Nuclear Innovator Cultivation Camp: NICC2024 was held at Tokyo Tech

The Nuclear Innovator Cultivation Program (NICP) held the Nuclear Innovator Cultivation Camp (NICC2024) from July 30 to August 6, 2024 at Tokyo Institute of Technology.

NICC2024 aims to nurture internationally-minded nuclear innovators through group works with graduate students from six U.S. universities (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Michigan, North Carolina State University, Texas A&M University, University of California Berkeley, and University of Wisconsin-Madison) who are cooperating with NICP, as well as through a tour of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and other nuclear facilities.

A total of 13 people participated in NICC2024: 6 graduate students from nuclear graduate schools in Japan, 1 young researcher from a nuclear related company in Japan, and 6 graduate students invited from the United States.

On July 30, the first day of the program, the opening keynote was given by Dr. Mitsuru Uesaka, Chairperson of Japan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC), on the topic of “Current Status and Future of Nuclear Development in Japan”.

In the afternoon, the students were divided into five groups to research the history of the development of nuclear reactors that have been built and present their findings under the theme “History of the development of nuclear reactors”.

On July 31, Mr. Naoaki Okuzumi, Senior Manager at the International Research Institute for Decommissioning (IRID) gave a lecture titled “Current Status and Challenges of R&D for Decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station”. Participants then toured two research facilities of the Laboratory for Zero Carbon Energy, Tokyo Institute of Technology. In the afternoon, they were again divided into groups to discuss under the theme of “Conditions for nuclear power that society expects to be realized” and presented their ideas.

On August 1, participants visited the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA)’s Oarai Research and Development Institute, to learn about the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) and the Hydrogen Production Test Facility. The following day, they visited Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO)'s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (1F). After a briefing on the decommissioning project and its progress by TEPCO, the participants toured the nuclear power plant premises by TEPCO’s bus and on foot.

The following week, on August 5, Mr. Takafumi Anegawa, Founder & CEO of Advanced Float Co Ltd, gave a lecture titled “Offshore Floating Nuclear Power Plant From Fukushima Dai-Ichi Accident”. The participants then started group work again under the theme of “What should we develop in the future?” to propose projects to develop new types of nuclear reactors, evaluating reactor applications, specific reactor systems, concepts, development roadmaps, budgets, economics, and safety in light of the Fukushima accident.

On the final day, August 6, Professor Toru Obara, NICP Chair, gave the closing keynote lecture titled “Future of Breed-and-Burn fast reactors”. Each group then presented their proposed new reactor development project.

Finally, at the completion ceremony, each participant was handed a certificate of completion by Chair Obara, bringing the entire program to a close.

Feedbacks from the students

• The NICC was a great experience despite the extreme heat in Tokyo this week. Given that the participants were mostly high-level graduate students, it would have been nice to hear presentations from each on their research. The group work and student presentations were not particularly interesting as they did not get very technical or require students to think deeper about the topics. In the future it may be beneficial to develop a common project with each group looking at different themes for that project. Overall this program was a great experience for broadening my thinking about the nuclear industry outside the U.S. and I would certainly attend again.
• It was great to be able to have discussions with students, who are not members of the nuclear energy industry, and learn their fresh opinions.
• Great.
• I was very happy to get the chance to both experience a non-America centered point of view of nuclear and interact and community with the Japanese specifically due to their experience with nuclear, both in power and in war. I appreciated the opportunity to interact with students and professionals of various levels and nationality, as well as with the sponsors from Tokyo Tech
• An excellent program. The historical portions in particular were highly valuable.
• I especially liked the reactor visits. The group presentations made me step out of my comfort zone. The 2nd theme was the most difficult one for me but also the most experience rewarding. I'd like to thank everyone involved in the organizing of this program and Tokyo Tech for having us.
• This was a great experience for me. I really enjoyed getting to experience some of Japanese culture and how kind the students and faculty from Tokyo Tech were in helping us out. Getting to tour HTTR and Fukushima NPP were once-in-a-lifetime experiences and a definite highlight of the program.
• I think participating in the NICC2024 was a great experience! It helped me refamiliarize myself with the history of reactors, hear some insightful lectures on new types of reactors, as well as get to see in practice reactor technology being developed and used. The coordination of the program was great, and I'm glad I got to speak with other young professionals about this field. Overall, I thought this was a very insightful experience and I would recommend this to anyone who would be participating in the future.
• Giving a broader view of what is nuclear and its place in the Japanese world
• It was a great opportunity.

