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Call for Synopses: International Conference on Stakeholder Engagement for Nuclear Power Programmes

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Interested contributors have until 2 December 2024 to submit synopses for the International Conference on Stakeholder Engagement for Nuclear Power Programmes, to be held from 26 to 30 May 2025 at IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Austria.

There is a new global consensus, demonstrated at last year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), that the deployment of nuclear power must be accelerated to achieve global decarbonization, energy security and sustainable development. But for a nuclear power programme to succeed, engaging with stakeholders throughout the entire nuclear fuel cycle, up to and including the disposal of radioactive waste, is essential. Understanding and addressing the opinions and concerns raised by stakeholders, including environmental groups, government officials and the public, is key at both the outset and over the duration of any programme.

“Effective stakeholder engagement in the nuclear energy sector is not just about sharing information. It means building trust through transparency, partnerships, and a shared vision for a safe and sustainable energy landscape,” said Andrea Borio di Tigliole, Programme Coordinator for the IAEA’s Department of Nuclear Energy and Scientific Secretary of the conference. “Inclusivity and dialogue among diverse stakeholders, from industry leaders and regulators to local communities and environmentalists, enhance decision making and promote safety as well as environmental and ethical responsibility in advancing nuclear energy for the benefit of current and future generations.”

The conference will provide a platform for exchanging best practices, experiences and lessons learned on how to engage with stakeholders in nuclear power programmes. It will enhance global understanding of the diverse perspectives, concerns and interests of stakeholders involved in nuclear power programmes at various levels and facilitate the sharing of methods and approaches to address stakeholders’ views and incorporate them into the decision making process.

The conference will bring together a wide range of participants including policymakers, regulators, communication experts, technical support organizations, waste management organizations, community representatives, industry leaders, academic researchers, NGOs, and international organizations.

Contributors interested in submitting a synopsis for the conference should choose a topic in one of the following areas:

  • Development and Implementation of Stakeholder Engagement Strategies
  • Managing the Changing Landscapes
  • Crisis Communication and Emergency Preparedness
  • Outreach, Media Relations and Messaging

Guidelines and details for the submission of abstracts are available here. Those wishing to contribute should submit a synopsis through the IAEA web-based submission system (IAEA-INDICO).

Authors will be informed by 31 January 2025 as to whether their submission has been accepted, either orally or as a poster, for presentation at the conference.

All persons wishing to participate in the event must be designated by an IAEA Member State or should be a member of an organization that has been invited to attend. No registration fee is charged to participants.

More information on registration and participation is available here.

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Big Data and Breastfeeding: Bridging the Evidence Gap for Better Health Outcomes

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Data from IAEA Human Milk Intake Database.

“The evidence published so far only comes from a few countries. In order to make firmer conclusions that could aid policy and practice, we need more data,” said Victor Ochieng Owino, a nutrition specialist at the IAEA. “The available evidence is mainly from the Global South, so going forward, it would be important to see data from the Global North as well.”

The IAEA helps countries use a non-radioactive or stable isotope technique to measure breast milk intake and determine if the infant is being exclusively breastfed. This noninvasive technique (DTM) is more accurate for measuring exclusivity of breastfeeding than the most commonly used approach of self-reporting by mothers on what kind of foods and liquids they feed their children. The DTM technique traces the flow of deuterium, a naturally occurring stable isotope of hydrogen as it is transferred via breast milk from the mother to her infant during breastfeeding.  The IAEA encourages countries to use this technique to monitor progress towards achieving exclusive breastfeeding targets. However, not many high-income countries have used this method to date to measure breast milk intake and exclusivity of breastfeeding.

Read more: What are Isotopes? | IAEA

“We compiled the Database on Human Milk with the aim of creating a distinctive and expanding global repository of DTM data. Typically, individual studies of breast milk intake are hard to generalize due to their small sample sizes. Our goals are to bring together these studies in one place to facilitate innovative data analyses that enhances our understanding of breastfeeding behaviour and its determinants, allowing the design of more effective interventions that promote breastfeeding,” said Cornelia Loechl, Head of the Nutritional and Health-Related Environmental Studies Section at the IAEA.

Data from the DTM technique is already informing public health policies in countries around the world. In a recent study, the DTM technique was used to determine how promotional activities impact exclusive breastfeeding. A collaborative study in Mauritania by its Ministry of Health, the IAEA and UNICEF found that awareness-raising campaigns almost doubled the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in intervention areas compared to those areas yet to benefit from such promotional efforts.  

