Recent breakthroughs in nuclear fusion technology — whereby renewable energy is produced by the fusion of two atomic nuclei into one heavier nucleus — have led to heightened interest in the future of nuclear energy and its implications for the environment, energy security, and public policy. Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine has further underscored the importance of cheap renewable energy for the European Union, which is heavily dependent on Russia for its coal, natural gas, and oil supplies.
To address these issues, the EU Center has organized a symposium on the future of technology, energy, and security in Europe on Earth Day 2022, featuring prominent scholars and policy makers from France, Germany, and the U.S. The symposium is part of the 12th Illinois EU Studies Conference and is supported by a 2022-25 Jean Monnet Center of Excellence grant. Please register here to attend.
Symposium Schedule
1:00-2:00 P.M. CDT
"Nuclear Energy, Economy, and Democracy: The European Policy Debates"
Cécile Maisonneuve, Senior Advisor, French Institute of International Relations’ Center for Energy & Climate
Dr. Miranda Schreurs, Professor and Chair of Environmental and Climate Policy, Technical University of Munich
2:00-3:00 P.M. CDT
“The American Perspective on the Future of Nuclear Energy: Science-Based Policies”
Dr. J’Tia Hart, Chief Science Officer, National & Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate, Idaho National Laboratory
Dr. Jon Carmack, Senior Advisor, Office of Nuclear Energy, U.S. Department of Energy
3:00-5:00 P.M. CDT
“A Scientifically Informed Debate on Nuclear Energy for the General Public”
Dr. Caleb Brooks, Associate Professor of Nuclear, Plasma & Radiological Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Dr. Cliff Singer, Professor Emeritus of Nuclear, Plasma & Radiological Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Dr. Paul Debevec, Professor Emeritus of Physics, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign