(NuClean) Workshop Discussion Summary
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The Nuclean workshop discussed gaps in nuclear waste management, emphasizing the need for improved communication between stakeholders, including engineers, social scientists, and the public. Key takeaways included the importance of addressing social perceptions of risk and the requirement for educational programs to better integrate nuclear applications into chemical engineering curricula. The workshop identified the need for a collaborative advisory role, R&D support, and public education to effectively tackle nuclear waste challenges.
(NuClean) Workshop Discussion Summary
- 1. Summary from Workshop Discussion NuClean Workshop Nov. 7, 2013
- 2. Discussion • • • • • • Summary of Panels by moderators Where are the gaps and needs? What is the role and focus of NuClean? Who should participate? How to organize NuClean? How to move forward?
- 3. Gaps and Needs Government: Direction and $$ R&D Best Practices Engineering Practice Communities Biggest need lies in the connectors between boxes: management, communication, info flow “Problems are often solved at interfaces”
- 4. Big Take-Aways • Without input from all stakeholders, technological solutions to the nuclear waste problems are not solutions at all if they do not account for social needs and/or the public does not believe they will solve the problem. • Engineers, scientists and other professionals know how to work inside the boxes, but they are less engaged on how to work between them; the greatest need is at the interfaces between the boxes: in the effective flow of information, communications, and appreciation of public perception of risk and of social impacts. This requires working with social scientists, public policy developers, epidemiologists, communities, etc.
- 5. Gaps and Needs • Advisory Role: Trusted information source to federal, state, and local governments, Tribal communities on nuclear waste actions as well as nuclear waste management inefficiencies; address public concerns by assembling key team of experts to engage community members, address risk concerns, assemble information, answer questions, facilitate paths to action. • R&D support through a center of knowledge which engages all stakeholders: Information clearinghouse/ data repository / white papers (knowledge management) • Education: help develop / share curriculum materials which incorporate nuclear issues and provide chemical engineering and sustainability perspectives
- 6. Specific Gaps and Needs Given the Lack of Education / declining workforce/ nuclear waste issues that exist and persists but are not being effectively resolved: • Education of chemical engineering students in nuclear applications, professionals, stakeholders; need for knowledgeable workforce; development of case studies in nuclear waste management for ChemEs, etc. • Educational resource for internships in these areas: development of programs or linking to existing programs; AIChE WISE program… • Educate the public; educate the science and engineering workforce to work with the public in communicating risk and work with with social scientists and health professionals. • Develop R&D programs; influence Congress and Agencies to allocate $$ for this (DOE NE R&D grants). Can use AIChE’s Public Affairs and Information Committee.
- 7. Comments • Can discussions about a ‘clean’ nuclear fuel cycle be considered neutral? Probably not • Faculty and government/industrial researchers don’t typically see the nuclear industry as relevant to chemical engineering • Process safety not covered as part of nuclear engineering education; it is a key issue that is core to AIChE’s strength • Application within AIChE of its best core activities: CCPS and IfS, applying Chemical Process Safety and Sustainability to nuclear issues; chemical processing is core ChemE expertise. • Inefficient/ineffective waste management practices • Intersection between ChemE and NuclearE: waste management, process safety, hazards management, containment, worker protection
- 8. Comments • Chemical Engineering Education: integrate nuclear applications into the curriculum; utilize case studies regarding nuclear applications throughout the curriculum. Make processing of nuclear materials a recurring theme in AIChE student design competition. • How to attract grads to these jobs? What is the market pull? • Address complexity of management issues regarding national labs, DOE oversight, flow of information to communities. • Long term ‘clean’ nuclear: “big, hairy, audacious vision”
- 9. Workshop or Niche Conference 2014 • • • • Conference with registration fee?? Call for papers/presentations Seek partial or total sponsorships Outline the mission and strategies for developing a center of excellence
- 10. Potential Work Products • Advisory function to communities / forums for exploring issues from multiple sides • Data collection / information dissemination • Design guidelines • White papers geared to all stakeholders
- 11. Funding • • • • • • Grants from DOE? Gates Foundation Sloan Foundation NSF AIChE Foundation Workshop funding through foundations, agencies, universities, and/or sponsors
- 12. Steering Committee and Conference Planning Committee • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Beth Beloff* – Beth Beloff & Associates Richard V. Calabrese* – AIChE NAMF; University of Maryland Stuart T Arm* – AIChE NED; Washington River Protection Solutions Vasilios Manousiouthakis* – AIChE ED; UCLA Supathorn ‘Supy’ Phongikaroon* – VA Commonwealth University Chris Whipple – Environ* David S Kosson – Vanderbilt University, CRESP Tianxing Cai – Lamar University David Brown – BHR Group Stephen Garrison – SRNL John Olson – Bechtel National Stephen Paglieri – TDA Research Maqbool “Mac” Qadir – Enpro Solutions, Inc. Others from social sciences, epidemiology, public policy… * Steering Committee
- 13. Next Steps • Summarize workshop • Review Steering Committee volunteers and develop leadership team • Clarify direction identified at workshop • Redefine mission, vision and objectives • Set meetings and agenda for Steering Committee and Conference Planning Committee 2014 • Set up NuClean website and post presentations