Katy Huff

Dr. Kathryn D. Huff serves as the Acting Assistant Secretary and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Nuclear Energy. Prior to her current role, she was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she led the Advanced Reactors and Fuel Cycles Research Group. She was also a Blue Waters Assistant Professor with the National Center for Supercomputing Applications.

Before joining the Department of Energy, Dr. Huff was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she led the Advanced Reactors and Fuel Cycles Research Group and taught reactor theory and the future of energy. She was also a Blue Waters Assistant Professor with the National Center for Supercomputing Applications. She was previously a Postdoctoral Fellow in both the Nuclear Science and Security Consortium and the Berkeley Institute for Data Science at the University of California - Berkeley.

Dr. Huff received her Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2013 and her undergraduate degree in Physics from the University of Chicago. Her research focused on modeling and simulation of advanced nuclear reactors and fuel cycles.

She is an active member of the American Nuclear Society, Chair of the Nuclear Nonproliferation and Policy Division, a past chair of the Fuel Cycle and Waste Management Division, and recipient of both the Young Member Excellence and Mary Jane Oestmann Professional Women's Achievement awards. Through leadership within Software Carpentry, SciPy, the Hacker Within, and the Journal of Open Source Software, she also advocates for best practices in open, reproducible scientific computing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnsOPodptHQ&t=86s

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Sources:

University of Illinois Alumni: In Class Power Source: Nuclear engineer Katy Huff on teaching with IPythons, reactor theory and the future of energy
DOE Office of Nuclear Energy: Dr. Kathryn Huff, Senior Advisor, Office of the Secretary.

Published by editor in Brilliant thinkers, History-making, Nuclear R&D, Women in Nuclear, WOMEN IN NUCLEAR GRID

March 1, 2022

Rita Baranwal

Dr. Rita Baranwal is the Chief Nuclear Officer at Radiant, a Nucleation portfolio company that pioneers the world’s first mass-produced portable nuclear microreactor. She brings decades of leadership in nuclear innovation, policy, and engineering.

Dr. Rita Baranwal was nominated by the President to serve as the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Nuclear Energy (ONE) and was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on June 20, 2019 (by a vote of 86 to 5), becoming the first woman to ever lead the Office of Nuclear Energy.

In that role, Dr. Baranwal directed programs to promote research and development (R&D) on existing and advanced nuclear technologies that sustain the existing U.S. fleet of nuclear reactors, enable the deployment of advanced nuclear energy systems, support nuclear technology for space and defense applications, and enhance the U.S.A.'s global commercial nuclear energy competitiveness. She also:

Launched innovative programs to demonstrate advanced nuclear reactor designs, launched a new U.S. reactor innovation center, and a unique private-public partnership to develop new U.S. nuclear testing capabilities
Collaborated with U.S. intergovernmental agencies (e.g. Departments of State, Commerce, and Treasury, National Security Council, Office of Science & Technology Policy, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Development Finance Corporation) to globally deploy new U.S. civil nuclear technology.
Implemented civil nuclear agreements with two countries; initiated civil nuclear agreement discussions with eleven countries.
Partnered with NASA on nuclear technology and expertise for space exploration. Contributed to the National Strategy for Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion, Executive Order on Reactors for Space Exploration, and DOE’s Space Strategy.
Managed Congressionally-enacted budget of $1.5B (FY20).
Served as the Equity in Energy Champion for DOE’s Office of Economic Impact and Diversity.

Following her service as the #1 at ONE, Dr. Baranwal served as the VP of Nuclear and Chief Nuclear Officer for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) for over a year. As of 2022, Dr. Baranwal has returned to Westinghouse as the Chief Technology Officer.

Prior to her appointment to the ONE, Dr. Baranwal served as the director for the DOE's Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) since 2016, an initiative hosted at Idaho National Laboratory. GAIN is the way the U.S. Government connects industry with national laboratories to help commercialize nuclear technologies. Under her leadership, GAIN positively impacted 112 projects and companies.

Before that, Dr. Baranwal worked for Westinghouse in the nuclear fuel division, leading a number of research and development programs. She started her career at Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory helping to develop advanced nuclear fuel materials for US naval reactors.

Dr. Baranwal has a bachelor’s degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in materials science and engineering and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in the same discipline from the University of Michigan.

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Sources:

LinkedIn: Dr. Rita Baranwal
NayaFace: Rita Baranwal sworn in as 1st woman US Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy at DOE, July 25, 2019.

Published by editor in Brilliant thinkers, History-making, Nuclear R&D, Venture capital support for nuclear, Women in Nuclear, WOMEN IN NUCLEAR GRID

June 30, 2020

Nuclear ‘Power Balls’ May Make Meltdowns a Thing of the Past

Wired Magazine dives deep on TRISO pebble fuel, which consists of particles of an alien-looking fuel with built-in safety features that will safely power a new generation of high-temperature reactors.

