Titans Of Nuclear | Interviewing World Experts on Nuclear Energy
1,001 episodes - English - Latest episode: 12 days ago - ★★★★★ - 188 ratingsA podcast featuring interviews with experts throughout the Nuclear Energy field, covering advanced technology, economics, policy, industry, and more.
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Episodes
Ep 347: Jean-Michel Hoorelbeke - Andra
January 03, 2022 14:38 - 25 minutes - 23.6 MB1) Jean-Michel Hoorelbeke’s path to a nuclear energy career through his mining engineering education 2) How France’s Underground Research Laboratory verified the feasibility of the nuclear waste geological repository 3) The progression of Cigéo from the research phase to the industrial phase 4) Remaining research for France’s nuclear waste storage & disposal plans
Ep 346: Thomas Branche - Assystem
December 22, 2021 21:39 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MB1) Thomas' career trajectory from public service to private industry 2) The many roles Thomas has played at Assystem across many different geographies 3) Private industry's role in accelerating the clean energy transition throughout Europe 4) Thomas' vision for the future of nuclear energy around the world
Ep 345: Kamen Kraev - NucNet
December 20, 2021 20:11 - 34 minutes - 31.2 MB1) Kamen Kraev's path to journalism and how he ended up writing about nuclear energy 2) The history of NucNet, one of the world's leading nuclear publications 3) Communications challenges within nuclear energy and what communications professionals can do to help 4) Kamen's hopes for the future of nuclear as an energy source
Ep 344: Madeleine Archer - Sellafield Ltd.
December 15, 2021 19:04 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MB1) Madeleine's path to nuclear, starting with her industrial placement year at Sellafield 2) Madeleine's previous roles managing operations at Sellafield's sludge packaging facility and fleet maintenance facilities 3) How Sellafield uses flasks to transport nuclear waste inside and outside of the site 4) Madeleine's role managing Sellafield's COVID-19 response and maintaining operations throughout the pandemic
Ep 343: Rory O'Sullivan - Moltex Energy
December 13, 2021 14:27 - 39 minutes - 35.8 MB1) Rory O'Sullivan's early career working in construction and on a wind farm 2) Rory's introduction to molten salt reactors and his early work researching this technology 3) A look at Moltex's technology including WATSS which provides the ability to recycle nuclear waste 4) Rory's vision for future deployment of Moltex reactors in Canada
Ep 342: Sylvie Bermann - World Nuclear Exhibition
December 10, 2021 15:23 - 18 minutes - 17.3 MB1. Sylvie Bermann's background as the French Ambassador to the United Kingdom, France, and Russia. 2. A deep dive into the 2021 World Nuclear Exhibition and GIFEN's role in hosting the event. 3. A look at the WNE Awards Ceremony, including the first-ever WNE Fellow Award 4. Sylvie Bermann's vision for the future of nuclear energy in France and around the world
Ep. 341- WNE 2021: Introduction
December 08, 2021 18:33 - 17 minutes - 15.7 MBTitans of Nuclear host Jadwiga Najder and producer Olivia Columbus provide an in-depth look at the 2021 World Nuclear Exhibition.