A study carried out in South Africa, where exclusive breastfeeding rates were historically very low, found that mentoring and counseling programmes significantly improved exclusive breastfeeding rates, as assessed using the DTM technique.

This nuclear method has also facilitated breakthrough studies on the link between food security and breast milk output. An IAEA-supported research project in Western Kenya found that food insecurity is associated with lower breast milk intake, potentially resulting from a lack of nutrient intake by the mother. Prior to this study, the effects of food insecurity on breastfeeding had not been assessed with an objective measurement of exclusive breastfeeding or the amount of breast milk consumed.

The IAEA’s human milk intake database was launched in 2022, and is currently compiling information from studies around the world that used the DTM technique previously in diverse contexts. Although it is still in development, this database will enable researchers to explore relationships between breastfeeding practices and related driving factors, for example socio-economic status across the globe.

For example, a first data analysis was recently conducted using the DTM database to find links between maternal education  and infant breast milk intake. It was inferred from the study that there was not a significant difference in breast milk intake based on maternal education level. While this analysis did not find a conclusive link between breastfeeding and maternal education, comparisons by country Human Development Index (HDI) showed a trend towards higher breast milk intake in settings with lower HDI, further re-enforcing the need for more data to objectively evaluate breastfeeding practices in higher income settings. More data is needed on a global scale from various contexts to provide more conclusive results. As a practical step towards protecting the survival and health of babies and women, breastfeeding is a central part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and is linked to many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Breastfeeding plays an important role in preventing malnutrition and protecting infants against infection, reducing mortality. Children who are breastfed may also be less likely to become overweight or obese, supporting nutrition goals. Additionally, women who breastfeed have a lower risk of developing cancer and type II diabetes, enhancing maternal health. Breastfeeding supports gender equality by addressing workplace rights and birth spacing issues.

Obtaining more data is essential, from both high- and low-income countries, to close the evidence gap and inform action for improved breastfeeding and health for future generations.

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New Radiopharmacy Database: Enhancing Development, Collaboration and Research

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Over the last 20 years, developments in radiopharmaceuticals have offered immense benefits to patients, mainly for certain cancers, through early diagnosis, screening, staging and providing treatment selection options, including radionuclide therapy. This has led to the rise of radiotheranostics which uses radioactive substances to diagnose and treat diseases by targeting specific areas in the body, and it is expected to grow in the coming years.  

“As the availability of radionuclides and variety of molecules to target specific diseases increases, expectations from radiopharmaceutical sciences to provide more specific drugs for personalized cancer treatment are rising. The IAEA’s support is vital in advancing developments and making radiopharmaceutical products available for patients around the world,” says Celina Horak, Head of the Radiochemistry and Radiation Technology Section, at the IAEA.  

The consolidated database will facilitate access to different types of information, such as the types of radiopharmaceuticals and their availability; research facilities engaged in preclinical and clinical trials; and facilities that supply radioisotopes. Three pages have been created to give access to this information, divided into radionuclide production facilities, radiopharmacy facilities and a table with source data, enabling database users to easily navigate the information provided.  

The new IAEA radiopharmacy database will serve as a useful tool for a diverse community of producers, researchers and users of radiopharmaceuticals, enabling them to spot emerging trends and potential supply gaps in radiopharmaceutical production. It will also support foster collaboration between various producers, developments enabling greater access to radiopharmaceuticals in such facilities. 

“The IAEA will continue to update the new radiopharmacy database with information received from surveys sent to facilities producing radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals. The results will be available in an interactive map that will provide a global profile and status of radiopharmacies. This map will also strengthen information sharing and track trends”, said Sandra Popovic-Ovcina, the former Unit Head of Software Solutions, at the IAEA. 

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Peru Takes Steps Towards its Goal of Universal Health Care for Cancer Patients

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Members of the imPACT Review team visited hospitals and facilities in five different regions to gain a thorough understanding of the state of cancer care and control in Peru. Here they are discussing a medical diagnosis at CEIM, a medical diagnostic imaging center in Iquitos, Peru.

Peru is advancing towards its goal of delivering universal health care to all cancer patients; decentralization of nuclear medicine and radiotherapy cancer services outside of the capital city is now well underway; and its second National Cancer Control Plan is nearing completion, a team of national and international cancer experts from the IAEA, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has found.

