'Understanding Tomorrow's Nuclear Energy' lecture series to begin Aug. 30

Purdue University and Duke Energy will host the first monthly installment of the “Understanding Tomorrow’s Nuclear Energy” lecture series from 4-5 p.m. ET on Aug. 30 in Stewart Center’s Fowler Hall. Registration is now open for “Clean Nuclear Energy: Past, Present, and Future,” which will provide an overview of nuclear reactor technologies.

Arden L. Bement Jr.

Arden L. Bement Jr. will lead the lecture. He has an extensive background in nuclear engineering as the former director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, former director of the National Science Foundation, and the David A. Ross Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Nuclear Engineering at Purdue University.

Bement will explain how nuclear reactor technologies were used in submarines in the 1950s, the growth of nuclear power plants from the 1980s-2000s, and how small modular reactors could be used in the near future to provide safe, sustainable energy to power electrical grids, a university or even a remote village.

This lecture will also cover the rigorous approval process for nuclear reactors, their safety systems and the evolution of reactor technology.

The event will be livestreamed, and registration is required for both in-person and virtual attendance.

Purdue University and Duke Energy are jointly exploring the feasibility of using advanced nuclear energy to meet the West Lafayette campus community’s long-term energy needs. The study is focused on whether power produced through Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) could be a potential fit for Purdue’s energy needs. More information about the study and the lecture series is available at https://bit.ly/advanced-nuclear.