Nuclear Symposium

2024: Uplifting Humanity at UNGA Science Summit during Climate Week NYC

Wednesday, 25 September 2024

Cornell Tech Campus, NYC

Held during the United Nations General Assembly, Climate Week NYC features major announcements, discussions, and interviews with international leadership from business, government, and the climate community. The nuclear symposium brought together economic development organizations, energy and technology investors, delegations of emerging economies, and international climate/environment groups to discuss opportunities and challenges of scaling up this clean energy technology.

Nuclear New York collaborated with the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability and Generation Atomic to advance conversations around nuclear energy and sustainable development at our Nuclear Symposium 2024: Uplifting Humanity. Recordings of this event, simulcast globally as part of the UNGA Science Summit, is posted here.

9:00 Coffee, Doughnuts, & Networking

Keynote Address
9:30
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9:40
Ben Furnas
Eric Dawson

Welcome Speech

See Video Recap
Panel Discussion
9:40
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9:55
Grace Stanke

Opening Remarks

See Video Recap
Panel Discussion
10:00
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10:40
Christina Leggett
Jacques Mosseri
Carl Perez
Pat O’Brien
Amir Adnani

The Nuclear Fuel Cycle

What are the components of the nuclear fuel cycle: from mining, enrichment, to fuel manufacture? What happens at the back end after energy generation? How is spent fuel stored safely? What are the pathways to reuse or recycle spent nuclear fuel? How is the supply chain readying itself to cater to the growing demand?

See Video Recap

10:45-10:55 Coffee, Doughnuts, & Networking

KeyNote
11:00
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11:25
Nana Menya Ayensu

KeyNote Address

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Panel Discussion
11:30
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12:10
Ryan Pickering
Scott Lathrop
Tea Törmänen
Jason Albritton
Danielle Butcher Franz

The Socio-Environmental Case For Nuclear

What are the implications of deploying the energy source with the least overall ecological impact? How do communities around nuclear plants view them? What are the possibilities for land conservation along with industrial development?

See Video Recap
Panel Discussion
12:15
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12:55
Angelica Oung
Robert Bright Mawuko Sogbadji
Dr. Charlyne Smith
Charles Oppenheimer

Energy Abundance

How does abundant energy help developing economies? What are they doing to advance firm clean generation from nuclear power? What are the barriers and opportunities in financing, workforce development, and technology transfer?

See Video Recap

1:00-1:40 Lunch & Networking

Speaker
1:45
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2:15
Julie Kozeracki

Guest Speaker: Julie Kozeracki

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Panel Discussion
2:15
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2:55
Alex Kaufman
Len Rodberg
Lindsay Anderson
Tricia Pridemore

System-Level Challenges of Decarbonization

What are physical, monetary, environmental, and social challenges to decarbonizing economies? What are the enabling conditions to advance clean energy systems? What lessons can the world learn from New York’s climate policies and Georgia’s experience?

See Video Recap
Panel Discussion
3:00
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3:40
Dinara Ermakova
Nick Touran
Isuru Seneviratne
Edward Rios
Erich Scherer

Delivery Model and Economics

What are the barriers to nuclear energy deployment: financial, permitting, and supply chain? What are the pathways to overcome these barriers, and where is progress taking place?

See Video Recap
Panel Discussion
3:40
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4:05
Baba Brinkman
Dex MCBean
Nathanology

Music and Rap Up

See Video Recap
Speaker
4:05
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4:10

Closing Remarks

4:10 End of Program

Speakers

2024 Speaker Information

Amir Adnani

Team Member
Organization or Non Profit

Uranium Energy Corp.

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Amir Adnani

Organization or Non Profit

Uranium Energy Corp.