Ep 340: Emmet Penney - Nuclear Barbarians
December 07, 2021 13:22 - 1 hour - 74.1 MB1) Emmet Penney’s philosophical journey to nuclear energy & what changed his mind along the way 2) A comparison of strategies for nuclear power plant build-out in the US 3) How to replace coal power with nuclear and why deregulation is the key first step 4) Challenges in culture & communication in the nuclear space
Ep 338: Andy Prendergast - GMB
November 18, 2021 20:34 - 44 minutes - 40.3 MB1) Andy Prendergast introduces the GMB general union and its role in UK’s nuclear industry 2) Strategies for closing and maintaining the skills gap needed to build new nuclear 3) UK’s projected job growth related to nuclear technology export 4) How the GMB is advocating for nuclear’s long term impacts on skilled careers, the UK economy, and global climate change
Ep 338: Robin Manley - Ontario Power Generation
November 10, 2021 20:23 - 1 hour - 60 MB1) Robin Manley explains how OPG has shifted its small modular reactor (SMR) deployment strategy 2) The final three contenders for Canada’s first SMR build 3) How the CNSC is integrated into preliminary design analysis & operating plant monitoring 4) Looking at future advanced reactor & microreactor possibilities in Ontario
Ep 337: Cesare Frepoli - FPoli Solutions
November 01, 2021 13:26 - 54 minutes - 49.8 MB1) Cesare Frepoli reflects on how & why he continued to pursue a nuclear engineering career in the aftermath of Chernobyl 2) The role of integrated test facilities in new nuclear plant safety analyses 3) How the licensing and certification process is evolving and adapting to another dimension of nuclear power 4) Keys to building a company and a team focused on complex, technically challenging projects
Ep 336: Matt Yglesias - Slow Boring
October 27, 2021 18:49 - 1 hour - 88 MB1. Matt’s early career working in blogging and launching Vox 2. Matt’s newest project, Slow Boring, and his recent piece on nuclear power 3. Differences in regulatory structures between nuclear energy and other heavily regulated sectors 4. Opportunities for new nuclear development around the world
Ep 335: Ian Hore-Lacy - World Nuclear Association
October 20, 2021 13:42 - 45 minutes - 41.4 MB1) Ian Hore-Lacy remembers how his book “Nuclear Electricity” came about 40 years ago 2) The current state of Australia’s energy infrastructure & its stance on nuclear power 3) Comparing 1960s nuclear power plant construction & ways small modular reactors can improve production cost 4) The future of nuclear in Australia
Ep 334: Lonnie Stephenson - International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
October 11, 2021 18:17 - 42 minutes - 38.7 MB1. Lonnie's career as an electrical worker and early involvement in the IBEW 2. The IBEW's role representing workers both at the local and federal level 3. Lonnie's recent op-ed on the importance of nuclear energy 4. Lonnie's role as an advisor to the presidential transition team
Ep 333: Robert Hargraves - ThorCon
October 07, 2021 18:03 - 57 minutes - 52.4 MB1. Robert’s early introduction to nuclear energy and thorium reactors 2. Robert’s recent Wall Street Journal op-ed and the linear no-threshold hypothesis 3. A look at Thorcon’s concept of building a small modular reactor (SMR) using shipbuilding techniques 4. Thorcon’s plans to deploy an SMR in Indonesia
Ep 332: Adrian Bull - The University of Manchester
September 27, 2021 13:19 - 1 hour - 61.8 MB1) Adrian Bull’s journey through the nuclear industry, from modeling and research to communications 2) How Adrian worked with Japanese leadership to rethink communication strategies – direct & indirect - after Fukushima 3) The process of building & maintaining a nuclear cultural heritage in the UK’s communities 4) Ways to maximize the supply chain in the UK to support the rollout of new nuclear
Ep 331: Laura Leay - Science Writer
September 13, 2021 11:00 - 36 minutes - 33.5 MB1) Laura Leay breaks down how inactive versions of high-level nuclear waste are used to study & improve processes 2) Ways that knowledge exchange programs can be used to build up a facility’s resume to support long-term projects 3) Technological, generational, and behavioral changes inside the nuclear industry 4) How familiarity impacts perception and how to bring familiarity to nuclear energy
Ep 330: Mark Nelson - Radiant Energy Fund
August 30, 2021 11:00 - 1 hour - 75 MB1) Mark Nelson looks at the breakdowns in the nuclear industry today & how attracting top talent can change the course 2) The danger and potential consequences of over-optimization in nuclear power plant design 3) Mark shares how he made his viral graph comparing CO2 emissions of France and Germany 4) Why fully operational, paid-for, carbon-free nuclear plants are getting shut down around the world & how to make an impact
