By Matthias Vanderhaegen
From Left to Right: Matthias Vanderhaegen (ENS-YGN representative from Belgium), Denis Janin (IYNC President) and Chirayu Batra (IAEA Nuclear Energy Department) at the IYNC stand.
IYNC, together with colleagues of ENS-YGN and IAEA Nuclear Energy (NE) Department, partnered at the 2017 International Conference on Fast Reactor and Related Fuel Cycles (FR17) in Yekaterinburg, Russia. This conference, organized every 4-years, is the Walhalla of the fast reactor community, bringing together experts from every corner of the world to discuss safety, liquid metal thermalhydraulics, material behavior in fast neutron fluxes and the recycling of fuel.
In close collaboration with their colleagues from the Russian Young Generation they organized a Workshop for and with the Young Generation on Knowledge Transfer and Management: Filling the gap – Training Young people, whilst of course making some advertisement for the fantastic event in March next year.
The subject of knowledge management is especially applicable in the fast reactor community as there is a gap between the very experienced fast reactor engineer involved in the design, construction and operation of former fast reactors and the young engineer leaving the university.
Both senior lecturers from CEA, JAEA and Rosatom as junior lecturers from IAEA and IPPE represented almost all countries participating to the conference to give a global view of the state of different reactor programs as well as some ideas on knowledge management. Both the IAEA and CEA detailed all the tools to train not only engineers, but also the technicians, where all lecturers agreed on international collaboration. But this was of course after the winner of the Innovation for Nuclear (I4N) winner, Kristof Gladinez, was announced by Denis Janin. However, Kristof could only take the honors after the speech as his bus transfer to the conference venue ran into some engine trouble. So, there are unfortunately no pictures, but now you have another reason to attend IYNC in Bariloche as a meet and greet is always possible there!
After two hours of information, the participants got the opportunity to challenge the lecturers and discuss among themselves. This led to some very lively discussion with interesting ideas, presented by some brave young people, on the tools that can be used to manage and preserve the knowledge, increasing interest in the next generation of nuclear technology and bridging the gap between academia and industry. Although these subjects differ somewhat, the groups both agreed that you should start at a young age to get young people involved and industry should be more transparent and open for children, teenagers and students… Perhaps a small hint to organize an International Nuclear Summer Camp?
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| Left: Edouard Bissen, a participant to the I4N challenge, as one of the brave young people presenting the conclusions of his group. Right: Group picture. | |
