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After forty-plus years in the US Nuclear industry, I’ve come to realize that I’ve been lucky to work in an industry that has been shaped by a culture of knowledge sharing. Unlike many other industries that are protective of their business processes and information in order to be competitive in the markets they operate in, …

The Current Situation  The commercial nuclear power industry has one major problem – the lack of understanding by non-nuclear educated individuals. There is no doubt that the commercial nuclear power industry perception took a negative hit after the Fukushima disaster that occurred on March 11, 2011.  Most articles classify this event as a nuclear disaster, …

In today’s ever-evolving nuclear industry, the term nuclear “compliance” is tossed around frequently.  It is used in day-to-day business conversations routinely, often spoken in a serious, professional tone.  But what exactly do we mean as stewards of nuclear safety, when we utter this poignant word?  Merriam-Webster defines the word as follows:  “A: the act or …

How a trainee learns establishes how the information is stored and retrieved. Reinforcement of learning through practice and feedback enhances knowledge retention and skills development. Technology plays an important role in innovative learning and developing skills. In current training classrooms, information on any subject can be researched and found immediately. Trainees have a variety of …

When I look back on my initial license training program to obtain my Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) license, I recall the intense amount of plant information and tasks I needed to learn just to be able to pass the final NRC exam.  Over three decades ago, the SRO operating exam consisted …

Imagine a future where; the majority of our power consumed worldwide has been generated with almost no carbon footprint, the oceans are used to solve water shortages, remote villages and towns around the globe have access to a safe, reliable steady-state electrical power, or a carbon-free portable power source that can be placed anywhere a …

Throughout the years, I have attended many nuclear industry events, symposiums, conferences, and meetings in the US and around the world. I always enjoy sharing my experiences, ideas, and passion with an audience who could help achieve our nuclear industry goals. On the other hand, talking to some who do not share the same views …

It is interesting to reflect on how far education and training have come in the last two years. The pandemic threw face-to-face classroom instruction into a realm of impossibility, and a terrifying realization presented itself to instructors. We were not prepared. The pandemic forced educational technology (EdTech) to center stage in Nuclear Education as well …

A year ago, I wrote about our new The Mentor Program℠ that was launched to help develop newly appointed training leaders in the industry. The new program was designed to help match experienced mentors from our industry with current nuclear professionals who were recently promoted into a training manager role.   An individualized, online experience   The online mentoring …

What do you do when an industry is faced with a lower-cost alternative, unfavorable government policy, and increased competition due to plant closures?  You look to other emerging markets that are embracing the technology that you support.  In our case, we decided to be a part of the nuclear renaissance and expansion that is happening …