Tuesday 1 October 2024

NNL is home to world-leading experts who are at the forefront of nuclear science. Our people have been heavily involved in the set up and undertaking of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Spent Fuels Coordinated Research Project (CRP) and its activities.  

Hosting the final CRP meeting on spent fuel characterisation was NNL’s chance to showcase its contribution to this important area, after a number of years of restricted activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

We were also able to show our international collaborators and colleagues around the geographical area that NNL operates in. By hosting in Cockermouth, this meeting was made accessible to a wider community and NNL encouraged the use of sustainable public transport, with international delegates providing great feedback on the double decker bus journey from Penrith!  

Spent Fuels CRP 

Through its CRPs, the IAEA brings together research institutes from developing and developed member states to increase understanding on topics of common interest. NNL is involved in a number of these projects, playing a leading role in the development of nuclear research and technology worldwide. 

The third Research Coordination Meeting (RCM) of the Spent Fuels CRP was hosted by NNL in Cumbria from 1 – 5 July, where we welcomed leading figures from national laboratories and international agencies. 

NNL was represented by Lucy Kissick, Suzy Morgan, Iain Darby, James Goode, David Hambley, Jamie Nanson, Megan Jones, Jonathan Dodds and Einan Solomon. This was one of the last international meetings where James represented NNL as a well-respected subject matter expert before he sadly passed away. 

Normal practice is for RCMs to be open only to the scientific staff listed on the research agreements. However, NNL facilitated the involvement of our early career researchers and subject matter experts, as well as experts and technical staff from other UK organisations such as the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and Nuclear Waste Services by incorporating a UK focussed half day meeting within the RCM. 

We also took the chance to welcome CRP attendees to our Workington site, where they got to see some of NNL’s groundbreaking work first-hand. 

Outcomes from the CRP 

By hosting the final RCM of this CRP, NNL has facilitated the input of key research into the IAEA’s final report on this important topic for the international community. 

The UK topical workshops, held in the same venue and including the international participants of the CRP, received excellent feedback from the IAEA and have given our people and early career researchers a valuable chance to engage with international experts. 

NNL is proud to show international leadership. Hosting this CRP enabled us to influence the next phase of a research project in this field and help in formulating a technical meeting on another subject for the IAEA.