The team were on the ground in Peru in April to conduct a thorough review of cancer control capacity and needs as part of an imPACT Review mission.

During the mission, experts noted that further reinforcements, particularly in the areas of nuclear medicine and radiotherapy, would bring further improvements, but said resources were limited. Subsequently,  IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi paid an official visit to Peru in June 2. He visited the National Cancer Institute (Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas – INEN) and confirmed the IAEA’s commitment to supporting Peru in its efforts to control cancer under the IAEA’s flagship Rays of Hope initiative, aimed at widening access to cancer care where the need is greatest.

“Through Rays of Hope, the IAEA will support Peru’s efforts to enhance cancer treatment capabilities by providing additional equipment to strengthen radiotherapy services,” he announced during the visit. 

Support is needed in a country which the IARC’s Global Cancer Observatory (Globocan) estimates to have the fourth largest incidence of cancer in the region. In 2022, the number of recorded new cancer cases were estimated to be just above 70 000, primarily affecting the prostate, stomach and colorectum. With these numbers expected to rise by more than 30 per cent by 2035, the Ministry of Health requested a second imPACT Review to support its cancer control efforts, a decade after the first.

“It was an honour to note the progress taken by the Peruvian health authorities since our organizations last conducted an imPACT Review in the country,” said Lisa Stevens, Director of the IAEA’s Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT), while in Lima with the imPACT review team. “Positive steps were observed at all levels of the cancer control continuum, including for planning, screening, training, registration and management,” she added.

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Progress as Countries Seek to Join the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Some 60 representatives from 14 Parties and Signatories (Argentina, Australia, Canada, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Morocco, Peru, Philippines, United Arab Emirates, and United States of America) and 18 invited observer countries (Armenia, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Kenya, Mexico, Myanmar, Paraguay, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom, and Uruguay), as well as invited observers from nuclear suppliers, insurers, lenders, the European Union and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Nuclear Energy Agency, all participated in the Fourth Meeting.

The meeting focused on efforts to expand CSC membership and to provide guidance on the operation of the CSC. In particular, representatives from countries that are in the process of, or giving serious consideration to, joining the CSC shared their views and perspectives on the convention, including suggestions on activities that could facilitate decisions to become a party. A number of reasons for joining the CSC were identified, including increasing public acceptance through higher assured compensation; addressing supply chain concerns; promoting investor and lender confidence; and securing treaty relations with both neighbouring countries and countries where suppliers, investors and lenders are located. Industry participants expressed the view that a global liability regime based on the CSC would greatly facilitate the treatment of nuclear liability in nuclear power projects around the world, and expressed the hope that more countries would join the CSC.

Ben McRae, Chair of the Fourth Meeting and Assistant General Counsel for Civilian Nuclear Programs at the US Department of Energy stated that the global nuclear liability regime based on the CSC was key to achieving the full promise of nuclear power to address climate change, economic development and energy security.

 “The CSC assures prompt, equitable and meaningful compensation for damage to people, property, and the environment and provides the legal certainty necessary for operators, suppliers, investors, lenders and insurers to participate in nuclear projects.

 “The CSC provides neighbouring countries the means to take a regional approach to dealing with liability and ensures the courts of a costal state have exclusive jurisdiction over a nuclear accident in its territorial sea and exclusive economic zone,” McRae said

Representatives from the financial sector and the insurance community also provided information on how they assess nuclear risk in deciding on investment in, and insurance for, nuclear power projects. Participants were updated on the status of compensation following the Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident.

Anthony Wetherall, Head of the Nuclear and Treaty Law Section in the IAEA Office of Legal Affairs, stated that “the annual CSC meetings and inter-sessional work contribute to the readiness of the Parties to put the convention into operation, including the supplementary international fund, should it ever be needed. In addition to discussing related matters, a key purpose of this meeting is to raise awareness and deepen the understanding of the CSC among those countries that are seeking to join the convention.”