Call for Participants - Nuclear Innovator Cultivation Camp: NICC2024 - CfA

Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) has conducted the Nuclear Innovator Cultivation Program (NICP) as a project of the ANEC sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT). As one of the NICP activities in AY2024, the Nuclear Innovator Cultivation Camp (NICC) 2024 will take place, aiming to cultivate those who will be successful internationally and lead innovation in nuclear through group work with post-graduates from major universities in the US and visit to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants.

NICC2024 Program *Subject to change

Hosting Nuclear Innovation Bootcamp 2023 (NIB2023)

The Nuclear Innovator Cultivation Program (NICP), together with the Nuclear Innovation Alliance (NIA) of the United States, held the "Nuclear Innovation Bootcamp: NIB2023" from July 31 to August 11, 2023, at Ookayama Campus of Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) as part of its program.

NIB is a two-week summer camp sponsored by NIA and held annually in the United States and other countries, training students and early career professionals in skills essential to innovation in nuclear energy through experience of expert-led sessions, team-building exercises, and a group project design and competition. In 2023, NIB was held in Japan for the first time.

The 29 participants included four Tokyo Tech graduate students, as well as participants from the United States, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Jamaica, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Ghana, and Nigeria. In addition to graduate and undergraduate students, and early-career professionals in nuclear engineering, participants included graduate students studying law and mechanical engineering, as well as young professionals involved in energy and climate change analysis and energy policy.

NIB2023

• Participants
• Schedule
• Speakers

On July 31, the first day of the conference, Dr. Mitsuru Uesaka, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, Cabinet Office, gave a keynote speech titled "Current Status of Nuclear Development in Japan and Expectations for Innovation in the Nuclear Energy Field," which provided an overview of the nuclear energy field in Japan.

On August 3 and 4, the participants visited the JAEA Naraha Remote Engineering Center (NARREC) and TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station to learn more about the decommissioning project and its progress in Fukushima.

Participants were divided into teams and planned a new business in the nuclear field and developed its business plan through discussions. At the same time, they enhanced their presentation and question-and-answer skills through training by a speaking specialist invited from the United States.

On the final day, a competition was held. Teams presented their business plan to a panel of judges consisting of venture capitalists and experts in the field of nuclear energy, competing on the novelty, feasibility of their business, and presentation skills, and one team was awarded the first-place prize.

Call for Participants - Nuclear Innovation Bootcamp 2023（NIB2023 – JAPAN）[July 29 – Aug. 12, 2023]
<Deadline: Mon., Feb 27, by 13:59 (JST)>

Nuclear Innovation Boot Camp 2023 (NIB2023 - JAPAN) will be held at Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama Campus, from July 29 to August 12, 2023. NIB is a two-week camp-style seminar that has been held annually in the U.S. and other countries since 2016, and will be held in Japan in 2023. We are widely inviting motivated participants.

Guidelines for Applicants - Nuclear Innovation Bootcamp 2023（NIB2023 – JAPAN）　

Nuclear Innovator Cultivation Camp: NICC2023 Takes Place at Tokyo Tech

As an activity of the Nuclear Innovator Cultivation Program (NICP) sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), NICC2023 was conducted with great success at Tokyo Tech from January 9 to 18, 2023.

NICC2023 aims at cultivating those who will be successful internationally and lead innovation in nuclear through group work based on participation in an international conference and visit to the Fukushima Daiichi & Daini Nuclear Power Plants.

Four graduate students from Texas A&M University, the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Michigan, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison from the United States, and six students from the Graduate Major in Nuclear Engineering at Tokyo Tech participated in the NICC2023.

The camp consisted of the following sessions.

• A) Participation in the “International Symposium on Zero-Carbon Energy Systems（IZES)” hosted by the Laboratory for Zero-Carbon Energy, Tokyo Tech
• B) Doing workshops (group work and group presentations), and attending special lectures
• C) Visiting Fukushima Daiichi & Daini Nuclear Power Plants

A) Participation in the “International Symposium on Zero-Carbon Energy Systems（IZES)

For the first time since 2016, the IZES (January 10-12, 2023), hosted by the Laboratory for Zero-Carbon Energy, Tokyo Tech, was successfully held after two postponements due to the spread of COVID-19, and NICC2023 participating students attended and observed it as part of the NICC2023 program.

