Richard Evans Cunningham

Richard Evans Cunningham passed away February 21, 2023, his loving wife, Margaret of 57 years by his side. He was born in Wexford, PA, December 3, 1928, eldest son of Col. Hugh J. Cunningham (USA Ret) and Anna Evans Cunningham. He is predeceased by his brother, Roy T. Cunningham and sister Pat Golbitz. He is survived by many nieces and nephews in D.C., Massachusetts and Hawaii.

Richard received a BA in Physics from Washington and Jefferson College, an MS in Radiological Physics from Harvard University and was a Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. He served in the United States Army from 1953 to 1955.

His career spanned 39 years of service with the U.S. Atomic Agency Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. For many years prior to retirement from government in 1994, he directed a major NRC division, the Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety, with responsibilities for the regulation of the nuclear fuel cycle facilities, the transportation of nuclear materials and the use of radioactive materials in research, industry and medicine. Technical aspects of the program included nuclear and radiation safety assessment; environmental protection; emergency response; decommissioning and waste management. Richard was fully involved with the evolution of the AEC/NRC regulatory program governing the use of radioisotopes; the nuclear fuel cycle; mill stabilization, and storage of special nuclear material and irradiated fuel.

Related international activities include service as the NRC Delegate to and past Chairman of the OECD/Nuclear Energy Agency’s Committee on Radiation Protection and Public Health, Paris, France; expert consultant on numerous occasions to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria and member of the International Commission on Radiological Protection’s Committee Four Application of Commission Recommendations. His extensive consulting services to the IAEA included the development of guidance documents related to safety and national infrastructures for safety, preparation of IAEA criteria for assessment of national radiation safety infrastructures, participation in team assessments of national radiation and waste safety infrastructures in Viet Nam, Armenia and Cypress, and the preparation of country radiation and waste safety profiles and country status reports for 14 countries, including Uzbekistan, Pakistan and China.

Richard’s awards and publications include: Oak Ridge Institute of Nuclear Studies Fellowship, Princeton University Fellowship, Nuclear Regulatory Commission Meritorious Service Award, Society of Nuclear Medicine, Distinguished Service Award, Presidential Senior Executive Service Award. Richard was invited to publish or present numerous papers on the regulation of nuclear activities, radiation safety transportation, low-level waste and other subjects.