Most nuclear reactors today operate well below 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and even the next generation high-temperature reactors will top out at about 2,000 degrees. But during INL tests, researchers demonstrated that triso fuel pellets could withstand reactor temperatures over 3,200 degrees Fahrenheit. Out of 300,000 particles, not a single triso coating failed during the two-week long test. Thus, with new reactor designs, where it’s physically impossible to exceed these temperatures because the reactor automatically shuts down as it reaches these high temperatures, when you take these reactor designs and combine them with a fuel that can handle the heat, you essentially have an accident-proof reactor.

Read more about TRISO fuel at WIRED Magazine: Nuclear ‘Power Balls’ May Make Meltdowns a Thing of the Past.

Published by Nucleation Capital in Energy abundance, Fail-safe fuels, Future of Energy, Government support, History Timeline, LINKS, Nuclear competitiveness, Nuclear innovation, Nuclear R&D, Private companies, Public companies, US competitiveness, US technological leadership, Zero emission energy

January 23, 2020

Christine King named Director of Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear

Christine King, an integral member of the Nucleation Capital fund development team, was selected to serve as the director of the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative, effective February 17, 2020. As director, Ms. King will lead efforts on behalf of the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy to provide the nuclear community with access to the technical, regulatory and financial support necessary to move innovative nuclear energy technologies toward commercialization. We will miss her but we congratulate Christine and wish her extremely well in her exciting new role.

The Nucleation Capital fund development team was organized and launched by Valerie Gardner in early 2018 as an initiative of Tiemann Investment Advisors LLC, a Menlo Park-based investment advisory group, after identifying the growth prospects for private ventures developing advanced nuclear technologies. Valerie first connected with Rod Adams, founder of Atomic Insights, in March of 2018 after he published a blog post titled "Advanced nuclear energy systems are ready for investors who seek ground floor opportunities," in late February, 2018. Valerie and Rod's first legendary conversation lasted almost four hours. They agreed to work together and set about methodically growing the team and assessing structural options for "developing mechanisms for investors with moderate resources and long time horizons to focus part of their portfolio in this potentially high payoff field."

The group, initially operating in stealth as the Einstein Energy Fund, grew to include Valerie Gardner, Rod Adams, Dr. Leslie Dewan, Rick DeGolia, Christine King, William Lewis, Carl Page and Dr. Jonathan Tiemann. They recognized that there was a gap in the availability of funds investing in next-generation nuclear power and other critical climate solutions including carbon capture, utilization and sequestration (CCUS) but a surplus of funds investing in wind, solar, geothermal, energy efficiency and other types of "renewable energy." In early 2019, the team renamed itself Nucleation Capital and began outreach on its pronuclear thesis to institutional LPs. Unfortunately, while there were a handful of foundations and endowments intrigued enough to meet, there were no institutions willing to anchor the fund. By the end of 2019, the team had not found a pathway for launching a viable fund and things slowly began to deconstruct.

First, Christine King accepted her position with the DOE at GAIN. Soon after, Covid-19 hit and Bill Lewis opted to devote his time to addressing Covid and saving lives. Soon after, Rick DeGolia, who had been elected mayor, became too busy to meet. The team was forced to minimize in-person meetings and progress quickly stalled, as Dr. Dewan and Carl Page opted to prioritize other commitments. For most of 2020, it appeared that there was no viable structure for raising capital to deploy into advanced nuclear, as the only investor interest was coming from accredited investors, rather than institutions. It wasn't until the 4th quarter of 2020, that Rod and Valerie discovered the Angellist rolling fund structure, which enabled them to raise smaller dollar amounts from greater numbers of accredited investors cost-effectively, and invest what they raised each quarter. They signed an LOI to float their fund on the Angellist platform and began raising capital. Nucleation Capital closed its first investment into Core Power in Q3-2021. The fund has continued to raise and deploy capital each quarter since.

Read more in the INL Press Release: "Christine King named director of Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear."

Published by Valerie Gardner in Future of Energy, Government support, NEWS, Nuclear competitiveness, Nuclear innovation, Nuclear R&D

November 6, 2015

Obama launched the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear

Nuclear power generated 60 percent of carbon-free electricity in 2014 and the Obama Administration was committed to combating climate change using all means, including nuclear. The continued development of new and advanced nuclear technologies along with support for currently operating nuclear power plants was seen as an important component of the U.S. clean energy strategy. Investing in the safe and secure development of nuclear power also helps advance other vital policy objectives including economic competitiveness, job creation, enhancing nuclear nonproliferation, nuclear safety and security, and energy security.

