The report on MIT and DOE collaborations, specifically the 'Scholarship for Nuclear Communications and Methods for Evaluation of Nuclear Project Acceptability' reveals intentions to gain public support by developing 'a model for the social acceptability of nuclear projects,' and sheds light on the relationship between the Department of Energy Nuclear Energy University Programs and the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering at MIT.
Rocky Flats nuclear facility workers in a plutonium storage area, 1988. (photo: US Dept of Energy)
DOE Paying MIT for Pro-Nuclear Evaluation of Research
07 June 12
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The report on MIT and DOE collaborations, specifically the "Scholarship for Nuclear Communications and Methods for Evaluation of Nuclear Project Acceptability" reveals intentions to gain public support by developing 'a model for the social acceptability of nuclear projects,' and sheds light on the relationship between the Department of Energy Nuclear Energy University Programs and the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering at MIT. CW/RSN
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wo of 47 newly funded Department of Energy (DOE) research projects are led by professors in the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering (NSE) at MIT. Under its Nuclear Energy University Programs (NEUP) umbrella, the DOE has awarded $36.2 million in support of projects in four fields: fuel cycle research and development; reactor concepts research, development and demonstration; nuclear energy advanced modeling and simulation; and transformative research. Both the MIT projects fall into the fuel cycle research & development category.
�Optimization of Deep Borehole Systems for HLW Disposal,� led by Professor emeritus Michael Driscoll and Assistant Professor Emilio Baglietto, received an $850,000 grant; and �Scholarship for Nuclear Communications and Methods for Evaluation of Nuclear Project Acceptability,� led by Professor Michael Golay, received $800,000.
The objective of the �Optimization of Deep Borehole Systems for HLW Disposal� project is to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the deep borehole option for disposal of high level nuclear waste. This project builds upon a long history of prior work carried out in the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering at MIT and more recently at Sandia National Labs. It is designed in part to respond to the recent report to the Secretary of Energy by the Blue Ribbon Commission on America�s Nuclear Future, which � drawing in part on earlier MIT research � identified deep boreholes as a possible alternative to shallower mined repositories.
Collaborators on this project are Associate Professor Jacopo Buongiorno and Professor and Department Head Richard Lester, and Dr. Patrick Brady at Sandia National Labs.
�Scholarship for Nuclear Communications and Methods for Evaluation of Nuclear Project Acceptability" will develop a model to characterize the factors affecting social acceptance of nuclear projects by potential stakeholders. The nuclear enterprise has long faced difficulties in gaining the broad social acceptance needed for success. The base of scholarship relevant to this problem is relatively small, and not much used within the nuclear enterprise. Reliance upon public education efforts continues to be the main, and largely unsuccessful, tactic to achieve acceptance. This project will develop a model for the social acceptability of nuclear projects, for use in assessment and refinement of their probabilities of success among essential stakeholders. The researchers expect that it will strengthen the ability to design and implement large projects more efficiently, leading to higher rates of success for future nuclear projects.
In addition to the two research grants, three NSE graduate students, Sam Shaner, William Boyd and Bradley Black, have been awarded 2012 NEUP fellowships. Each student will receive $150,000 over three years to support their studies at MIT.
These grants and fellowships are part of a larger effort by the DOE to build on President Obama�s commitment to promote education in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math. The awards announced under the NEUP programs will support nuclear energy research and development and student education at 46 colleges and universities around the country.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8YFe6Q08M8
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NEVER VOTE REPUBLICAN
Onward 99%. It will be tough but we must sustain.
Well said, Eronat, and these are not even the "agent provocateurs" yet. These are the well-known (Since Seattle) Anarchists who show up perpetrating violence and destruction at protests where the Anarchists themselves can't even describe what is being protested. They just love to "sock it to the system". *Any* excuse to violence and vandalism is better than *no* excuse to violence and vandalism for these louts.
They always wear black clothing, black masks, and carry black flags. What's with Bubb Rubb quoted in the article as saying: "these people in black clothes with black flags .... they bamboozled us. They wanted violence."
They are ANARCHISTS, "Bubb", they *always* "want violence". If Occupy Oakland has a free library like OWS, better study up a little on the recent history of West Coast activism. The better to avoid being "bamboozled" over lack of easily accessed information. Knowledge is Power.
Or are you an out and out Fascist? You sure sound like it.
It's people like you who are finks and blacklegs to the corporate state and who are holding America back from entering the 21st century -42nd in the world in quality of life indicators as of recent polls and from being a force for good in the world by caring for it's own citizens and those in need of help abroad instead of being an over-armed thug.