Jason Albritton

Team Member
The Nature Conservancy

Director

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Jason Albritton

The Nature Conservancy

Director

Dr. Lindsay Anderson

Team Member
Cornell University

Professor and Chair of the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering

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Dr. Lindsay Anderson

Cornell University

Professor and Chair of the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering

Nana Menya Ayensu

Team Member
White House Climate Policy Office

Special Assistant to the President for Climate Policy, Finance, and Innovation
Part of the White House Climate Policy Office (CPO)

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Nana Menya Ayensu

White House Climate Policy Office

Special Assistant to the President for Climate Policy, Finance, and Innovation
Part of the White House Climate Policy Office (CPO)

Dinara Ermakova

Team Member
Generation Atomic

Expert in Nuclear Technology and Policy

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Dinara Ermakova

Generation Atomic

Expert in Nuclear Technology and Policy

Danielle Butcher Franz

Team Member
Organization or Non Profit

CEO

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Danielle Butcher Franz

Organization or Non Profit

CEO

Alexander Kaufman

Team Member
HuffPost

Writer and Senior Reporter

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Alexander Kaufman

HuffPost

Writer and Senior Reporter

Julie Kozeracki

Team Member
Department of Energy Loans Programs Office

Director of Strategy

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Julie Kozeracki

Department of Energy Loans Programs Office

Director of Strategy

Scott R. Lathrop

Team Member
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CEO and Founding Member

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Scott R. Lathrop

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CEO and Founding Member

Dr. Christina Leggett

Team Member
Booz Allen Hamilton

Nuclear Technology Consultant

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Dr. Christina Leggett

Booz Allen Hamilton

Nuclear Technology Consultant

Jacques Mosseri

Team Member
CURIO

Mechanical Engineer

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Jacques Mosseri

CURIO

Mechanical Engineer

Patrick O'Brien

Team Member
Holtec

Director of Government Affairs and Communications

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Patrick O'Brien

Holtec

Director of Government Affairs and Communications

Charles Oppenheimer

Team Member
Oppenheimer Project

Founder

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Charles Oppenheimer

Oppenheimer Project

Founder

Angelica Oung

Team Member
Anthropocene Institute

Independent Journalist

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Angelica Oung

Anthropocene Institute

Independent Journalist

Carl Perez

Team Member
Exodys Energy

Co-Founder

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Carl Perez

Exodys Energy

Co-Founder

Ryan Pickering

Team Member
Department of Energy Consent-Based Siting Consortia

Energy Policy Researcher

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Ryan Pickering

Department of Energy Consent-Based Siting Consortia

Energy Policy Researcher

Tricia Pridemore

Team Member
Georgia Public Service Commission, Unable to join due to Hurricane Helene

Chairman

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Tricia Pridemore

Georgia Public Service Commission, Unable to join due to Hurricane Helene

Chairman

Edward Rios

Team Member
Export-Import Bank

Senior Loan Officer

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Edward Rios

Export-Import Bank

Senior Loan Officer

Dr. Leonard Rodberg

Team Member
Nuclear New York

Research Director

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Dr. Leonard Rodberg

Nuclear New York

Research Director

Erich Scherer

Team Member
NYSERDA

Director of Strategy

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Erich Scherer

NYSERDA

Director of Strategy

Isuru Seneviratne

Team Member
LucidCatalyst

Co-Founder of Nuclear New York

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Isuru Seneviratne

LucidCatalyst

Co-Founder of Nuclear New York

Dr. Charlyne Smith

Team Member
EPRI

Nuclear Engineer and Scientist

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Dr. Charlyne Smith

EPRI

Nuclear Engineer and Scientist

Dr. Robert Sogbadji

Team Member
Ministry of Energy of Ghana

Coordinator for the Ghana Nuclear Power Programme

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Dr. Robert Sogbadji

Ministry of Energy of Ghana

Coordinator for the Ghana Nuclear Power Programme

Grace Stanke

Team Member
Constellation Energy

National Advocate

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Grace Stanke

Constellation Energy

National Advocate

Tea Törmänen

Team Member
WePlanet
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Tea Törmänen

WePlanet

Nick Touran

Team Member
WhatIsNuclear.com

Reactor Physicist

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Nick Touran

WhatIsNuclear.com

Reactor Physicist

sponsors

Who Made It Possible

Sponsors

Gigawatt

Sponsors

Megawatt

Sponsors

Kilowatt

Photo Gallery

Visual Recap of the 2024 Nuclear Symposium