Obama’s FY 2016 budget included more than $900 million for the Department of Energy (DOE) to support the U.S. civilian nuclear energy sector. The DOE also supported the deployment of advanced technologies with $12.5 billion in remaining loan guarantee authority for advanced nuclear projects.The DOE’s investments in nuclear energy help secure energy security, economic competitiveness, and environmental responsibility.

The White House also announced that they:

Launched the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear: The Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) to move new or advanced nuclear reactor designs toward commercialization while ensuring the continued safe, reliable, and economic operation of the existing nuclear fleet. GAIN provides a single point of access to the broad range of capabilities – people, facilities, materials, and data – across the DOE complex and its National Lab capabilities. GAIN will feature:
- Access to Capabilities: Through the Clean Energy Investment Center in DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions (OTT), GAIN will provide a single point of contact for users interested in a wide range of nuclear energy related capabilities and expertise. The Idaho National Lab will serve as the GAIN integrator.
- Nuclear Energy Infrastructure Database: DOE is also publishing the Nuclear Energy Infrastructure database (NEID), which provides a catalogue of existing nuclear energy related infrastructure that will enhance transparency and support nuclear community engagement through GAIN. NEID currently includes information on 802 research and development instruments in 377 facilities at 84 institutions in the United States and abroad.
- Small Business Vouchers: To support new companies working to develop advanced nuclear energy technologies, DOE plans to make $2 million available in the form of vouchers for those seeking to access the knowledge and capabilities available across the DOE complex. This will enhance the ability of GAIN to serve a broader segment of the nuclear community.
- Assist with the Regulatory Process: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will provide DOE with accurate, current information on the NRC’s regulations and licensing processes. DOE will work through GAIN with prospective applicants for advanced nuclear technology to understand and navigate the regulatory process for licensing new reactor technology.
Hosting Workshops on Advanced Non-Light Water Reactors – A successful first workshop was held in September 2015 and the NRC and DOE will hold another Advanced Non-Light Water Reactors Workshop in spring 2016. The workshop will explore options for increased efficiency, from both a technical and regulatory perspective, in the safe development and deployment of innovative reactor technologies, examining both near-term and longer-term opportunities to test, demonstrate, and construct prototype advanced reactors.
Supplementing Loan Guarantee Solicitation for Nuclear Energy: The DOE makes up to $12.5 billion in loan guarantees available to support innovative nuclear energy projects. Previously, eligible projects included construction of advanced nuclear reactors, small modular reactors, uprates and upgrades at existing facilities, and front-end nuclear facilities. Going forward, project costs for an eligible project that are incurred as part of the NRC licensing process, such as design certification, construction permits, and combined construction and operating licenses (COL), are eligible costs that may be financed with a loan guaranteed by DOE.
Establishing Light Water Reactor (LWR) Research, Development, and Deployment Working Group: DOE is formally announcing the establishment of the LWR Research, Development, and Deployment (RDD) Working Group to examine possible needs for future RDD to support the development of competitive advanced LWRs, as well as maintain the safe, efficient operations of currently operating nuclear power plants. The group will consist of federal, national laboratory, and industry participants.
Addressing Small Modular Reactor Needs through Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors: The Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL) signed an agreement with NuScale to establish new cost-shared modeling and simulation tools under the CASL Energy Innovation Hub at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. CASL tools will be expanded to better simulate SMR operation and inform design decisions, leading to more efficient reactor designs that improve lifetime operation in a power plant.
Investing in SMR Licensing: In 2012, the DOE began investing to support first-of-a-kind engineering costs associated with certification and licensing activities for SMRs through the NRC. By utilizing cost-share agreements with private industry through a licensing technical support program, DOE supports the domestic development of these innovative nuclear technologies, strengthening American manufacturing capabilities, improving domestic employment opportunities, and creating important export opportunities for the United States.
Designing a Modernized LWR Control Room: DOE is partnering with Arizona Public Service’s Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station to design a modernized control room for an operating commercial LWR. Working together through a cost-shared partnership, DOE’s LWR Sustainability Program and Palo Verde will consider the best way to replace traditional analog systems with digital systems that optimize control room operations.

Read more in the White House Press Release from November 6, 2015 entitled: "FACT SHEET: Obama Administration Announces Actions to Ensure that Nuclear Energy Remains a Vibrant Component of the United States’ Clean Energy Strategy."

Published by Nucleation Capital in Advanced Nuclear, Government support, History Timeline, LINKS, Nuclear competitiveness, Nuclear financing, Nuclear innovation, Nuclear R&D, Regulatory reform, US competitiveness, US technological leadership