The presentations covered a wide range of topics in the following six fields, and were of interest to both majors and non-majors.

1. Renewable energy technologies
2. Innovative nuclear energy technologies
3. Carbon-neutral technologies
4. Energy storage and transformation technologies
5. Material recycling technologies for energy systems
6. Innovative nuclear applications

B) Workshops / Special Lectures

[Workshop Theme #1] Direction for Innovative Nuclear Energy System Development in Carbon Neutrality Society based on the Current Research

After participating in the IZES, NICC students discussed and made a presentation on what nuclear development is needed to realize a carbon-neutral society, based on the most impressive topics during the symposium.

[Workshop Theme #2] Direction for the Development of Innovative Nuclear Energy Systems Resilient to Natural Disasters

Based on newly gained knowledge after visiting Fukushima 1 & 2 NPPs, students discussed and made a presentation on directions for the development of nuclear energy systems that can be safely used against natural disasters.

[Special Lecture #1] Innovative Nuclear Systems for the Future

Prior to attending the IZES, Prof. Obara gave a lecture on “Innovative Nuclear Systems for the Future”. Then students planned and made a presentation of which lectures they would observe at the IZES.

[Special Lecture #2] The Development of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident and Current Situation

January 13, Mr. Kohei Sohda, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO) delivered a lecture on the development of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident and Current Situation, which draw various questions from NICC students as they were scheduled to visit 1F and 2F for the following week.

C) Fieldwork in Fukushima 1 and 2 NPPs

The fieldwork at Fukushima Daiichi (1F) and Daini (2F) Nuclear Power Plants, the highlight of the events, was very meaningful for students specializing in nuclear engineering and nuclear energy. The students visited the reactor buildings and other facilities on the 16^th and 17^th.

In the afternoons, they had discussions and presentations on the theme 2 in the conference rooms of J-Village, where they stayed for two nights in Fukushima.

Feedbacks from the students

・Student from the U.S: The NICC offered a truly priceless opportunity for students from the US and students from Japan to meet and have discussions concerning the future of nuclear energy systems worldwide. The opportunities for collaboration were extremely effective at initiating complex discussions of balancing the growing need for energy resources with the need for carbon-conscious policies and for safe energy production.

Programs like the NICC facilitate and encourage a global perspective for students who are looking to contribute to the future of nuclear energy. The opportunity to be exposed to entirely new perspectives is an important part of the necessary innovations facing the nuclear industry.

The NICC also provided an opportunity for students to engage with their future colleagues and network among fellow members of the nuclear community. The NICC as a program effectively enhanced the education of students studying nuclear energy systems by exposing them to the latest research in zero-carbon energy, reinforcing the importance of safe and resilient systems, and encouraging collaboration and global perspective in nuclear energy research.

・Student from Tokyo Tech: I participated in this program because I wanted to strengthen my discussion skills in English, which I expect to utilize in the future. In my experience so far, discussions in English were usually held with three or more people, so I was not very active in the discussions, but this time, because we worked in one-on-one pairs, I was able to discuss the issues quite vigorously.

During the tour of the power plants, I was only vaguely aware of the progress of reconstruction, but through the explanations of the staff and the Q&A session, I was able to learn about the progress of decommissioning, future plans, what has been learned from the accident, and what improvements have been made.

Call for Participants - Nuclear Innovator Cultivation Camp: NICC2023 - CfA　

Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) has conducted the Nuclear Innovator Cultivation Program (NICP) as a project of the Advanced Nuclear Education Consortium for the Future Society (ANEC) sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT). Also, one of the NICP activities in AY2022, the Nuclear Innovator Cultivation Camp (NICC) 2023 will take place as follows.

NICC2023 aims at cultivating those who will be successful internationally and lead innovation in nuclear through group work based on participation in an international conference and visit to the Fukushima Daiichi & Daini Nuclear Power Plants with post-graduates from major universities in the US.　We hope motivated postgraduate students will participate in NICC2023.

