News from World Nuclear University, Stockholm, Sweden
Lisa McIsaac is one of three Cameco employees selected to attend the WNU this summer. They are part of a group of 89 students chosen from around the world to study for six weeks at the WNU Summer Institute. The following are highlights from notes Lisa has sent back to Port Hope.
A global perspective
Attending the WNU has been a great experience and a terrific opportunity for me to get a much broader - a global - perspective on everything from world energy needs and climate change to nuclear economics and comparative risk assessment. I would say the main issue to which we keep returning is the need to think globally. Ultimately, the communication that happens among the 90 Fellows during this session will allow us to bring the global perspective back with us. At least half of the Fellows are from the developing economies of the world. All of the Fellows here are bright, open-minded and incredibly knowledgeable. More important, we all have the desire to become more knowledgeable, to be able to influence events and to make forward-looking decisions. So much of the information we learn here can apply to our individual situations back home.
One evening I went into Stockholm to relax and have an opportunity to think more. But each day I have this feeling that I can't wait until tomorrow! There's so much to learn. It's astonishing to realize that the history of our understanding of radioactivity and nuclear science is only about one hundred years old. Most days begin with an intense, lecture and then we break into smaller, teams for discussion. It's amazing to see information that I've previously known put into a global context. Like the speaker who explained that having more energy in the system because heat is being trapped by greenhouse gases (primarily carbon dioxide and water) causes an increase in climate activity. The Canadian example I remember is the polar bears in Churchill having to spend longer on shore because the ice is not forming in Hudson's Bay as early.
One speaker made a point that stuck in my mind. He said that in order to ensure that decision-makers can be held accountable the debate, arguments and communications about the issues had to be authentic, legitimate and truthful. The speaker believes that only when these three things are built into the debate, and it is transparent, can decision-makers truly be accountable.
Everyday is full of new learning and one area I am interested in is the recycling of spent fuel and I look forward to learning more about this process before coming home to Port Hope.
Footnote: Both Engin Ozberk from Cameco's Port Hope facility and Jerry Grandey, CEO of Cameco Corporation were guest speakers at the WNU this summer