The Inaugural Meeting of CSC Parties and Signatories was held in Ottawa, Canada in 2019, during which the IAEA accepted the request to act as the Secretariat for future meetings and to convene such meetings on a regular basis. Background

The CSC was adopted under IAEA auspices in 1997 and is the single existing international nuclear liability convention covering the greatest number of nuclear power reactors worldwide, approximately 180, or 43 per cent of such operational reactors. The CSC has 11 Parties (Argentina, Benin, Canada, Ghana, India, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, Romania, United Arab Emirates and United States of America) and 11 Signatories (Australia, Czech Republic, Indonesia, Italy, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mauritius, Peru, Philippines, Senegal and Ukraine). The Convention functions as an ‘umbrella’ for all countries that are party to one of the existing international nuclear liability conventions or have national legislation in place conforming to the basic nuclear liability principles in the Annex to the CSC. The IAEA’s online CSC calculator enables countries to run scenarios of potential contributions to the CSC’s contingent supplementary international fund.

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Progress as Countries Seek to Join Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Some 60 representatives from 14 Parties and Signatories (Argentina, Australia, Canada, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Morocco, Peru, Philippines, United Arab Emirates, and United States of America) and 18 invited observer countries (Armenia, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Kenya, Mexico, Myanmar, Paraguay, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom, and Uruguay), as well as invited observers from nuclear suppliers, insurers, lenders, the European Union and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Nuclear Energy Agency, all participated in the Fourth Meeting.

The meeting focused on efforts to expand CSC membership and to provide guidance on the operation of the CSC. In particular, representatives from countries that are in the process of, or giving serious consideration to, joining the CSC shared their views and perspectives on the convention, including suggestions on activities that could facilitate decisions to become a party. A number of reasons for joining the CSC were identified, including increasing public acceptance through higher assured compensation; addressing supply chain concerns; promoting investor and lender confidence; and securing treaty relations with both neighbouring countries and countries where suppliers, investors and lenders are located. Industry participants expressed the view that a global liability regime based on the CSC would greatly facilitate the treatment of nuclear liability in nuclear power projects around the world, and expressed the hope that more countries would join the CSC.

Ben McRae, Chair of the Fourth Meeting and Assistant General Counsel for Civilian Nuclear Programs at the US Department of Energy stated that the global nuclear liability regime based on the CSC was key to achieving the full promise of nuclear power to address climate change, economic development and energy security.

 “The CSC assures prompt, equitable and meaningful compensation for damage to people, property, and the environment and provides the legal certainty necessary for operators, suppliers, investors, lenders and insurers to participate in nuclear projects.

 “The CSC provides neighbouring countries the means to take a regional approach to dealing with liability and ensures the courts of a costal state have exclusive jurisdiction over a nuclear accident in its territorial sea and exclusive economic zone,” McRae said

Representatives from the financial sector and the insurance community also provided information on how they assess nuclear risk in deciding on investment in, and insurance for, nuclear power projects. Participants were updated on the status of compensation following the Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident.

Anthony Wetherall, Head of the Nuclear and Treaty Law Section in the IAEA Office of Legal Affairs, stated that “the annual CSC meetings and inter-sessional work contribute to the readiness of the Parties to put the convention into operation, including the supplementary international fund, should it ever be needed. In addition to discussing related matters, a key purpose of this meeting is to raise awareness and deepen the understanding of the CSC among those countries that are seeking to join the convention.”

The Inaugural Meeting of CSC Parties and Signatories was held in Ottawa, Canada in 2019, during which the IAEA accepted the request to act as the Secretariat for future meetings and to convene such meetings on a regular basis. Background

The CSC was adopted under IAEA auspices in 1997 and is the single existing international nuclear liability convention covering the greatest number of nuclear power reactors worldwide, approximately 180, or 43 per cent of such operational reactors. The CSC has 11 Parties (Argentina, Benin, Canada, Ghana, India, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, Romania, United Arab Emirates and United States of America) and 11 Signatories (Australia, Czech Republic, Indonesia, Italy, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mauritius, Peru, Philippines, Senegal and Ukraine). The Convention functions as an ‘umbrella’ for all countries that are party to one of the existing international nuclear liability conventions or have national legislation in place conforming to the basic nuclear liability principles in the Annex to the CSC. The IAEA’s online CSC calculator enables countries to run scenarios of potential contributions to the CSC’s contingent supplementary international fund.

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IAEA Deepens Ties with the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Deputy Director General Hua Liu and Director Dima Al-Khatib sign a Statement of Intent on the margins of the UN High-Level Political Forum for Sustainable Development in New York. (Photo: M. Evans/IAEA)

The IAEA and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) will launch a new series of joint activities to enhance collaboration, following an agreement signed during the recent UN High Level Political Forum in New York. The agreement, which includes joint workshops, outreach events and a new publication, will link the IAEA more closely with an international community of South-South practitioners.

“South-South cooperation is at the heart of the IAEA’s technical cooperation programme, as it is key to enhancing impact and ensuring sustainable development. We look forward to strengthening our ties with UNOSSC to widen the reach of our activities and support offered through South-South cooperation,” said Hua Liu, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Technical Cooperation.

The agreement builds on collaborative efforts over the last several years and includes an accompanying action plan with clear goals for new products and initiatives. Through the agreement, the IAEA will participate in new UNOSSC programmes, including its ‘Data to Policy Network’ and ‘Solutions Lab’ over the next year.

Under the auspices of the UNOSSC ‘Data to Policy Network’, the IAEA will host targeted workshops for national policymakers to consider climate action success stories that might be adapted to their countries’ needs. The UNOSSC ‘Solutions Lab’ will bring the IAEA together with other international organizations to identify areas where nuclear science and technology can be supported by conventional techniques. For example, although scientists can analyse water resources through isotope hydrology, it is water management methods like drip irrigation that ultimately conserve water.

“UNOSSC is very pleased to join efforts with the IAEA to leverage our networks and instruments to advance science-backed solutions and knowledge to bridge Sustainable Development Goal gaps via South-South and triangular cooperation,” said Dima Al-Khatib, Director of UNOSSC.

The first set of IAEA-UNOSSC activities covered by the agreement will focus on how the IAEA uses South-South and triangular cooperation to help countries to combat the effects of climate change, which are disproportionately damaging for developing countries.

From climate-smart agriculture to groundwater mapping, a new IAEA-UNOSSC joint publication will feature twenty IAEA climate action case studies with a South-South cooperation component, demonstrating how South-South cooperation is benefiting countries in the Global South.

Scientists in Pakistan demonstrate the benefits of plant breeding for tackling salinization to training course participants. (Photo: M. Zaman/IAEA)

For instance, after the IAEA supported Pakistan to develop more salt-tolerant crops, the Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology went on to share their expertise with other countries directly by hosting fellowships and training courses. In the case of increasingly strained shared environmental resources, such as aquifers or the ocean, if one institution has the equipment and trained staff necessary to process samples, this can be leveraged to gain an accurate picture of environmental conditions in the whole region. In the Sahel region, African scientists at the University of Lomé analyse groundwater samples collected across 13 countries to better understand water availability.

South-South cooperation is the sharing of resources and experience among countries of the global South, whereas triangular cooperation is South-South cooperation that is facilitated by a global North country or international organization. Particularly at the regional level, countries can boost each other’s sustainable development through South-South cooperation by supporting their neighbours in areas where they have an advantage – in knowledge and expertise, or in facilities, for example. 

Ongoing collaboration between the IAEA and UNOSSC continues to raise awareness of the important role that nuclear science and technology can play in supporting countries’ efforts for sustainable development.

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Recycling Radioactive Sources to Support Cancer Treatments

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Staff members from CNL and TINT after the second Ra-226 repackaging (Photo: Archara Phattanasub/TINT)

“The IAEA has long championed the safe storage and disposal of disused sealed radioactive sources, which has always been appreciated and supported by Canada,” said Jack Craig, President and CEO of CNL. “However, their initiatives to assist donor nations in removing long-term liabilities while enabling a new radiotherapeutics industry is monumental. CNL is also grateful to the Kingdom of Thailand and our new international collaborators, TINT, for their contribution to this new class of cancer therapeutic drugs.”   

TINT first reached out to the IAEA about this project in February 2022 and met with CNL later that year. After TINT confirmed the receipt of their export license in June 2023, over 70 packages of disused radium-226 were sent to Canada.  

The international transfer of radioactive material is a multifaceted endeavour requiring close collaboration among several entities, including regulatory bodies (in Thailand, it is the Office of Atoms for Peace) and port authorities. Diligent work in radiation and contamination monitoring, source inspection, characterization and repackaging, is performed with IAEA support prior to shipment.   

“Thailand, through TINT, has successfully transferred the radium-226 sources to Canada with great support and excellent coordination from the IAEA and relevant authorities of both countries,” said Thawatchai Onjun, Executive Director of TINT.  