Have YOU ever put your body on the line (other than possibly time a lock-step "yassuh" military cipher) for something you believe in passionately or are you happy with the "kick me again your lordship" status-quo?
The police should be out there with them and the real criminals are waltzing around in suits, albeit starting to shit in their Armanis!
"Oh villainous viper, damned beyond redemption, terrible Hell be on your spotted soul for this"!
NEVER VOTE REPUBLICAN!
Clinton opened the back door, George W. busted down the front door and the barn door, letting go the herd. Obama is allowing for the same thing. But in truth this all began during the time of Nixon/Reagan. Nothing is as simple as democrat vs. republican. Never forget the corporations that exited the country, along with factories and money.
It is very difficult to rid a protest of anarchists, thugs, plants, or any other critter attempting to denigrate dignified demonstrations. Everyone involved will have to police their own neighborhood demonstrations and call out the thugs. It is NOT easy.
Guess your corporate handlers didn't "spring" for a calculator or a calender, huh. BTW, your still in the gulag, and that fact is never gonna change. No matter how hard you "suck". What is "in tact" anyway?
PLEASE Mr. Eagle, I don't mean to come off as being mean-spirited, but for your sake and for the sake of the rest of us, get some professional councelling! Seek real life education! Then you too shall see the true light of what this country (and parts of the rest of this planet) has been suffering. ...And for God's sakes, PLEASE stop watching Fox News!
Then you can with enlightenment and dignity armed with the true knowledge, join our cause for the sake of the country and the world at large! Thanks!
Er...then it was some rogue billionaires in the 1% doing it? Of course it was the 99% - maybe only 1% of the 99% but it certainly helps more to tell the truth.
Having pointed that out- most protesters have been extremely restrained and should stay that way. It's the one thing the authorities don't understand. They understand and react to violence but are dumbfounded when confronted with peaceful obstinacy. The people shall overcome!
If you haven't caught on yet, you aren't paying attention and need to wake up!
Obama is behind the police repression. Karl Rove has little to no sway over mayors. Furthermore, a friend has started looking into which mayors belong to which party. So far, all Democrats except for one. But not finsihed yet.
Re this excerpt from the article: ". . . witnessed two demonstrators hurl items in retaliation.
I say good for them. The thugs who are perpetrating violence deserve whatever happens to them.
As for the people doing damage - has it occurred to anyone that these could be gov't installed perpetrators so that the police violence can be justified by our fascist leaders?
So what do YOU want? Again, you are the one with the twisted perspective and yet I've never hear a productive suggestion from y'r keyboard.
I'm a small business owner feeling the oppression of corporate monopoly and applaud every day these people make themselves felt.
Again, put up or shut up, mouthpiece and apologist for the power-elite with their freedom-and-cre ativity-killing jackboots!
Stop the flood of Chinese cheap bleep that displaces our workers? Or what?
Extraordinary show of force. Okay, the point has been made. Now what?
Until our demands are met? What demands? Who can actually meet them?
Arab Spring wanted rid of dictators--Assa d, Ghadafi, Mubarek, et al. must step down. The Euro protests raged at austerity that hit their 99% disproportionat ely.
Protests had an end point. I'm not seeing one here or any connection either.
Provocateurs and plants as well as undisciplined fools will drive away responsible protesters.
The big corporations ARE the bad guys and most bad in that they underwrite the politicians and determine policy by the overwhelming force of wealth and subsequent infiltration of the federal bureaucracy. Their agents are the regulators.
Big Corporations are no friends of small business.
While character flaws were surely involved in the flameout of our economy, much of the dysfunctional system is so set in place that often even smart, well intentioned people can't do their jobs.
Bashing government employees is not a way to foster pride in one's job and devotion to the public good. The government-is -bad mantra is a useless piece of ideological claptrap deflecting from the size of reform needed.
When will you honestly recognize, in your somewhat blinkered determination to blame the Government for everything and rationalize for big corporations, that they are one and the same thing, or a plutocracy?
And if you don't think that this is becoming a police state, you must live a very sheltered life. The Texas police now has drones; just a matter of time before they use them to stifle dissent on behalf of the Owner-Governmen t.
Try dissenting! Try protesting! Try getting to know some of those you call criminals -but then that's more challenging Innit?.
I was a 60's and 70's activist, and have faced the same clubs and agents provocateurs (and yes, there are loose-cannon scum, many being bored upper-middle brats who get their rocks off doing damage attributed to true and peaceful resisters then melting away). But now the cops have phasers, and all sorts of other crippling and sometimes lethal deterrents; just ask young Scott Olsen.
If you've never been out there, don't condemn what you don't understand and remember, dissent is truly democratic!
Read "The Nightmare Years" W.L. Shirer.