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US Laboratory Team Leader Wins IAEA Nuclear Fusion Prize for 2024

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The experiments detailed in the paper were carried out at Lawrence Livermore’s National Laboratory (LLNL). For the last six decades, this laboratory, home to the world’s most powerful laser, has worked to achieve the challenging goal of fusion ignition – producing more fusion energy than the amount of laser energy delivered to the target source.  The lab’s ‘National Ignition Facility’ (NIF) uses a method called inertial confinement fusion, which involves smashing a fuel pellet with lasers, as opposed to magnetic confinement fusion, which uses powerful magnets to trap a cloud of atoms, called plasma, in a reactor.

“For over a year and a half after the initial experimental success, […] polar direct drive was the most efficient way to convert laser energy input into fusion output,” Yeamans said.

Heather Whitley, associate programme director for High Energy Density Science at LLNL, developed the initial design for a large diameter polar direct drive (PDD) capsule with Steve Craxton and Emma Garcia of the University of Rochester. She said: “The polar direct drive configuration provides excellent diagnostic access for other high temperature plasma physics experiments.”

Following the PDD experiment, in December 2022 NIF conducted the first controlled fusion experiment to produce a net energy gain with the indirect drive method, a major scientific breakthrough which attracted global attention.

Yeaman’s co-authors are Elijah Kemp, Zach Walters, Heather Whitley and Brent Blue from the Lawrence Livermore Nuclear Laboratory, and Steve Craxton, Patrick McKenty, Emma Garcia and Yujia Yang from the Laboratory for Laser Energetics at the University of Rochester. 

The prize ceremony for the 2024 award and the upcoming 2025 award will take place in October during the IAEA Fusion Energy Conference in Chengdu China.

Find out more about the Nuclear Fusion journal, and how to prepare and submit an article here.

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Director General Briefs Board on Iran Developments, Syria, Ukraine and More

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The IAEA’s Annual Report and the Technical Cooperation Report for 2024 were presented to the Board, showcasing the Agency’s work in science, international cooperation and innovation. 

In his address, Mr Grossi highlighted the IAEA’s flagship initiatives: Rays of Hope: Cancer Care for All, Atoms4Food and NUTEC Plastics.

The 2025 Rays of Hope Forum will be held in Ethiopia at the end of June and provides an opportunity to take stock of what has been achieved over the past three years, as well as to foster collaboration and further mobilize resources. Rays of Hope aims to expand access to affordable cancer care where it is needed most; supporting countries in providing life-saving radiotherapy and building the capacities of radiation medicine professionals. More than 90 countries have requested support under the initiative.

The IAEA will continue to work with partners on Atoms4Food, its joint initiative with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to fight world hunger, Mr Grossi said. Part of the initiative, the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture supports the use of nuclear technologies to boost global food security and sustainable agricultural development.

Speaking about NUTEC Plastics, the IAEA initiative to combat plastic pollution, Mr Grossi said: “At this week’s UN Ocean Conference, we are showing what we are doing in very concrete terms to fight plastic pollution through new technology.”

The IAEA is harnessing the power of nuclear technologies involving radiation to improve recycling and create bio-based plastics, which offer a sustainable alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastic products.

 With support from the NUTEC Plastics initiative, 104 Member States now use nuclear technologies to monitor microplastics, while 52 are collaborating with the IAEA on upcycling efforts.

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Director General in Syria to Strengthen Cooperation in Safeguards, Cancer Care and Food Security

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi meets with the President of Syria, Ahmed Al-Sharaa in Damascus on 4 June 2025. (Photo: D. Candano/IAEA)

The IAEA Director General has been in Syria this week to clarify remaining safeguards issues and support the country’s use of nuclear science and technology in the areas of human health, particularly cancer care and food and agriculture.

Mr Grossi met President Ahmed Al-Sharaa in Damascus on 4 June and recognised “his courage in cooperating with full transparency to close a chapter of Syria’s past that diverted resources necessary for development.”

Mr Grossi added: “With a new government committed to engaging with the international community, we have an opportunity to resolve outstanding issues.”

“Immediate and unrestricted access” to sites relevant for inspections was granted by President Al-Sharaa, and the Director General confirmed that IAEA teams conducted verification activities during his visit.

In his meeting with the Syrian President, Mr Grossi also announced a comprehensive programme to support the country with medical equipment and training for hospitals, as well as help in agriculture and water management. They also explored the possibility of nuclear power in Syria.

During his visit, Mr Grossi also met Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani with whom he signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cooperation in the areas of food security and cancer control. The IAEA will support Syria with medical equipment and hospital training, as well as with assistance in food and agriculture to enhance food safety and security.

Advancing Cancer Care

Each year, more than 1400 women in Syria are diagnosed with gynaecological cancer. For many, access to a specialized form of internal radiotherapy called brachytherapy could significantly improve chances of survival.

To help these women receive the treatment they need, the IAEA, through its Rays of Hope Initiative, is working with local medical teams to build Syria’s first fully equipped brachytherapy suite at Al-Biruni Hospital in Damascus. This life-saving facility is being made possible with the financial support of the government of Italy.

“We are supporting the reconstruction of Syria’s radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, and radiology services,” said Mr Grossi. “We’re providing equipment like CT scanners, brachytherapy machines for women’s cancers, and other tools not currently available in the country, and we will train personnel on the ground to use them.”

Atoms4Food

Through cooperation on Atoms4Food, the IAEA and Syria will work together to strengthen food security for the country’s population using nuclear and isotopic applications to improve agricultural practices.

“Food security is, of course, of great importance to Syria, and the IAEA is well positioned to assist,” said Mr Grossi. “Nuclear techniques can make a big difference in areas like crop development, water management, insect sterilization, or pest control. We do this around the world, and now we’re opening a new chapter for Syria and its people.”

Technical Cooperation and Capacity Building

Earlier this year, an IAEA expert mission travelled to Syria and carried out assessments on the status of Syria’s Secondary Standards Dosimetry Laboratory (SSDL) to provide recommendations to the Atomic Energy Commission of Syria (AECS) to enhance radiation safety in the country. 

National radiotherapy services were also evaluated, and technical input delivered to strengthen clinical practices. Experts from the IAEA’s technical cooperation programme also held a series of technical training sessions and practical workshops on advanced radiotherapy techniques in Damascus.  

The IAEA will continue to support capacity building through the clinical training of local radiation oncologists, medical physicists and radiotherapy technologists while the brachytherapy machine is on its way to Al-Biruni Hospital.

The IAEA has been delivering support to Syria including  medical equipment  such as portable and mobile X ray machines, non-destructive testing devices and portable ultrasound units following the devastating earthquake in February 2023. 

The mission of Mr Grossi to Syria this week was made possible with logistical support from the Government of Italy.

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Nuclear Science for Food Safety

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Food irradiation is an innovative, gentle, and non-invasive technique that uses radiation to keep food fresh and safe to eat. It inactivates harmful microorganisms like salmonella, e.coli and listeria, reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses.

Food irradiation extends shelf life of food, reduce food losses and waste, and ensures that consumers have access to fresh, safe products. In Viet Nam, for example, irradiation has enabled the country to boost its food exports, prevent the spread of transboundary pests and eliminate microbes that could spoil food. These efforts are supported by the IAEA through its Joint FAO/IAEA Centre.

 “Food irradiation is under utilized, but we are working to raise its profile as the benefits it provides will serve consumers and producers and help meet many food safety issues,” said Carl Blackburn, an expert in food irradiation at the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre. “With continued collaboration, support and capacity building, countries around the world are strengthening their approach to using ionizing radiation — and promoting the technology to ensure that consumers can have confidence in what’s on their plates.”

The IAEA, through the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre, will continue to support food safety and quality and forge partnerships under the Atoms4Food initiative, which aims to leverage innovative nuclear techniques to enhance agricultural productivity, reduce food losses and wastes, ensure food safety and improve nutrition.

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How Nuclear Tech Could Revolutionise Plastic Recycling

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

How can nuclear science help keep plastic waste out of the ocean and our daily lives?

Nuclear science offers innovative solutions to address plastic pollution across its entire lifecycle. To combat this challenge, we need to understand its root causes. Research indicates that approximately 80 per cent of marine plastic pollution originates on land (with the rest coming from ocean sources such as fishing nets etc.) making land-based interventions critical.

The IAEA is working on two fronts using cutting-edge technologies: firstly, we are using radiation to create bio-based plastics, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastics. Simply put, we are working on new materials that are both biodegradable and easily recyclable. This approach not only reduces reliance on fossil fuels but also supports circular economies by turning organic waste into valuable resources.

Secondly, we are using radiation technology to transform plastic waste into more durable, stronger and higher value products. For example, radiation can enhance the performance of concrete by partially replacing cement with recycled plastics. Nuclear techniques are improving the sorting and separation of polymers in mixed plastic waste streams. We’re also exploring how radiation-assisted pyrolysis can convert plastics into waxes, fuels and other valuable chemical additives.

If we treat plastics using radiation, won’t the new products be dangerous?

Not at all — in fact, quite the opposite. Radiation is considered a form of ‘green chemistry’ because it allows us to process materials without using toxic chemicals or extreme conditions like high temperature or pressure. When we use radiation to create new bio-based plastics or upcycle plastic waste, the process is clean, efficient and environmentally friendly.

And the radiation itself does not remain in the material. Just like when you get a dental X ray, the radiation passes through but doesn’t stay with you. The same principle applies here: the materials are not radioactive after treatment and are completely safe to use.

You mentioned using nuclear technology to improve plastic recycling. Is this already happening?

We have 52 countries collaborating with the IAEA on novel upcycling efforts under the NUTEC Plastics initiative. Nine of them are pilot countries, marking a major step forward in turning innovation into reality. These countries are advancing rapidly along the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale — a globally recognized nine-stage framework that tracks the maturity of technologies from concept to commercial deployment.

We’re already seeing exciting, tangible results.

In Indonesia and the Philippines, wood-plastic composites are being developed for sustainable construction.  In Malaysia, plastic waste is being converted into fuel. In Argentina, durable railroad sleepers made from recycled plastics are showing strong performance in early trials.

These pilot projects are not just proof of concept — they are proof of progress. We anticipate several of these technologies reaching the final TRL stages and moving toward full-scale implementation as early as next year.

Why, as a scientist, did you choose to go into this field?

I’ve always believed that science should serve as a catalyst for meaningful, lasting change. That belief led me to focus on plastic upcycling and the search for alternatives to petroleum-based materials — areas where innovation can directly address the environmental crises we face today.

With over 30 years of experience working with ionizing radiation, I’ve seen firsthand its untapped potential to transform waste into valuable resources. This work is more than research — it’s a commitment to building a circular economy that safeguards our ecosystems, reduces human carbon footprint, and leaves a healthier, more resilient planet for future generations.

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IAEA Kicks Off International Radiation Oncology Conference

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications Najat Mohktar and IAEA Director of the Division of Human Health May Abdel-Wahab together with Lebanon’s Minister of Labour Mohammad Haidar during the opening ceremony of ICARO-4. (Photo : D. Calma/IAEA)

The fourth International Conference on Advances in Radiation Oncology (ICARO-4) is underway this week at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna, bringing together participants from around the world to examine the latest advances in treating cancer with radiation.

Opening the conference, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications Najat Mokhtar urged attendees to remember inclusivity as they discuss recent innovations ranging from new techniques to the use of artificial intelligence, robotics and automation. “The future of radiotherapy, and of cancer care more broadly, must be equitable. For this, patients [and practitioners] must be at the centre of all we do.”

Although more than half of all cancer patients need radiotherapy at some point, access to this life-saving treatment remains out of reach for far too many. To meet the target of one machine per 500 patients, low-income countries on average need eight times more machines than currently available, the IAEA-led Lancet Oncology Commission on Radiotherapy and Theranostics found. In terms of human resources, the global radiation medicine workforce of 2022 must expand by more than 60 percent to respond to the 35.3 million new cancer cases and limit the potential 18.5 million deaths anticipated by 2050.

