Dr. Cohon earned a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Pennsylvania in 1969. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned a master's degree in civil engineering in 1972 and a Ph.D. in civil engineering in 1973. Dr. Cohon is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, the Institute for Operations Research and Management Science, the American Water Resources Association, and the American Society of Civil Engineers. Dr. Cohon resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. All members are selected solely on the basis of their expertise.
Board members serve part time.
The U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board was created by Congress in the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1987. The Board's mandate is to evaluate the technical and scientific validity of activities undertaken by the Secretary of Energy, including characterizing the Yucca Mountain site and packaging and transporting spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste.