October 17-18, 2023
Last month Seoul National University Nuclear Fuel Cycle & Nonproliferation Lab (SNUNFC) welcomed participants to an OECD-NEA Global Forum on Nuclear Science, Technology and Policy Workshop on Encouraging Greater Cohesion of Social Sciences and STEM to Push the Nuclear Sector Forward. The two-day workshop was co-hosted by the OECD-Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) and KORAD (Korea Radioactive Waste Agency) with support from the Integrated Major in Sustainable High-level Radioactive Waste Management at Seoul National University (SNU), and was held at SNU Faculty Club Seoul National University on the 17th & 18th October.
Workshop on Encouraging Greater Cohesion of Social Sciences and STEM to Push the Nuclear Sector Forward
The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency held the Global Forum on Nuclear Science, Technology and Policy Country-Specific Workshop: Encouraging Greater Cohesion of Social Sciences and STEM to Push the Nuclear Sector Forward on 17-18 October at Seoul National University in Korea.
The NEA Global Forum aims to build sustained co-operation among academic institutions in nuclear science and technology through the use of creative problem solving to confront pressing challenges in nuclear education and human capacity. The focus of this particular country-specific workshop centred on further developing curriculum to advance strategies for a sustainable nuclear fuel cycle and ways forward in creating a national deep geological repository (DGR) programme.
The workshop, held over six sessions, was proposed with the objective of bringing together international experts in the areas of safety case development, stakeholder engagement, regulators, and government officials to discuss their experience during the development of DGRs, challenges faced, how interdisciplinary teams can support work, and ideas for further developing educational curriculum. The workshop composed of:
Session 1: Assessing needs of Korean stakeholders in developing sustainable nuclear cycle back-end strategies.
Session 2: Curriculum of radioactive waste management at Korean universities.
Session 3: Curriculum of radioactive waste management at foreign universities.
Session 4: Converging education between STEM and the social sciences.
Session 5: Panel discussion: building up workforce to support fuel cycle back-end development.
Session 6: Roundtable discussion: inspiring future curriculum development.
"Nuclear energy plays a vital role in meeting our growing global energy demands while ensuring a sustainable and environmentally responsible future. However, it also comes with responsibilities in terms of safety, waste management, and policy development. This workshop provides a platform for us to explore and exchange ideas on these critical aspects."
- Prof. You Suk Hong, Dean of the College of Engineering, SNU
Effective radioactive waste management (RWM) and development of DGR facilities requires foundational interdisciplinary education programmes that span many areas of expertise, such as earth and physical science, engineering (civil, nuclear, chemical, and mechanical), economics, law, social science, and political science. This third edition of the NEA Global Forum workshops involved local stakeholders from Korea Radioactive Waste Agency (KORAD), Korea Institute of Nuclear Non-proliferation and Control (KINAC), Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS), Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) Nuclear Fuel, Seoul National University (SNU), Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Kyung Hee University, Hanyang University, Pusan National University and Chosun University. International participation included expert contributions from Belgium (SCK-CEN), France (Andra), Japan (Tohoku University), Sweden (SKB), United States (Sandia National Laboratories; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; University of California, Berkeley; University of Michigan), and United Kingdom (University of Manchester).
"The significance of our gathering cannot be overstated. We have brought together an incredible array of expertise, with speakers and panelists representing 28 organizations from 6 countries, including from the prominent international organization, OECD/NEA. This undeniably showcases the global impact of our event."
- Prof. Sungyeol Choi, Workshop Chair, SNU
The workshop brought together international experts in the areas of safety case development stakeholder engagement, regulation, and government to discuss their experiences developing deep geological repositories DGRs. Some of the key recommendations discussed during this workshop included:
Encourage clear communication on energy policy and the role of the nuclear sector at the national level;
Continue joint efforts of government, nuclear stakeholders and academia to rebuild the attractiveness of nuclear education and careers to mobilise new talents through investments, innovation and inclusion in the nuclear sector;
Through these joint efforts with key stakeholders, establish a comprehensive and innovative multidisciplinary curriculum; and
Expand training and education in an international context as a means of leveraging resources, including experimental infrastructure and supporting a connected workforce.
OECD NEA Global Forum
In recent years, the NEA has worked to develop its efforts with member countries in the area of education and capacity building. At the centre of its efforts is the NEA Global Forum on Nuclear Education, Science, Technology and Policy (the Global Forum) that builds sustained global co-operation amongst academic institutions in the nuclear science and technology sector. Since 2021, with creative problem-solving measures, the Global Forum has aimed to help confront some of the most significant nuclear education and human capacity challenges.
As one of the various instruments of the Global Forum, country-specific workshops enable dialogue between academia, government, and nuclear industry to overcome barriers to nuclear education and outline scenarios for its future in a specific country.
For more information on the NEA Global Forum, or to inquire about conducting a country-specific workshop in your country, please visit: NEA Global Forum on Nuclear Education, Science, Technology and Policy.
Further Reading: OECD/NEA Workshop Agenda: NEA OECD/NEA Global Forum: NEA Korea Radioactive Waste Agency: KORAD SNU Integrated Major in Sustainable High-level Radioactive Waste Management : Convergence Major
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