Zachary Petersen
Zachary is a senior undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin–Madison pursuing a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering with additional majors in Physics and Astrophysics. He has conducted research relating to national security and radiation transport at two of the nation’s premier national laboratories, Lawrence Livermore and Oak Ridge, and brings that applied experience to his work with the Evident group.
Education & Background
As a Student Researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory through the Defense Science and Technology Internship Program (Summers 2025 and 2026), Zachary modeled the far-field radiation transport from wartime bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with the goal of validating historical dose data. This work directly supported strategic deterrence and survivability efforts at the laboratory.
Methods & Skills
- Python
- High-performance computing
- Parallel programming
- MCNP
- SCALE
Research Interests
- Analysis of foreign weapons capabilities
- Nuclear weapon security and detonation forensics
- Applications of detection technologies
Current Projects
Zachary is modeling the effects of high-altitude nuclear explosions, including gamma-ray attenuation, satellite destruction, EMP generation, and electron trapping in the Van Allen Belts. This work is integrated into a larger effort to build a comprehensive nuclear war simulator capturing the full scope of devastation from realistic conflict scenarios.
Honors & Fellowships
- Hagengruber Undergraduate Support Fund — Physics Department Exceptional Promise for Future in Physics Student Award
- The Dorothy Marshall Frawley Scholarship to honor Charles J. Marshall Frawley, College of Engineering
- Mensel, Robert J. Scholarship, College of Engineering
- Department of Nuclear Engineering & Engineering Physics Scholarship
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission Scholarship (2024, 2025)
- NSSC–LLNL Nuclear Security Summer School (2026)
Location
431 Engineering Research Bldg,
1500 Engineering Dr, Madison, WI 53711
Contact
LinkedIn
Outside the Lab
Zachary plays music in the UW Marching Band and competes in hockey.
Work with us
We are building an interdisciplinary team of researchers working across science, engineering, and policy to advance nuclear security and arms control.
about evident
Independent research and new technologies to understand and reduce the risks posed by nuclear weapons.
Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, MacArthur Foundation, PAX sapiens, Longview Philanthropy, and the Ploughshares Fund.