he was working for the European Commission at the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements in Geel (Belgium) on nuclear reference materials, on high accuracy mass spectrometric measurements of U, Pu and Th, and on the coordination of support activities to Euratom safeguards and to IAEA. In 1996, he moved to the European Commission - Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Karlsruhe on the development and application of destructive analytical methods for nuclear safeguards purposes. From 1997 to 2010 he chaired the ESARDA Working Group on Destructive Analysis. Today, he is in charge of the JRC's activities on combating illicit trafficking and nuclear forensics.

From 2004 to 2022 he has been co-chairman of the “Nuclear Forensics International Technical Working Group” (ITWG). He has been frequently called upon by the IAEA as consultant in nuclear safeguards and nuclear security and contributes to the work of the “Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism” (GICNT). In 2011, the German magazine “Focus” ranked him among the 100 most influential Germans. Since 2012 he has been lecturing radiochemistry and nuclear forensics at the University of Heidelberg. Overall, Klaus Mayer has more than 30 years’ experience in nuclear science and applications and authored in this period more than 200 scientific publications in this field, including peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and conference papers.