Funded by the UK’s Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, NDA, and led by The University of Manchester and Sheffield, PLUMaS, a new project to train the next generation of plutonium experts, has been unveiled by the Plutonium Ceramics Academic Hub.
They will collaborate on a five-year programme for approximately twenty PhD students as well as two post-doctoral researchers, and will ultimately teach the necessary skills and knowledge to support the NDA’s ongoing mission relating to civil separated plutonium here in the UK.
What will it involve?
The students will gain expertise in the field and, it is hoped, develop new breakthroughs in the safe disposal of the material.
We already know that, for safety, waste must be made solid before allowing it to be disposed of at a geological facility. However, the researchers will thoroughly study and investigate this cycle and come up with new strategies informed by continuing advancements in technology.
Research into products and materials is vital, not only to ensure that we are dealing with them safely and securely, but also to apply new scientific and technological breakthroughs to see what more we could be doing with them. RAICo, https://raico.org/, for instance, develops modern glass solutions for the architecture industry. Companies like this must always be forward-thinking and constantly reminding themselves about their responsibility to nature, as well as to their clients.
What is the role of PLUMaS?
The University of Manchester and Sheffield are the perfect institutions to lead on the plutonium mission, as they each have unique expertise to bring to the Hub, and will each focus on different areas of the project, whilst sharing their findings. Furthermore, their state-of-the-art facilities will help to grow the scale of the work carried out in this field.
What impact will this mission have?
The mission comes at a pivotal time in the UK, when research into the behaviour of plutonium is so important. It will ensure that we as a nation stay committed to conscientiously and sustainably handling our country’s civil nuclear legacy.