Mr. Cole Friedman, MS Candidate in Nuclear Engineering, VT, will give a talk entitled "Developing an Integrated Nuclear Waste Management System: Recommendations for the Nuclear Waste Administration"

February 14, 2025

@10:10 am, 6-051, VTRC, Arlington (in-person); 440 Goodwin Hall, Blacksburg
For remote access, click here to register

Abstract
The management of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW) remains one of the most pressing challenges in nuclear energy policy. Current U.S. strategies primarily focus on storage solutions, yet political, economic, and technical uncertainties hinder long-term repository planning. This seminar presents findings and recommendations from an interdisciplinary research team at Virginia Tech, addressing the need for an integrated nuclear waste management system.

The presentation will explore the inefficiencies in current waste storage approaches, emphasizing the need for alternative pathways such as recycling, reprocessing, and transmutation technologies. Specifically, it will highlight the potential of pyroprocessing and accelerator-driven systems (ADS) as transformative solutions for reducing waste radiotoxicity and storage requirements. Comparative analyses of international repository projects, including those in Finland, Sweden, France, and Canada, will provide insight into regulatory frameworks, public acceptance, and cost-effective strategies.

Additionally, the seminar will discuss the proposed Nuclear Waste Administration (NWA) as outlined in recent legislation, advocating for a dedicated, independent agency to manage waste through a consent-based and technologically adaptive framework. The findings underscore the urgency of integrating advanced nuclear waste treatment technologies into U.S. policy to enhance energy sustainability, mitigate environmental risks, and position the nation as a leader in atomic waste reduction.

This session is intended for policymakers, scientists, industry stakeholders, and students interested in the intersection of nuclear technology, policy, and environmental stewardship.

Note: This talk is developed based on the outcome of an Interdisciplinary Team Research course (GRAD 5134) taught by Dr. Sonja Schmid and Dr. Alireza Haghighat in the Fall semester of 2024. One of the course's goals was to have an interdisciplinary group of students produce a researched report on a particular topic. The group of student researchers included Walid Al Hajj, Cole Friedman, Sam Millett, and Beksultan Seidulla from the Nuclear Engineering Program, along with Keith June and Jamie McGrath from the Department of Science, Technology, and Society. The group wrote a report on the topic of managing spent nuclear fuel in the United States. This seminar is a presentation of the interdisciplinary research group's findings.

Bio
Cole Friedman is a Graduate Student in the Nuclear Engineering Program at Virginia Tech. He is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree, and conducts research with the VT3G group under Dr. Alireza Haghighat. His research includes testing the Multi-stage Response function particle Transport (MRT) methodology for modeling molten salt reactors and using VT3G's in house modeling code, RAPID, in a reactor pressure vessel fluence benchmark with the Nuclear Energy Agency.