Building a Secure Future: Collaboration and Innovation at the RCE Facility

The Radiation Combined Effects (RCE) facility marks a significant milestone in the advancement of radiation test capabilities. This planned investment is a first-of-its-kind capability that addresses critical Testing and Evaluation (T&E) gaps identified for supporting nuclear modernization, which are crucial due the inability to perform underground nuclear testing. NSWC Crane in partnership with Amentum, and other key stakeholders will provide a capability enabling more accurate simulations of the effects of a nuclear event on essential military equipment. Crane and Amentum’s long histories and expertise in radiation-hardened microelectronics positions them as Department of War (DoW) leaders in this niche area, taking on all aspects of radiation hardened microelectronics design, T&E, and subject matter expertise. This discussion will provide an overview the planned RCE facility, its ecosystem, and the collaborative efforts in its development and systemization.

Speaker Bios:

Shana Goodman - Ms. Goodman was appointed Deputy Director for the Global Deterrence and Defense Department in 2025, providing executive leadership and oversight for strategic mission support. Previously, as Strategic Microelectronics Division Manager, she advanced radiation-hardened microelectronics capabilities, overseeing major infrastructure projects that enhanced testing capacity for the Department of War. She also served as NSWC Crane’s first female Chief Engineer in 2017, leading efforts in microelectronics testing and process efficiency. Goodman holds degrees in Electrical Engineering from Rose-Hulman and Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School.

Tammy Walker - Senior Program Manager for the Amentum Crane Operation. She manages the Microelectronics Research Development Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) IAC MAC. Previously, she was Amentum contract support for the Strategic Radiation Hardened Electronics Council (SRHEC). She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Ball State University.

Jacob Savage - Project Manager for the overall Radiation Combined Environment (RCE) effort. He attended Purdue University and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) by the Project Management Institute. Background and experience includes oversight of critical, high-risk programs and projects for the Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Defense (DoD), and the private sector including power generation and pharmaceutical production.

Matthew Bedel - Mr. Matthew Bedel serves as Chief Engineer for Radiation Test Modernization at NSWC Crane, leading efforts to modernize radiation-producing equipment under the Trusted and Assured Microelectronics Program. He is also the Navy’s Technical Point of Contact for the Radiation Combined Environment Test Capability project, supporting nuclear modernization testing. With over 20 years of experience in radiation effects, Bedel previously managed the Radiation Advanced Projects and Radiation Sciences branches at NSWC Crane. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Rose-Hulman and a master’s in Professional Practice from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Enjoy our co-working space for free before the event.

Join us for an hour of snacks, drinks and networking after the presentation.

Questions? Email Samantha Nelson, Program Manager, Purdue@WestGate,
sjnelson@prf.org.