TINT constructed a dedicated radioactive waste storage facility at its Ongkharak site in 2013 which became functional in 2016. “Recycling these sources has multiple benefits for Thailand and is in line with circular economy objectives,” said Archara Phattanasub, Head of the Radioactive Waste Technology and Development Section in TINT. “This initiative has helped up significantly reduce the risk for any type of incident associated with these disused sources and freed up a lot of space in our national storage facility.” 

Looking ahead, there are several more transfers planned for 2024 as part of this initiative. Shipments from Curaçao, El Salvador, Fiji and Slovenia are set to take place later this year.  In December, the IAEA will host a technical meeting on the initiative to review progress, examine lessons learned and identify future opportunities for collaboration. 

“The collaboration exhibited by CNL and TINT serves as a great example of how to effectively conduct complex source transportation operations with many moving parts,” said Mykolaichuk. “Fostering sustainable practices is a key element of the IAEA’s mandate, and we look forward to delivering on this initiative for many years to come.”    

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World Youth Skills Day: IAEA Challenge Supports the Next Generation of STEM Workforce

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Mikhail Chudakov, Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Energy presented awards to the IAEA proSTEM challenge winners. (Photo: X. Tang/IAEA)

In the run up to World Youth Skills Day, young science-enthusiasts came to the IAEA to share their ideas for cultivating a future nuclear workforce with the right skills to meet global challenges. 

These challenges include climate change, increasing food insecurity, and a growing cancer burden.  More young people need to be inspired to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), to address these issues and achieve ambitious goals, such as increasing the role of nuclear energy in the future energy mix. World Youth Skills Day,  observed annually on 15 July, recognizes the potential of young people as catalysts for change and contributors to a prosperous and sustainable future for all. The day highlights the importance of equipping youth with the skills and opportunities necessary to innovate and drive progress in addressing global challenges. 

Earlier this month, finalists in the travelled to Vienna to attend the  International Conference on Nuclear Knowledge Management and Human Resources Development. During a session on attracting talent to the nuclear sector, proSTEM finalists shared their innovative ideas and projects on developing the future STEM workforce. 

“The IAEA is dedicated to fostering and empowering the next generation of STEM professionals. By encouraging innovative, inclusive and diverse ideas and projects, such as those showcased in the IAEA proSTEM Challenge, the IAEA helps the young generation to further understand the importance of STEM in addressing global climate emergency and facilitating clean energy transition and inspires and attracts new generation of workforce in STEM related specialities. On World Youth Skills Day, we celebrate these young talents who will drive sustainable development and create a brighter future for all,” said Huang Wei, Director of the IAEA Division of Planning, Information and Knowledge Management. 

The IAEA proSTEM Challenge encouraged participants to submit their innovative ideas and outreach projects to attract and develop the next generation of workforce in STEM-related fields, with nearly 90 participants from 26 countries submitting projects. 

“The proSTEM challenge gave a unique opportunity for so many people from across the world to showcase their innovative ideas and contribute to the global effort of inspiring, attracting and retaining youth in STEM education and careers. Best practices and experiences of communication strategies among diverse groups helped to bridge the skill gap,” said Alesia Iunikova, an IAEA Knowledge Management Specialist.

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Call for Applications: 2024 IAEA Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

To date, over 40% of MSCFP students have pursued master’s degrees in nuclear sciences and applications, while the second most popular subject, at around 35%, is nuclear energy, followed by nuclear safety, nuclear security, safeguards and non-proliferation, as well as nuclear law.

After completing the programme, some recipients have continued to PhD studies while others start their careers. Elvia Reyes Guevara, an MSCFP recipient from Guatemala, pursued her degree in Nuclear Science and Applications in the United States with the support of the MSCFP.

“Thanks to the IAEA MSCFP, I was able to focus on my master’s degree without the financial burden. The scholarship helped cover the cost of living in a new country, and university tuition. I was able to shadow medical physicists and assist in different research projects related to the development of new technology for future patient care in radiation therapy. These experiences helped me obtain a placement in a medical physics residency programme after graduation.”

The MSCFP is supported by contributions from IAEA Member States and partners. More information on the programme, including facts and figures, testimonials, donors and programme components can be found here.

The MSCFP is open to applicants pursuing master’s studies in nuclear related disciplines. Eligible early- and mid-career women professionals interested in career development opportunities can consider applying to the Lise Meitner Programme.

More information on how to apply can be found here.