“Through shared commitment, we can ensure that radiation medicine continues to serve as a force for healing, resilience and sustainable growth in every corner of the world,” said Mohammad Haidar, Lebanon’s Minister of Labor, during the opening ceremony. He noted that Lebanon is strengthening education and training, creating sustainable job opportunities through investments in medical infrastructure and ensuring the well-being and dignity of its workers. These combined efforts, he added, will help improve healthcare outcomes, support the country’s broader economic recovery and contribute to its national development goals.

“The IAEA’s commitment to science, education and international cooperation has helped shape a new future for Lebanon — one in which human capital is at the centre of this progress,” he said. “Let us continue working together; let us turn dialogue into action and challenges into opportunity.” 

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Deadline Extended for Call for Papers: Conference on Resilience of Nuclear Installations

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

“The resilience of nuclear installations can be viewed as the ability of the installation to quickly return to its original safety state after the occurrence of a potentially damaging event such as an earthquake, hurricane, or aircraft crash,” said Paolo Contri, Head of the IAEA Section of External Events Safety.  

He added: “Resilience is coupled with the concept of robustness against external hazards, which encompasses the development of engineering solutions in siting, design and operation phases, that can support the response to extreme scenarios, but also to emerging challenges, or unknown threats, as well as planning, response and recovery strategies.” 

Contributors interested in submitting papers for the conference can find the topics of interest here, which includes areas such as the identification and analysis of external hazards, the consideration of uncertainties in hazard analyses and events resulting from combined hazards; and the impact of external hazards on nuclear installations and radioactive waste disposal facilities as well as the safety features of innovative new reactor designs and their contribution to resilience. 

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IAEA Teaches Fukushima Students Environmental Remediation

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The lectures, based on the IAEA Safety Standards, covered the basics of radiation and radiation monitoring, environmental remediation and decontamination and radioactive waste management. Students also attended a workshop in which they used different devices to detect and measure radiation in various environmental samples such as soil and minerals.

“I would expect that the IAEA lectures will motivate Fukushima Prefecture university students to learn more about environmental radiation as a subject and the current state of environmental remediation in the prefecture,” said Hiroshi Aoki, then Director General of the Fukushima Prefectural Centre for Environmental Creation.

“We hope the younger generation will learn from the collective knowledge and experience of the IAEA and apply this to the next steps for reconstruction and revitalization in Fukushima Prefecture, which would also contribute to international nuclear safety,” added Kenichiro Tanaka, Director of the International Nuclear Cooperation Division at Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The programme, a pilot exercise that took place at the end of 2024, was requested by the Government of Japan under a cooperation agreement with the IAEA that started in 2012 and will run until 2027. Under the agreement, the IAEA has been assisting Fukushima Prefecture in activities related to radiation monitoring, environmental remediation, decontamination and waste management, in line with IAEA safety standards.

“After the lectures I hope to be able to share accurate information about radiation with those around me, when the topic comes up on television or other media,” said Hiroki Furuchi, a student at Higashi Nippon International University.

The feedback from this first course will be collected and used by the IAEA to further adapt the content to the prefecture’s needs in line with IAEA Safety Standards, before returning to Fukushima to continue the programme at more universities in 2025.

Read more about the cooperation between Fukushima Prefecture and the IAEA on radiation safety since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident here.

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IAEA Hosts World’s First Major Gathering of Nuclear Community Leaders

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Rafael Mariano Grossi, IAEA Director General, with mayors attending the International Conference on Stakeholder Engagement for Nuclear Power Programmes 2025 held at the Agency headquarters in Vienna, Austria. (Photo D.Calma/IAEA)

The IAEA hosted the world’s first major gathering of communities with nuclear facilities, with scores of mayors and other local representatives from around the globe, including indigenous peoples, sharing their experiences and insights. 

“As some have said, and I think rightly so, all politics are local, and everything is local,” IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi addressed the participants of the first International Conference on Stakeholder Engagement for Nuclear Power Programmes.  