Ep 329: Austin Lo - Oak Ridge National Laboratory
August 23, 2021 16:22 - 1 hour - 57.8 MB1) Austin Lo walks through the process of thermionic energy conversion and why General Motors got involved in nuclear reactor research in the 1960s 2) Benefits & challenges of thermionics for space nuclear power applications 3) A comparison of how nuclear R&D has evolved over time and alongside regulatory changes 4) Expanding nuclear innovation to cultural growth, discovery, and new inventions
Ep 328: Allan Carson - World Nuclear Association
August 16, 2021 14:24 - 57 minutes - 52.5 MB1) How the UK nuclear market has shifted from decommissioning to new builds and the current state of the industry 2) Why fully-functioning nuclear reactors require design changes when crossing international borders into new regulatory requirements 3) Allan Carson’s path to the World Nuclear Association to pursue international cooperation in reactor design 4) Plans for a future with regulatory collaboration and the direct impacts to clean energy & climate change
Ep 327: Jay Wileman - GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy
August 09, 2021 19:53 - 1 hour - 59.1 MB1) Jay Wileman explains how the GE and Hitachi partnership started and how it’s evolved over the years 2) A breakdown of the five different value streams GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy brings to its customers 3) Advantages of the up-and-coming BWRX-300 reactor in the global nuclear space 4) Why keeping and maintaining existing nuclear plants is key to achieving climate goals
Ep 326: Paul Nevitt - National Nuclear Laboratory
August 03, 2021 13:41 - 57 minutes - 52.4 MB1) Why bringing manufacturing back to the UK is critical for controlling emissions 2) Paul Nevitt walks through how his early chemistry linked to nuclear through UK’s defense sector study of actinides 3) Role of the National Nuclear Laboratory in driving collaboration towards achieving climate goals 4) A spotlight on some feature projects at the Nuclear Innovation Research Office
Ep 325: Jeremy Gordon - Fluent in Energy
July 26, 2021 15:14 - 54 minutes - 49.7 MB1) The story of how Jeremy Gordon stumbled into editing Nuclear Engineering International Magazine with zero background in nuclear 2) Jeremy’s transition to the World Nuclear Association and how he built World Nuclear News 3) Fukushima as a case study for how to communicate about a developing emergency situation at a nuclear power plant 4) Why creating alliances and collaboration with outside sectors is key to salvaging the nuclear industry’s social license
Ep 324: Callum Thomas - Thomas Thor Associates
July 21, 2021 13:31 - 46 minutes - 42.3 MB1) How Callum Thomas identified the human resources need in the nuclear industry, leading to the startup of his organization, Thomas Thor 2) Challenges and opportunities in finding and recruiting skilled personnel into the global nuclear workforce 3) Ways Thomas Thor is advocating for the nuclear industry and encouraging people to do independent research and come to their own conclusions about the technology 4) Why diversity and inclusion is key to successful collaboration and execu...
Ep 323: Fiona Reilly - FiRE Energy
July 14, 2021 13:04 - 1 hour - 57 MB1. How Fiona Reilly’s nuclear career started as a commercial lawyer visiting a nuclear power plant during a refueling outage 2. The key to building future nuclear projects through a combination of risk sharing and profit sharing 3. How technology parks, medical isotopes, and fusion can play an important role in UK’s leveling up economic agenda 4. Considerations for financing energy projects and a breakdown of early project development costs
Ep 322: Jason Crawford - Roots of Progress
July 12, 2021 12:33 - 1 hour - 67.9 MB1) What led Jason Crawford to make the jump from Silicon Valley to a focus on the history of technology and philosophy of progress 2) How Jason got into writing and connected with some of his favorite economic historians through a viral post on the invention of the bicycle 3) The critical events that strangled nuclear energy progress in its early years and a look at the bottlenecks it faces today 4) A sneak peek of Jason’s book, Roots of Progress, and a call to action to pay it forwa...
Ep 321: Lindsay Morton - National Cancer Institute
July 07, 2021 13:31 - 1 hour - 57.5 MB1) Lindsay Morton reflects on how she discovered the field of epidemiology and how it satisfied her love for math, biology, and research 2) How the National Cancer Institute contributes to global cancer research and a look at the projects they pursue internally 3) Why studying the impacts of radiation on the human body is so complex and some of the testing methodologies and biometrics used 4) A review of past and ongoing cancer studies related to the Chernobyl incident and how it in...