NICC2023 Program*Subject to change　

Nuclear Innovation Workshop (NIW) 2022 Held Online [March 1, 2022]

Nuclear Innovation Workshop (NIW) took place online as an activity of Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) Nuclear Innovator Cultivation Program (NICP).

In the first session, four guest speakers delivered speeches, and the second session consisted of group work and group presentation centered by representative students from member universities and colleges of Advanced Nuclear Education Consortium for the Future Society (ANEC) sponsored by Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

AGENDA

Nuclear Innovation Workshop (NIW) 2022
HOST:	Tokyo Tech Nuclear Innovator Cultivation Program (NICP)
DATE & TIME:	9:00 - 16:25, March 1, 2022
VENUE:	Zoom
LANGUAGE:	English
MC:	Tatsuya KATABUCHI Associate Professor, Laboratory for Zero-Carbon Energy (ZC), Tokyo Tech
PARTICIPANTS:	12 students (Tokyo Tech / Tokai University / National Institute of Technology, Toyama College / National Institute of Technology, Fukushima College)
PROGRAM:	Opening: Program Chair Toru OBARA, Professor, ZC, Tokyo Tech Invited Lectures: Lecture #1: “Nuclear Education in the US” Michael SHORT, Associate Professor, Dept. of Nuclear Science and Engineering (NSE), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Lecture #2: “Nuclear Innovation Bootcamp in the US” [Pre-recorded] River BENNETT, Graduate Research Assistant, University of Michigan Adrien COUET, Associate Professor, Engineering Physics Department, UW-Madison Nuclear Innovation Alliance (NIA) Lecture #3: “Current Status of JAEA’s R&D on HTGR” Yukio TACHIBANA, Deputy Director, Reactor Systems Design Department, Sector of Fast Reactor and Advanced Reactor R&D, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) Work Shop: Facilitator: Toru OBARA, Tokyo Tech Group Work Presentation Closing: Program Chair Toru OBARA, Tokyo Tech

Event Outline

This workshop aims at preparing the ground for the Japanese counterpart of “Nuclear Innovation Bootcamp (NIB)” which started at UC Barkley in 2016, and is a short-term intensive camp training, mainly targeting graduate students, for foster innovative entrepreneurship in the nuclear field.

In AY 2021, the workshop was held online, inviting 12 students from the ANEC consortium institutes who have a strong interest in the future of nuclear engineering.

Lectures Outline

In the morning session, lectures in the field of nuclear energy from a different viewpoint of “Education”, “Social Cooperation” and “Research & Development”. For lecturers’ biographies and presentation materials, see the links below.

Lecture #1:	“Nuclear Education in the US”
	Michael SHORT, NSE, MIT
Lecture #2:	“Nuclear Innovation Bootcamp in the US” [Pre-recorded]
	River BENNETT and Adrien COUET , NIA
Lecture #3:	“Current Status of JAEA’s R&D on HTGR"
	Yukio TACHIBANA, JAEA

Groupwork Outline

In the afternoon, twelve students were grouped in four threesomes, discussed a given topic, summarized the results and made a 5-min. presentation sharing roles in each team and using PPT, followed by 5-min. Qs and As.

Topics assigned in each group

Team	TOPICS
A	What role can nuclear energy play in the future society?
B	How should nuclear energy and renewable energy be used?
C	What should be done to make nuclear energy widely accepted in society?
D	What technologies should be developed for the future of nuclear energy?

Presentations

Feedbacks from participants

1. I had a great time. Thanks!
2. The more there were different types of students, the more exciting it would be.
3. The workshop was very good, I would suggest for the next online edition that for the student work breakout rooms, a mentor could attend from now and again to stimulate the conversation or bring inspiration to the group.
4. Although the time was limited, I am glad to have a chance to do some groupwork with students in different grades.

Group photo of NIW 2022 participants and staff

Nuclear Energy Advanced Human Resources Development Forum Held Online [December 22, 2020]

As a kick-off event of the program, a forum was held via the webinar conducted on December 22, 2020. The content includes an introduction of the program outline, a lecture on commitment to human resources development in the U.S.A., and a panel discussion centered on young people.

We have uploaded a videoclip of the day to YouTube. We hope you enjoy it.