Nuclear Power: the Climate Change Saviour? - 17th May 2022

Many countries around the world commiteed to decarbonisation targets at the COP26 summit.  However, there needs to be a dramatic shift in how electricity is generated to phase out coal and other fossil fuels.  One potential solution is nuclear technology, from existing fission technology that can be scaled up, to exciting new methods of power generation.  Scaling up fission encompasses economic considerations, waste disposal issues, and security concerns, yet the nuclear industry's target is to provide 25% of the global energy supply by 2050.

This seminar will aim to educate by bringing together speakers from nuclear policy, and leaders in nuclear technology and communication to discuss these important issues, and the new opportunities in the nuclear industry.  The format will be as a panel discussion where moderators will pose a number of questions about these areas before opening up to questions from the audience.

The Panel

Dr Thomas Davis: Dr Davis, an Oxford DPhil graduate, is the President and Chief Technology Officer at Oxford Sigma, bsaed at the Harwell campus.  As well as suporting the defence industry, Thomas is an entrepreneur, involved in the development of fusion energy technologies.   Oxford Sigma are keystone to hte UK efforts in addressing nuclear waste, while innovating defence energy systems with new technologies including Breeder Blanket Technology and Plasma-Facing Components.

Franklin Servan-Schrieber: Franklin is an author and entrepreneur with an international career at the intersection of software, publishing, philanthropy and sports.  He completed a B.S. Electrical and Computer Engienering, and an M.S Applied History, at Carnegie Mellon University.  His priority to fight climate change started with the Race for Water foundation to raise awareness about plastic pollution of the Oceans.  Today, he is the co-founder and president of a Fission Energy startup, Transmutex, based in Geneva, which aims to reduce the longevity of nuclear waste by 1000, while generating carbon-free energy using Thorium transmutation.

Dr Peter Martin: Dr Martin is an international expert in nuclear materials, radiation detection and nuclear energy and reactor accidents, who in 2020 was awarded the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) Research Fellowship.  Dr Martin conducts his research in the School of Physics at the University of Bristol, where he works to develop responsive, higher-resolution and lower cost platforms for detecting and preventing the unauthorised movement of radioactive materials, as well as the radiological monitoring networks in which they reside.

Please register for this event at this link https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/323824205917