ASME Columbia Basin Section: A Brief History of Nuclear Reactors: From CP-1 to Advanced Designs

Description

On Thursday, January 21 at 7pm, Dr. Nicole LaHaye will be giving a presentation titled "A Brief History of Nuclear Reactors: From CP-1 to Advanced Designs." Advanced reactor designs are of great interest and a research priority around the world due to the many benefits they offer, including capital cost reduction, inherent safety features, and the ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by replacing aging fossil fuel plants. But what are these designs, and how did we get here? This presentation will provide a brief overview of nuclear reactor history starting with Chicago Pile-1, the world’s first artificial nuclear reactor, up through the present fleet. Dr. Nicole LaHaye is a nuclear materials engineer in the Global Nuclear Science & Technology Group at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and is currently the project manager of multiple advanced reactor projects funded by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.