© Pint of Science, 2025. All rights reserved.
In 2023, the UK government recommitted to nuclear energy. Is a rapid transition to renewables possible, or could nuclear energy serve as a buffer to carry us rapidly through our decarbonisation? How would we manage the waste and ensure nuclear safety? Joining us are several leading researchers from Manchester, Lancaster, and Sheffield Universities to answer your questions on everything nuclear.
Nuclear Waste: Policy and Industry
Dr Joel Turner
(Rolls-Royce Chair in Nuclear Fuel Technology)
Dr Lewis Blackburn
(Lewis Blackburn is a Lecturer in Nuclear Materials at the University of Sheffield and holds a Research Fellowship from the Royal Academy of Engineering. Lewis is also the academic co-lead for the newly established NDA Plutonium Ceramics Academic Hub. His research interests involve the design, characterisation and performance assessment of ceramic wasteforms for separated plutonium and other high activity wastes.)
Dr Samuel Murphy
(Dr. Samuel Murphy is a Senior Lecturer in Nuclear Materials and Director of Studies for Nuclear Engineering at Lancaster University's School of Engineering. His research employs advanced simulation techniques to understand the behaviour of materials in extreme environments, including fusion and fission reactors. Dr. Murphy is a leading expert in the field of tritium breeding and is PI on the "Tritium Breeder (TriBreed) demonstrator" project, which is part of UKAEA's £200m LIBRTI programme.)
Professor Francis Livens
(Francis Livens is a geochemist by background, with a particular interest in radioactive waste management and environmental radioactivity. He is also interested in the wider societal context of nuclear power. As well as research and teaching, he advises Government, regulators and industry.)
Join researchers from Sheffield University, Lancaster University and University of Manchester for an open discussion on nuclear energy! We will discuss the benefits and drawbacks on nuclear in the UK, whether we should push for a nuclear future, and how nuclear waste management is evolving in the modern day.
Nuclear Waste: Science and Research
Lea Shaughnessy
(PhD Candidate)
We work on RadWaste and Decommissioning, which is a fancy way of saying we look at the big problem of nuclear: what do we do with the waste and contamination? Our research covers a broad set of topics, but for the most part we are biogeochemists and geomicrobiologists. This means we dance around the topics of rocks, microbes, the subsurface, all with the idea of understanding environmental radiochemistry. From cleaning up contamination in the environment to understanding the possible effects of buried nuclear waste, we're the guys to call.
Nuclear Waste: Your Questions!
During this session we want to hear from you! Please scan this QR code to ask any questions and we will ask our panel during the event. Thank you.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Other Sureshot Taproom events
2025-05-21
From Soil to Sky: Using Earth's Ancient Past for a Modern Future
Sureshot Taproom
4 Sheffield Street, Manchester, M1 2ND, United Kingdom
2025-05-19
Going Green!
Sureshot Taproom
4 Sheffield Street, Manchester, M1 2ND, United Kingdom