Ep 320: Stephen Chanock - National Cancer Institute
June 30, 2021 15:08 - 1 hour - 61.3 MB1. Dr. Chanock's early career in medicine, dedicating his work to cancer research 2. The National Cancer Institute's role within the National Institute of Health and why they decided to pursue studies on Chernobyl 3. A deep dive into the NCI's two most recent studies on Chernobyl, the largest of their kind 4. A look at the results of those studies and their larger applications for public health
Ep 319: Andrzej Strupczewski - National Center for Nuclear Research
June 28, 2021 16:09 - 55 minutes - 50.9 MB1. Andrzej's early career leading the startup of Poland's Maria research reactor 2. His work at the IAEA and experiences traveling to plants around the world 3. Lessons learned about the safety of nuclear power plants from the Fukushima accident 4. Andrzej's belief's around changing the approach to the effects of small doses of radiation
Ep 318: Michel Berthélemy - Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD)
June 23, 2021 13:43 - 53 minutes - 49 MB1. Michel's early work as an economist with the CEA 2. Michel's shift into the policy space at the OECD-NEA 3. The economics of nuclear energy and how it differs from other energy sectors 4. Learning from past experiences in the development of new nuclear projects
Ep 317: Ben Levitt - Zap Energy
June 21, 2021 13:15 - 1 hour - 72.1 MB1) Ben Levitt reflects on the path that led him through the world of physics into fusion technology development at Zap Energy 2) How observations from the 18th century contributed to the understanding of the Z-pinch concept 3) The process of achieving scientific and commercial break-even in deuterium-tritium fusion 4) Why fusion is key to the success and sustainability of humanity now and in the future
Ep 316: Arun Khuttan, Sophie Zienkiewicz, Neil Calder - Net Zero Needs Nuclear
June 16, 2021 13:53 - 36 minutes - 33.4 MB1) Arun Khuttan gives a brief history of COP and how the nuclear community has been involved in the past 2) Neil Calder introduces how the Net Zero Needs Nuclear campaign is asking international leaders to reassess their energy policies 3) Sophie Zienkiewicz explains the outreach strategy, both within and outside the nuclear sector, for starting more conversations around nuclear 4) Why the younger generation of nuclear professionals is so passionate about fighting climate change wit...
Ep 315: George Verberg - Urenco
June 09, 2021 13:53 - 55 minutes - 51 MB1) George Verberg’s early exposure to energy working in the Government of the Netherlands 2) His work in natural gas at Gasunie and as President of the International Gas Union 3) George’s work as a nuclear advocate in the Netherlands 4) Future opportunities for nuclear development in the Netherlands
Ep 314: Richard Meserve - Nuclear Regulatory Commission
June 07, 2021 13:45 - 49 minutes - 45.3 MB1. Richard Meserve's accidental introduction to nuclear working in the White House Science Advisor's office during Three Mile Island 2. Richard's appointment to the NRC and his role as Chairman 3. Takeaways from the Fukushima accident its impact on perceptions of nuclear 4. Opportunities for the development of advanced reactors and their role in tackling climate change
Ep 313: Esam Hussein - University of Regina
June 01, 2021 18:15 - 1 hour - 61.3 MB1) Esam Hussein’s journey from Egypt to Canada in the pursuit of a career in nuclear engineering 2) An in-depth look at the intricacies of the CANDU reactors and how they’ve evolved 3) A comparative analysis of different SMR designs in terms of technology and modularity 4) How to optimize capital cost and operating cost in nuclear power plants
Ep 312: Isabelle Boemeke - Isodope
May 26, 2021 19:15 - 58 minutes - 53.1 MB1) Isabelle Boemeke’s journey through her modeling career, leading her to entrepreneurship and eventually, environmentalism 2) How Isodope, Isabelle’s social media character, is making nuclear energy relatable and relevant for the masses 3)Strategies for educating and engaging the public in climate change conversation 4) A look at the electricity & emissions impacts California will see if Diablo Canyon shuts down for good
Ep 311: Chris Gadomski - Bloomberg New Energy Finance
May 24, 2021 13:54 - 59 minutes - 54.2 MB1) How Chris Gadomski’s childhood memories of the 1970s oil embargo shaped his view on energy forever 2) The links between oil, renewables, and nuclear through the STEEP plus W analysis 3) A comparison of the nuclear industries in China, Russia, and the United States through the decades 4) Why operating nuclear reactors are getting shut down in the US and the impact on net-zero goals if the trend continues
Ep 310: Rickey Ruff - Global Nuclear Concepts
May 19, 2021 12:45 - 56 minutes - 51.3 MB1) How the global fashion industry led Rickey Ruff to go door-to-door to factories in Hong Kong 2) The role of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in Rickey’s journey to pursue clean energy 3) Why the international fashion supply chain is the perfect industry for microreactor deployment 4) This year’s newest feature at the New York Fashion Week: nuclear energy
