Mechanical and Civil Engineering Seminar

In 1974 Congress abolished the Atomic Energy Commission; Caltech's interest dissipated as nuclear energy had transitioned from a government-driven enterprise to a viable industry with some 250 commercial reactor orders in the U.S.; and a surprise "peaceful" Indian nuclear explosion forever changed nuclear policy. At the peak in 1990, 112 U.S. nuclear units operated, producing about 20% of the nation's electricity. Today some 100 plants still produce 20% of US electricity and more than 60% of clean energy. U.S. research into advanced reactors and completing the fuel cycle continued at about a billion dollars a year into the early 1980's, then gradually sank to zero in 1998. Concerns about greenhouse gas emissions and surety of electricity supply revived U.S. nuclear R&D after the turn of the century. Today 70 nuclear plants are under construction worldwide and next year the Department of Energy's nuclear research laboratory will celebrate its tenth anniversary. While many of the research challenges are basically the same as they were 40 years ago, the context has changed dramatically. This seminar will discuss today's challenges for nuclear energy, how new tools are making research breakthroughs possible, the federal roadmap for nuclear R&D, and the state of U.S. leadership in this highly competitive global enterprise.