A Geographer's Place in Nuclear

Each year the Dalton Nuclear Institute welcomes a student from 英国曼彻斯特大学 's Geography with Professional Placement Undergraduate Programme to spend a year working on nuclear outreach and communications. This year we are delighted to welcome not one but two new students, Molly Waterfall and Beatrice Patience . At the end of their first week, they’ve taken some time to reflect on their role in a nuclear society, and what they are looking forward to over the coming year. ?

BP: Molly, why did you decide to join the Dalton Nuclear Institute ???

MW: I applied for many placement opportunities when preparing for my industrial year, however I felt that many of the opportunities available to me were not relevant to my degree and the kind of career I wanted to have. When applying to Dalton, I found that their key focus was bringing people and research together, combining all the different elements of geography and STEM to create a strong community, and I knew I wanted to be part of it. I was also very interested in working alongside 英国曼彻斯特大学 to incorporate nuclear, and sustainability in general, into the University’s core aims.??

BP: Same! And what do you enjoy about your geography degree? Why did you pick it??

MW: I absolutely love geography! I believe it is one of the most topical disciplines, encompassing literally every aspect of human life. While I came to Manchester with the intention of pursuing physical geography, being at university has helped me to recognise the importance of the human side. I hope to explore how human and physical geographies interact with nature, and how humans have and will continue to impact our physical environment. Also, I am very interested in the interdisciplinary nature of nuclear research, and I want to learn more about how this degree plays a part in the conversation.???

BP: I agree completely!?

MW: What about you Bea? Why do you think interdisciplinarity is important in nuclear??

BP: Well, from my (primarily human geography) perspective, interdisciplinarity is a requisite to almost any area of research – particularly in cases of concern to climate change and our global energy mix.?The so sought-for energy transitions that dominate much of contemporary scientific and political academia require, in my opinion, the most cross-disciplinary collaboration. Re-establishing our global energy use is not a subject concerning simply those at the forefront of climate-based technological development, nor is it one that concerns solely political ventures, but one that requires the engagement and debate of every one of us. I think it is at the hands of social scientists to bridge the gap between the nuclear industry with the public sector.??

MW: Definitely!?

BP: What interests you about nuclear Molly??

MW: A big issue within geography at the moment is sustainability and the application of sustainable practices as a way of combatting climate change, and I think that nuclear has the potential to change the ways that humans consume. As pressures on energy systems worsen and our finite energy resources continue to dwindle, global efforts to increase renewable energy sources over the past 20 years have definitely made an impact. Renewable energy now makes up more than 30% of the world’s electricity supply, however these efforts have failed to displace fossil fuels as the primary energy source. As time continues to run out, many have turned to nuclear as a solution; being reliable and renewable, nuclear power generation can be deployed on a large scale, replacing much of the fossil-fuel energy we rely on so heavily.?

MW: ?What are you looking forward to working on at Dalton Bea? Any specific projects or research areas????

BP: I’m mainly excited to get involved in organising and attending STEM/STEAM ambassador outreach events. Research has revealed a growing demand for workers with soft skills, mainly as a product of increasing automation occurring primarily in STEM subjects. The emerging STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and maths) concept is developing rapidly and will be a key focus for Dalton over the coming year. The value of dismantling this binary between the arts and STEM subjects includes not only the increase in diversity of thought, creative problem-solving, and better-rounded professionals but also the ability to attract a whole new audience to get involved.??A key target for Dalton will be schools of high deprivation in and around Manchester, and I’m sure it will be greatly rewarding showcasing the opportunities available to children that may not have otherwise associated themselves with these academic areas.

I’m also looking forward to getting to know the many industry professionals, company partners, PhD students, academics, and policymakers that the Dalton team work with!??

MW: Me too! My last question is, are there any challenges you anticipate facing here, as a fellow Geography student??

BP: Well, I guess my one fear is my lack of specialised knowledge in nuclear. I know I’ll be coming in to contact with some of the country’s most nuclear-educated professionals and academics. Yet again, how could I learn any better? I’ve picked up more in my first week here about the workings of nuclear fission, fusion, decommissioning, and waste disposal than I did during my whole time at school. The conversation about nuclear really is open to anyone, from any background. It won’t take long for you to develop a fascination in what is still such a contentious, multifaceted, and unique subject area!?