Six students and early career professionals, below the age of 30, have been selected as the winners of the IAEA’s nuclear safety essay contest and will participate in the Special Panel – Youth and the Nuclear Industry on 10 November 2021, during the IAEA’s International Conference on a Decade of Progress after Fukushima-Daiichi: Building on the Lessons Learned to Further Strengthen Nuclear Safety.
The winning proposals were selected from over 250 entries submitted by a near equal number of men and women from 60 countries and from a range of professions, including law, medicine, physical sciences, engineering, political science, education and journalism.
“The wide geographical representation of the submissions demonstrates the high interest amongst youth, worldwide, in promoting the safe and secure use of nuclear power and nuclear technologies,” said Lydie Evrard, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security. “We must do more than just tell the youth that their voices are heard. We must demonstrate that there is a seat at the table for them and show that their perspectives are highly valued.”
Many of the submissions expressed ideas on how the essay participants envisioned the future of nuclear power generation, and they also shared their views on the way forward to develop the next generation of nuclear experts. Participants also covered other topics, such as building trust with stakeholders, the impact of climate change in the development of nuclear power, the impact of the technical advancements for safety and the impact of new technologies in the nuclear industry.