Meet the new NERS Advisory Board

By Kim Roth

To help the NERS department carry out its mission, incoming chair Todd Allen has created a new NERS Advisory Board. The board consists of 19 members, representing the nuclear industry and academia as well as research, policy and non-governmental organizations.

The advisory board meets on campus annually and is charged with taking a critical look at the Department to identify strengths and weaknesses and assess future plans. Everything is fair game, from faculty and research initiatives to the Department’s reputation, operations and resources. Board members also share developments in the field and assist in the creation of new programs to ensure NERS grads are equipped with skills relevant to their future employers.

“The top nuclear engineering department in the country should be an international leader in ensuring nuclear energy and the application of nuclear technology is a vital component of society in the 21st century,” said Allen. “That encompasses leadership in technology innovation and research, community engagement and education, and policy influence. With its incredible breadth of expertise in all of these areas, our advisory board plays a key role in achieving our vision.”

The benefits go both ways. During their nominal three-year period of participation on the board, members have the opportunity to help shape a leading nuclear engineering department. They also have opportunities to identify research partners and future staff for their organizations and establish partnerships to address national issues related to nuclear energy.

Members of the NERS Advisory Board include:

Industry:
Jeff Bradfute, Westinghouse Electric Corporation
Keith Polson, DTE Energy
Jonathan Cirtain, BWX Technologies, Inc.
Lara Pierpoint, Exelon Corporation
Jake Dewitte and Caroline Cochrane, Oklo, Inc.
Nick Irvin, Southern Nuclear

Academia:
Ayman Hawari, North Carolina State University
Rachel Slaybaugh, University of California, Berkeley
Bilge Yildiz, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Lee Peddicord, Texas A&M University

Policy and non-governmental organizations:
John Kotek, Nuclear Energy Institute
Shane Johnson, U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Engineering
Ashley Finan, Nuclear Innovation Alliance
Laura Holgate, Nuclear Threat Initiative
Johanna Wolfson, PRIME Impact Fund

Research:
Jeremy Busby, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Geoff West, West Physics
Rita Baranwal, Idaho National Laboratory Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear
Corey McDaniel, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories

The next NERS Advisory Board meeting is planned for spring 2019.