UW Ruckelshaus Institute Nuclear Energy Forum Registration Extended to April 6

Registration for the University of Wyoming Ruckelshaus Institute's Emerging Issue Forum on Nuclear Energy has been extended to Monday, April 6. The forum is open to the public.

The Ruckelshaus Institute, UW's School of Energy Resources and the Wyoming Energy Authority will host the forum at UW's Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center Monday and Tuesday, April 13-14. To register for the event and to view the agenda, visit the Emerging Issue Forum on Nuclear Energy website.

The goals of the forum are to build a shared understanding of all parts of the nuclear energy fuel cycle; equip participants with the knowledge and tools to engage in informed decision-making about current and future development of nuclear industries in Wyoming; and identify policy, community engagement, research, planning and other needs or opportunities and begin to develop strategies to address them.

"Collaborative dialogue is the foundation for good policy. This forum brings together experts and stakeholders to think carefully about Wyoming's nuclear future," says Tara Righetti, the Occidental Chair in Energy and Environmental Policies and co-director of the Nuclear Energy Research Center at the School of Energy Resources.

The first day will begin with presentations on the history and legacy of nuclear technologies and an overview of radiation and the fuel cycle. Subsequent sessions will address uranium mining, milling and regulation; economic development opportunities in Wyoming; and high-level waste.

"Wyoming has established a first-mover advantage in the nation's nuclear energy resurgence and is well-positioned to build significant economic activity around a growing in-state nuclear ecosystem," says Sean Schaub, nuclear industry coordinator for the Wyoming Energy Authority. "The Emerging Issue Forum provides stakeholders with an opportunity to explore these developments in greater depth and better understand how their communities can engage."

After the first day's sessions, a reception will feature hands-on, interactive opportunities to learn about nuclear energy, including Idaho National Laboratory's Nuclear Science Trailer. This reception does not require forum registration to attend.

The second day will focus on community engagement, benefits and preparedness. Kickoff presentations followed by facilitated, small group discussions will address community capacity, trust and cultural alignment in the morning, and workforce development, infrastructure needs and more in the afternoon.

A joint reception with the School of Energy Resources Rocky Mountain Land and Resource Management Conference will follow.

For more information, email UW Emerging Issues Initiative Coordinator Birch Malotky at [email protected].