NEI’s two-time award-winning podcast (and up for a third—cast your vote for us in the Science category before October 1!) is coming back once again! Fissionary season three is on its way, and our hosts Mary Carpenter and Jordan Houghton are getting ready to interview even more voices from all over the nuclear energy space.
But before we dive into season three…are you all caught up on season two? Fissionary’s most recent season featured experts from a wide range of fields doing important and exciting work, including…
…producing Substack’s top finance publication.
Season two of Fissionary kicked off with its most unexpected guest yet: an animated green chicken, who also happens to be the editor behind Substack’s most popular finance newsletter, Doomberg. Despite their name, Doomberg shared a bit of optimism and some very hot takes on nuclear’s role in decarbonizing the global economy.
For a no-nonsense view of nuclear through a finance lens, listen to season two, episode one: It’s Not All Doom and Gloom with Doomberg.
…founding the first-ever digital energy advocacy group.
Data centers, cryptocurrency, and AI have become hot topics in the nuclear energy world as big tech companies invest in nuclear to power their fast-growing operations. Mary and Jordan sat down with Digital Energy Council founder Tom Mapes to explain how the digital energy economy works, where nuclear comes in, and how this can ultimately lead to more government support for clean energy.
For a breakdown of nuclear’s increasingly important role in the tech world, listen to season two, episode two: Fueling the Digital Revolution with Tom Mapes.
…treating cancer and dementia patients using nuclear medicine.
When Dr. Paulien Moyaert isn’t using nuclear medicine to diagnose her patients, she’s creating clear, concise explainer videos on a variety of medical topics for her 224,000 YouTube subscribers. Dr. Moyaert explains that though nuclear medicine procedures like PET scans are extremely safe, many patients are nervous about receiving them because they don’t know how they work. So, she hopped onto Fissionary to break it all down.
For an introduction to nuclear medicine, listen to season two, episode three: Radioactive Healing with Dr. Paulien Moyaert.
…championing diversity in the nuclear industry.
As huge game show fans, Mary and Jordan were beyond excited to interview Dr. J’Tia Hart, a nuclear engineer at Idaho National Lab and former Survivor contestant. Dr. Hart discussed her work in nuclear nonproliferation, her passion project STEM Queens, which encourages young women to get involved in nuclear and other science careers, and, of course, her experience on Survivor.
For a discussion on the importance of representation for women in STEM, listen to season two, episode four: Survivor, STEM, and Nuclear with J’Tia Hart.
…using video game tech to revolutionize the nuclear workforce.
Bet you never thought you’d hear Fortnite mentioned in a Fissionary episode (neither did we)! Derek Kultgen explains how Argonne National Lab’s Mechanisms Engineering Test Loop (METL) uses virtual reality and other video game technology to help educate and train the nuclear workforce and even allow plant employees to work remotely. Derek says METL’s work could even change the way other fields, like construction, operate—and you don’t have to be a seasoned gamer to get in on it.
For a look at how video games could change the way we work, listen to season two, episode five: Virtual Reality Meets Nuclear Energy with Derek Kultgen.
…directing technology demonstrations at NASA.
Now that humans have walked on the Moon, our next stop is Mars—and Trudy Kortes of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate says nuclear energy could help get us there. Trudy discusses nuclear’s potential to power space missions, her work mentoring college students, and the developments she’s excited to see in robotics and space communication technology.
For a deep dive on nuclear’s potential to power missions to space, listen to season two, episode six: To the Moon and Beyond with Trudy Kortes.
…funding nuclear’s future.
You’re sure to recognize this guest’s last name if you were paying even a little bit of attention to pop culture in the past year. Charles Oppenheimer (J. Robert Oppenheimer’s grandson) is building a legacy of his own with the Oppenheimer Project by furthering his grandfather’s vision of the peaceful and safe use of nuclear science. And don’t worry, Mary and Jordan made sure to get all of his thoughts on the Oppenheimer movie!
For an optimistic vision of nuclear energy’s potential and the inside scoop on last year’s biggest movie, listen to season two, episode seven: Growing a Nuclear Legacy with Charles Oppenheimer.
…engineering, influencing, and policy research (oh my!).
Season two’s grand finale featured not one, but three guests, including Fissionary’s first-ever return guest, Dr. J’Tia Hart. Jordan, Mary, and J’Tia were joined by policy researcher Ryan Pickering and nuclear engineering student and TikTok creator Kaylee Cunningham to discuss what the future will look like with the help of nuclear energy. Their conversation covers climate, workforce development, the power of social media, and more.
For a look into nuclear energy’s past, present, and future, listen to season two, episode eight: Imagining the Year 2050 With Our Nuclear All-Stars!.
Make sure to catch up on season two, follow NEI on social media for updates, and mark your calendar for season three’s premiere on October 10!
