|
|
Post by rc on Apr 14, 2024 19:54:24 GMT -6
There are people from 15 countries that have come to Abilene for a meeting about Nuclear Energy and particularly about the possible role of thorium. The presentations have gone very well (meeting held at the new Double Tree convention center hotel.) ACU's presentation by Rusty Towell and Doug Robison clearly won the outstanding presentation and thunderous applause. Monday the crowd will be a private tour of the NEXT Lab. It was very exciting to hear the various projects going on and how ACU is very likely to be leading the pack. People were excited to be here and looking forward to the tour of the SERC and ARC buildings tomorrow. The Thorium Energy prize was presented to Rusty and Doug. Wildcats, be very proud of how quickly ACU has climbed the ladder of acclaim for it's research in next generation energy. One thing mentioned a few times was how the nuclear industry would soon be needing a large number of trained nuclear employees and here we are, attracting students from around the country to come to ACU to work on NEXT. Those young men and women will be sought after for sure (they already are.)
|
|
|
|
Post by Outsider on Apr 15, 2024 8:19:09 GMT -6
Is ACU any closer to having the actual reactor?
|
|
|
|
Post by rc on Apr 15, 2024 14:15:11 GMT -6
Getting closer all the time. This is something our government wants to see happen but still they are slow and careful, far so more so than is needed since the reactor will be the safest one every built in the USA. The commercial ones will be the safest way to generate power than any current technology and less costly as well. It is a no-brainer.
I made one mistake. A man came up to me with a question and I mistakenly first asked where in England was he from because of his accent---Oops, he was nice but explained he was Australian. So I did not make that mistake again and the fellow from Copenhagen had hardly any accent at all. Some may have spoken Spanish, but being a nuclear meeting, German was a better second choice. Most were American by far. They were extremely complimentary of ACU and the SERC and very impressed with President Schubert, Rusty Towell, and Doug Robison. It was a fun time in A-town.
|
|
|
|
Post by dallasalum on Apr 15, 2024 14:44:50 GMT -6
About 10 days ago I was told by two different people who are very much insiders regarding this project that they are expecting to receive "certification" ( or whatever it is) from the Department of Energy and/or Nuclear Regulatory Agency this summer. They seemed extremely confident about this development. If so, that is great news. From an academic and international prospective, this is the biggest thing to ever happen to ACU, in my opinion.
|
|
|
|
Post by acutrackfan on Apr 16, 2024 7:01:10 GMT -6
RC, thanks for the info on this meeting at ACU. I agree with Dallasalum, this is probably the biggest thing that has ever happened at ACU. The potential for nationwide and even worldwide acclaim is staggering. The potential for UBIT (unrelated business income) for the University is also huge. I don't think that most people realize how much money to flows into UT and TAMU from UBIT -- as the money coming from the Texas legislature to all of the state universities has continued to shrink - the big research universities in the state have been able to substitute UBIT for the shortage. UBIT could have an even more profound impact on ACU if it begins to flow like is projected with a successful NEXTLab project.
|
|
|
|
Post by Outsider on Apr 16, 2024 9:28:28 GMT -6
Yes, thanks for the update. The certification for the reactor had been quiet for a while. I knew with all the visits that it had to have still been ongoing. I just wanted to know if that meant some things were actually being shored up. I know it's a slow process, but the updates are much appreciated.
|
|
