Content summary for this community

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Roving Reactor:
A Nuclear Energy Community Taxonomy

 

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This guide provides detailed profiles of key organizations and experts within the nuclear energy ecosystem. Organizations are categorized into four main sectors:

  1. Academia - Leading research institutions and educational centers (e.g., MIT, University of Michigan, University of Massachusetts, University of Toledo, Oak Ridge Associated Universities)
  2. Nonprofit - Policy and advocacy organizations representing over 400 member organizations through groups like NEI, plus grassroots organizations like Generation Atomic, Mothers for Nuclear, and educational institutions like the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History
  3. Government - Federal agencies (DoE), 13 national laboratories (including nuclear-focused facilities like INL, PNNL, Oak Ridge), regulatory bodies (NRC), and programs addressing needs from spent fuel management to workforce development
  4. Industry - Diverse commercial sector including advanced reactor developers (e.g., Oklo, TerraPower, X-energy, Radiant, Kairos, Aalo), established suppliers, utilities, and fuel cycle companies

1. Academia

2. Nonprofit

3. Government

 


4. Industry

Profiles of Notable Nuclear Energy Experts

Below are profiles of 10 nuclear energy experts from diverse parts of the ecosystem, along with their LinkedIn and (where available) Google Scholar links, and a brief bio highlighting their contributions. Each of these nuclear experts was interviewed as part of the project 100 Conversations about Energy and Conservation:

