With the world facing a climate crisis and demand for electricity surging, nuclear energy is back in the spotlight. For David Novog, it’s long overdue recognition for nuclear’s low-carbon promise — but it comes with a new challenge.  

“If we need to double our energy capacity over the next 25 years, that means we’ll need tens of thousands of people to build new reactors and operate those reactors – and building up that workforce takes time,” says Novog, a McMaster Engineering professor and a University Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering (UNENE) research chair in nuclear safety. 

Hands-on experience at McMaster’s research reactor  

Cultivating tomorrow’s nuclear workforce is something that McMaster is uniquely situated to do, says Novog. The university is home to Canada’s largest research reactor and has a suite of world-class nuclear facilities where students get hands-on experience. 

“There is just no other place in Canada where students can access the reactor and hot cells and the equipment and labs they can here,” says Novog. “It’s why our students are in such high demand in industry.” 

As the existing workforce retires, the world will need more than four million new professionals in the nuclear sector, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The groundwork to prepare for a future fuelled by nuclear power needs to start now, Novog says. 

“As the only university in Canada with a large-scale nuclear program and a nuclear reactor, the industry is going to need us to do more and train more people,” he says.  

“And because McMaster has prioritized the development of nuclear technologies, we’re in a great position to help meet this demand.” 

Making nuclear reactors more efficient  

It was Novog who sparked Clayton Vrenjak’s passion for nuclear energy during his undergraduate studies. Now a PhD student, Vrenjak recalls speaking with Novog after a second-year thermodynamics class about the need for reliable energy. 

“It was a very intriguing outlook on how important energy is, and how do you define energy? There are so many different types, from your body making energy, to electrical energy, to the energy that is generated by the velocity from a highway ramp,” Vrenjak says.  

“I think about energy all the time. Once you start thinking about it, you can’t stop.” 

Vrenjak’s research is focused on radiation-based imaging of reactor fuel bundles while they’re in operation to measure the coolant inside them. 

The goal is to use this imaging method – neutron-computed tomography – to look inside fuel bundles for Canadian-made CANDU reactors and take measurements to compare that real data to computer models that predict where the coolant completely evaporates. It would improve reactor efficiency and allow them to operate at a higher capacity. 

“If you can run your reactor at a slightly higher power, that small difference across all of Ontario is a lot of energy,” says Vrenjak. “As we know, energy demand is not going down.” 

Increased investment in small modular reactors 

Tech giants like Google and Microsoft and governments at all levels are increasingly shifting their focus toward nuclear energy to meet the rising need for low-carbon energy. Earlier this year, the Ontario government approved construction of four small modular reactors (SMRs), with the first expected to be connected to the grid in 2030.  

The province has also invested $15.5 million in McMaster’s research reactor. Along with increasing production of life-saving medical isotopes, that investment will support research on clean energy and SMRs. 

Powering the reactors of tomorrow is what Jessica Lo is working toward. A graduate student working under Novog’s supervision, Lo is planning to pursue her PhD with a focus on neutron imaging of fresh fuel bundles. She’s part of the federal government’s SMR action program and her research includes looking at TRISO fuel, an advanced and more robust type of fuel that is being used in SMRs. 

“The problem with neutron imaging is that there is also lots of gamma radiation,” explains Lo. “When taking an image, it’s important to distinguish between the neutrons and gammas. Defects can be really small so we need to understand at what point a defect will cause a leak, which could potentially increase radiation doses for workers.” 

Lo says she wants people to understand the power of nuclear energy compared to solar and wind energy, which don’t have the capacity and longevity of nuclear.  

“I want to be able to create those conversations about why it’s so safe and reliable,” says Lo. “McMaster’s reactor has been here since the 1950s … Some people don’t even realize there’s a reactor on campus, which is funny, but that’s just how quietly it works.” 

A lot of people are surprised to learn the McMaster reactor is not only safe and used for research, but also is able to sustain itself through commercial operations, Novog says. The McMaster Nuclear Reactor is a world-leading supplier of medical isotopes used in treatments for more than 70,000 cancer patients globally every year.  

“If you look at any other research reactor at a university in the world, they’ve always relied heavily on institutional or government-level grants to operate, whereas our McMaster reactor is recognized for our ability to deliver on research and training while being commercially viable.” 

New Nuclear Studies and Society minor in high demand 

Students who aren’t specializing in nuclear also have an opportunity to benefit from the expertise at McMaster. Led by engineering physics professor Markus Piro, the university has launched a one-of-a-kind minor in Nuclear Studies and Society for students from all disciplines to respond to the growing demand for skilled leaders in the nuclear sector. 

The proof of that demand is undeniable – the courses are nearly fully subscribed for the fall term, which isn’t typical for a new minor. 

The university also takes part in global programs like the Lise Meitner Programme, which brings women from around the world to McMaster for experiential learning and hands-on training; and the pan-university Small Modular Advanced Reactor Training (SMART) program, which provides training to equity-seeking groups who may otherwise face barriers to entering the nuclear sector. 

These programs all play an important role in addressing the looming pinch point in the nuclear industry, especially as older generations in the workforce begin to retire, Novog says.  

“We don’t need tens of thousands of people right now. But in five years or seven years or nine years, we do,” says Novog.  

Building new educational programs and spaces for all these students takes years to develop, he notes.  “That means we should have started preparing for the future yesterday, but here at McMaster, our new minor and other programs are ramping up quickly to meet that need.”