Professor Hyatt’s work on
research, while additional specific
radioactive waste immobilisation,
PhD projects have been funded
management and disposal applies
separately. Agreed ’soft’ metrics
to all three aspects of the NDA’s
have been developed to measure
DRP. For example, his research into
performance and impact on the
materials to immobilise plutonium
wider business.
is supporting the development of
Dr . Morris said, “We are looking
strategic options for the long-term
for Professor Hyatt to develop
management of the UK’s stock of
capabilities and engage in
civil plutonium.
activities such as securing
additional funding for the group,
He has also carried out research
training students, developing
into alternative technologies
new technologies and publishing
for the management of nuclear
high quality research. We are
waste which may offer advantages
comfortable that the research
over the current approach of
being undertaken is relevant and
immobilising the waste in cement.
important to the NDA’s mission.”
Maintaining capability in nuclear
waste immobilisation at an academic
level is also important to the NDA.
Dr. Morris said, “We are very much
looking for leadership from an
academic point of view.
We are looking for the research
to deliver postgraduates and
postdoctoral researchers into the
industry where they can develop
and become the next generation of
industry leaders. Over the next 15
years, for example, at least 30% of
the UK’s nuclear workforce will reach
retirement age.”
The funding arrangement with
Professor Hyatt provides him with
freedom to pursue appropriate
The impact of research
The NDA’s joint Research
Chair with the Royal
Academy of Engineering:
Neil Hyatt holds the NDA/RAEng
Research Chair in Nuclear Waste
Management and is a professor
of Nuclear Materials Chemistry
at the University of Sheffield. His
research includes work on the
immobilization of nuclear wastes in
glass or ceramic materials, together
with other projects across the
nuclear sector.
Dr. Morris said, “The UK’s civil nuclear
legacy represents the largest, most
He is also director of the
important environmental restoration
Immobilization Science Laboratory
programme in Europe and is a major
and co-director of the Nuclear
public liability. The NDA’s mission
FiRST programme. The Nuclear
is to deliver safe, sustainable and
FiRST programme was established
publicly acceptable solutions to this
to provide a national training
challenge.
centre for doctoral scientists and
Professor Hyatt’s research is
engineers in nuclear fission science
supporting the NDA in developing
and technology (Nuclear FiRST).
our strategy, developing innovative
technologies and maintaining key
The programme is a £7 million
technical skills. We were particularly
scheme funded by EPSRC and it
pleased to see that the high quality
seeks to remedy skills gaps in UK
of his research was recognised by
academia and industry.
the Institute of Materials, Minerals &
Mining with the Pfeil Award for 2012.”
“The UK was one of the first countries to develop civil nuclear power
and, as a result, we are already more advanced in decommissioning
than many other countries. There are opportunities for the UK to
use this as a basis to secure business overseas and the NDA is keen
to promote the UK’s expertise.”
Dr. Darrell Morris
Issue 21 PECM
15