  1. Rod Adams – LinkedIn. Rod Adams is a pro-nuclear advocate, entrepreneur, and former U.S. Navy nuclear submarine officer. He founded Adams Atomic Engines, Inc. in the 1990s – one of the earliest advanced SMR ventures – and later created the influential blog “Atomic Insights” and The Atomic Show podcast to share nuclear knowledge. A respected voice in nuclear energy, Adams is known for historical insight and outspoken commentary, now working as Managing Partner at Nucleation Capital, a venture fund for advanced nuclear startups. (He has helped shape pro-nuclear discourse, emphasizing the role of small reactors and the need for nuclear in deep decarbonization.)
  2. Yasir Arafat – LinkedIn - Google Scholar. Dr. Yasir Arafat is a reactor design engineer noted for leading the U.S. Department of Energy’s MARVEL microreactor project at Idaho National Laboratory. As Chief Project Lead for MARVEL, he spearheaded the concept-to-construction of a first-of-a-kind microreactor in record time. Arafat previously spent a decade at Westinghouse, where he contributed to the AP1000 reactor and initiated the eVinci micro-reactor program. In 2023, he joined startup Aalo Atomics as Chief Technology Officer to design the Aalo-1 (a 10 MWe liquid-metal cooled reactor), translating his MARVEL experience into commercial innovation.  His career – from helping develop Westinghouse’s reactor designs to demonstrating MARVEL – positions him as a key innovator in advanced nuclear reactor deployment.
  3. Shannon Bragg-Sitton, Ph.D. – LinkedIn・Google Scholar (Shannon M. Bragg-Sitton). Dr. Shannon Bragg-Sitton is an internationally recognized nuclear engineer who directs the Integrated Energy & Storage Systems Division at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). She leads the DOE’s Integrated Energy Systems program, pioneering ways to couple nuclear reactors with renewables, energy storage, and industrial processes to maximize grid flexibility and decarbonization. Bragg-Sitton’s work includes developing modeling and simulation tools for hybrid energy systems and exploring non-electric applications of nuclear heat (she chairs a Gen-IV International Forum task force on this topic). Previously, she led space nuclear power and advanced fuels programs at INL, and her Ph.D. research at MIT focused on optimizing energy innovation investments. Through her leadership and research, Dr. Bragg-Sitton has been a driving force in redefining nuclear energy’s role in a net-zero future, bridging nuclear technology with other clean energy solutions.
  4. Jacopo Buongiorno, Ph.D. – LinkedIn: N/A・Google Scholar (Jacopo Buongiorno). Professor Jacopo Buongiorno is the TEPCO Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering at MIT and a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering. A prolific researcher, he has published over 110 journal articles on reactor safety, thermal-hydraulics, and nanofluid technology. Buongiorno serves as Director of MIT’s Nuclear Reactor Laboratory and its Center for Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems, and he led MIT’s seminal “Future of Nuclear Energy in a Carbon-Constrained World” study (2018) that charted pathways for nuclear to aid deep decarbonization. He has received numerous awards for teaching and research, reflecting his influence on both technology and policy. Beyond academia, Prof. Buongiorno advises industry and governments on reactor innovation and energy strategy, making him a key thought leader in advanced nuclear deployment. (LinkedIn shows his extensive engagements; his Google Scholar lists 100+ works, including highly cited papers on nuclear safety.)
  5. Bonita Chester – LinkedIn・Google Scholar: N/A. Bonita Chester is a communications and marketing expert in the nuclear industry, currently serving as Head of Communications and Media at Oklo Inc., an advanced microreactor company. With a background bridging corporate communications and nuclear technology, she “works behind the scenes every day to effectively communicate the value of nuclear to the public and investors. Prior to Oklo, Chester led communications and external relations at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) – including as Small Modular Reactor Commercial Lead – where she drove stakeholder outreach for SMR development. Her career spans roles in marketing, investor relations, and public relations in the energy sector. Through these positions, Bonita Chester has become a key voice in shaping pro-nuclear messaging and engagement strategies, helping to translate complex nuclear topics into accessible narratives.
  6. Ashley Finan, Ph.D. – LinkedIn・ Google Scholar: Dr. Ashley Finan is a nuclear policy leader and innovation advocate. She was the inaugural Director of the National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) at INL, where she oversaw efforts to provide advanced reactor developers with the testing capabilities and demonstration sites needed to accelerate technology deployment. Before joining NRIC, Finan co-founded and served as Executive Director of the Nuclear Innovation Alliance, managing the think tank’s strategy to modernize reactor licensing and support advanced nuclear R&D. She also led nuclear innovation at the Clean Air Task Force. Finan earned a Ph.D. from MIT studying energy technology innovation policy, and has been influential in studies on using advanced reactors for deep decarbonization (e.g. hydrogen production and industrial processes). In 2022, Dr. Finan transitioned to a senior role in nuclear security at INL. Across these roles, Dr. Finan has been a catalyst for bridging technical innovation and policy, working to create an ecosystem where advanced nuclear reactors can thrive.
  7. Mark Hinaman – LinkedIn・Google Scholar: N/A. Mark Hinaman is an energy professional turned nuclear advocate who founded Fire2Fission, an initiative and podcast aimed at transitioning skills and perspectives from the oil & gas sector to nuclear energy. A licensed Professional Engineer with a background in oil and gas production, Hinaman “was inspired by our nuclear planet from a young age” and is in “relentless pursuit to bring nuclear energy” to his home state of Colorado. He serves on the board of the Colorado Nuclear Alliance, working to educate and build support for nuclear at state and local levels. Through the Fire2Fission Podcast, Mark discusses nuclear technology and climate issues, often for audiences who, like him, come from fossil energy industries. Hinaman’s cross-industry advocacy highlights the growing interest in nuclear from professionals in other energy sectors, emphasizing nuclear’s role in an all-of-the-above clean energy strategy.
  8. Heather Hoff – LinkedIn・Google Scholar: N/A. Heather Hoff is a nuclear power plant operator turned environmental advocate and co-founder of Mothers for Nuclear. A longtime reactor operator and procedure writer at California’s Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant,  Hoff underwent a personal journey from skepticism to staunch support of nuclear energy as vital for her child’s future and the environment. In 2016, she and a colleague founded Mothers for Nuclear to “share a mother’s perspective” on nuclear power – emphasizing clean air, climate protection, and hope for future generations. Heather Hoff became a prominent public face in campaigns that helped save Diablo Canyon from early shutdown, speaking at hearings and in the media about how nuclear reliability and zero-carbon energy are critical. She also works to close the gender gap in nuclear advocacy, encouraging more women and mothers to weigh in on energy decisions. By combining her plant experience with her passion for the environment, Hoff has significantly reframed the nuclear conversation, highlighting its human and ecological benefits.
  9. Christine King – LinkedIn・Google Scholar: N/A. Christine King is the Director of the U.S. DOE’s Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative. In this role, she facilitates public-private partnerships that provide nuclear start-ups and industry access to the national labs’ technical resources, aiming to “move innovative nuclear energy technologies toward commercialization.”. Under King’s leadership, GAIN has expanded support for advanced reactor developers (e.g. through voucher programs for R&D at labs) and has engaged communities and utilities to evaluate nuclear options. Christine King brought 27 years of private-sector experience – ranging from reactor outage maintenance to collaborative R&D management – to GAIN. This industry background enables her to address practical deployment challenges as GAIN helps prepare the “nuclear ecosystem…to support the scale and deployment of 200 GW of new nuclear” for decarbonization goals. Ms. King is widely respected for building bridges between government and industry, accelerating the innovation cycle for advanced nuclear technologies.
  10. Nick Touran, Ph.D. – LinkedIn・Google Scholar. Dr. Nick Touran is a nuclear reactor physicist and engineer at TerraPower, and a prominent nuclear educator online. Since 2009, he has been a core member of TerraPower’s design team, now serving as Deputy Manager of Nuclear Design, specializing in fast reactor physics and core design. Touran was the original architect of TerraPower’s innovative Advanced Reactor Modeling Interface (ARMI) – a software platform for reactor analysis and optimization – which was released open-source to benefit the broader research community.. In addition to his technical work (ranging from fuel cycle analysis to computational methods), Dr. Touran runs Whatisnuclear.com, an acclaimed website he created to explain nuclear engineering concepts to the public. He holds a Ph.D. from University of Michigan and is a licensed Professional Engineer. Through both his engineering contributions (helping develop TerraPower’s next-gen reactors) and outreach (demystifying nuclear technology), Nick Touran exemplifies the new generation of nuclear experts driving innovation and engaging the public.

 

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Taxonomy