Ep 309: Anicet Touré - Tractebel Engie
May 17, 2021 12:30 - 59 minutes - 54.5 MB1) Anicet Touré gives a brief history of Belgium’s nuclear industry and the role of Tractebel 2) The opposing influences of Germany and France on Europe’s stance on nuclear 3) Four questions to ask when determining the business case of small modular reactors in your country 4) How SMRs can open new market opportunities for multiple industries, including the steel and petrochemical sectors
Ep 308: Steven Arndt - Oak Ridge National Laboratory
May 12, 2021 13:22 - 1 hour - 65.4 MB1) A look at Steven Arndt’s early studies in nuclear instrumentation & controls and probabilistic risk assessments 2) How the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has adapted to a changing industry over the years 3) What the regulation change or exemption process looks like for new reactor licensees 4) How the American Nuclear Society is working to get nuclear on a level playing field in the energy industry
Ep 307: Sama Bilbao y León - World Nuclear Association
May 10, 2021 12:53 - 56 minutes - 51.8 MB1) Sama’s introduction to the energy industry and how she got hooked on nuclear 2) The study of heat transfer correlation between corium and concrete in a core meltdown 3) How to address the system cost of energy technologies and factor in decarbonization 4) Why it’s important to get nuclear energy included in Europe’s sustainable financing taxonomy
Ep 306: Zion Lights - Emergency Reactor
May 05, 2021 11:00 - 1 hour - 55.3 MB1) What led Zion Lights to change her mind and dedicate her life to sharing nuclear with others 2) Why traditional conversations surrounding nuclear limit our ability to stop climate change 3) A sneak peek into Zion’s new grassroots movement, Emergency Reactor 4) How to take action against climate change and participate during a pandemic
Ep 305: Bismark Tyobeka - National Nuclear Regulator
May 03, 2021 13:24 - 1 hour - 55.7 MB1) How Dr. Bismark Tyobeka’s early interest in physics led him into the study of radiation and nuclear reactors 2) A brief history of nuclear technology development in South Africa 3) The importance of collaboration in Dr. Tyobeka’s professional development 4) What the future of nuclear looks like in South Africa, and some global insights
Ep 304: Mary Lou Dunzik-Gougar - American Nuclear Society
April 28, 2021 12:57 - 1 hour - 55.4 MB1) What led Mary Lou to shift from teaching high school students to a joint appointment at Idaho National Labs and Idaho State University 2) Her work in South Africa at the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor 3) Mary Lou's involvement in the American Nuclear Society from member to president 4) The many applications of nuclear and opportunities it offers for the future
Ep 303: Lars Roobol - RIVM
April 26, 2021 13:00 - 59 minutes - 54.8 MB1) Why Lars Roobol’s early interest in radiation was triggered by the incident at Chernobyl 2) How the material test reactor in the Netherlands contributes to nuclear medicine 3) A comparison of risk communication and public perception of nuclear and other industries 4) Lars discusses some market incentives to encourage clean energy across sectors
Ep 302: Dan Stout - Tennessee Valley Authority
April 21, 2021 11:00 - 56 minutes - 51.3 MB1) Dan’s early work in various uranium enrichment methods and technologies 2) The origin of the TVA and its unique model within the U.S. government 3) The TVA’s work on the Clinch River Nuclear Technology Park 4) Innovative approaches to site permitting, advanced construction methods, and supporting new nuclear
Ep 301: Brett Rampal - Clean Air Task Force
April 14, 2021 11:00 - 1 hour - 58.4 MB1) Brett’s first introduction to nuclear as a University of Florida undergraduate 2) Brett’s career transition from nuclear engineer to nuclear policy expert 3) The Clean Air Task Force’s role in supporting nuclear energy as a tool to decarbonize the energy grid 4) The future of nuclear energy and projects that Brett is excited to see become a reality
Ep 300: Michelle Brechtelsbauer - Energy Impact Center
April 12, 2021 11:00 - 53 minutes - 50.2 MB1) Michelle's career spanning from engineering to public policy 2) The Energy Impact Center's (EIC) work and partnering with the University of Michigan for the Nuclear Grand Prize Challenge 3) An update on the Nuclear Grand Prize Challenge and other EIC projects 4) Michelle's work on Open100 and her goals for the future of the project
Ep 299: Björn Peters - Peters Coll.
April 07, 2021 13:17 - 59 minutes - 54.8 MB1. Björn's career as an energy financier 2. Björn's introduction to nuclear energy, shifting from a critic to advocate 3. The German Energiewende policy and its impact on the country's energy makeup 4. Challenges nuclear energy faces in Germany and efforts to expand nuclear around the world
Ep 298: Alan Woods - Rolls Royce
April 05, 2021 11:00 - 1 hour - 64.4 MB1) Rolls Royce’s broad scope of work in aircrafts, defense, and power 2) Alan’s role in helping to develop Rolls Royce’s nuclear program 3) Rolls Royce’s plan to develop an SMR by 2029 4) The nuances and challenges of financing new nuclear projects