“Nuclear energy is a job creating activity. It is an activity that brings highly skilled workers. It is an activity that creates and nurtures professions with its incredible diversity.  

“Nuclear, from the perspective of a community, a human community, is a lifetime engagement. It is a longstanding commitment and engagement that lasts for generations and shapes the lives of all those who are living there,” he added.  

Hosting a nuclear facility, whether a nuclear power plant, uranium mine or related site, is a major endeavour involving significant local community participation. Project success requires transparent communication, a two-way dialogue centring local perspectives to address concerns, maximize benefits and enable long-term sustainability. Participants agree that for enduring results and host community satisfaction, meaningful conversations that consider the full spectrum of opinions should begin at an early stage and be held on a regular basis. 

Throughout the event, host community leaders from across the globe highlighted the benefits of hosting a nuclear facility while also addressing challenges. They pointed to incentives such as job creation, funding for infrastructure and support for regional development as reasons why hosting nuclear facilities has been a boon for their communities.  A joint statement, thus far endorsed by 69 nuclear community leaders from 26 countries, was released during the event and remains open for additional endorsements. It emphasizes the essential role played by host communities in enabling the sustainable development and operation of nuclear technologies. The statement also underscores a commitment to “working with our citizens, policymakers, national governments and industry leaders to responsibly shape together a sustainable and inclusive future, acknowledging the vital role that nuclear energy plays in powering our lives, communities and countries.” 

The weeklong stakeholder engagement conference, a first-of-kind event in IAEA history which concludes on 30 May, features panel sessions, flash talks and side events on numerous topics relevant to stakeholder engagement and communication for nuclear power programmes. The plenary session livestream can be viewed here. Livestreams of all conference sessions are available on the IAEA Conferences and Meetings mobile application. 

“This week’s historic gathering of nuclear host communities is just the beginning of what I am sure it will be a very successful future for this new dimension of the nuclear family, which is the family of the communities – mayors, cities, towns – all over the world that are hosting nuclear facilities,” said Mr Grossi.  

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#LetsTalkNuclear: Stakeholder Engagement Conference Kicks Off in Vienna

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Dialogue between IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and filmmaker Robert Stone, who made the pro-nuclear documentaty Pandora’s Promise, moderated by nuclear energy influencer Isabelle Boemeke. (Photo: D.Calma/IAEA)

The first IAEA International Conference on Stakeholder Engagement for Nuclear Power Programmes kicked off today in Vienna, with more than 500 participants from around the world arriving to advance the global conversation. 

The weeklong conference, which is unique in IAEA history and is livestreamed here, began with a dialogue between IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and filmmaker Robert Stone. Mr Stone’s 2013 documentary Pandora’s Promise reignited the debate about nuclear power and championed its benefits as a clean, reliable and sustainable energy source, shortly after Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi accident had prompted some countries to reconsider its use or to phase it out altogether. 

Isabelle Boemeke, a prominent nuclear energy influencer known as Isodope, moderated the talk between Mr Stone and Mr Grossi, who since taking the IAEA helm in 2019 has helped lead a global conversation on the role on nuclear power for climate change mitigation and energy security, by highlighting the science and facts. 

“We are not nuclear lobbyists. What we believe is that the peaceful use of nuclear energy is a beneficial thing,” Mr Grossi said. “You may have it or not, but the very first step should be an enlightened, honest debate about how countries can benefit.” 

The opening film of the conference highlighted how public and political opinion is shifting in favour of nuclear power.

New Global Consensus

While global support for nuclear power declined in the years after the Fukushima Daiichi accident, the picture is very different today. A global consensus on accelerating its deployment coalesced at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, where a pledge to triple global nuclear capacity by 2050 was announced that has now been backed by more than 30 countries. However, maximizing the potential of nuclear power will requires robust stakeholder engagement that consider the concerns and interests of everyone from the general public and government officials to regulators, industry and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). 

Director General Grossi and Mr Stone reflected on how perceptions of nuclear power have changed in recent years, the importance of debunking myths, and why creating clean energy abundance and energy security are priorities. The dialogue concluded with a look at what’s ahead for nuclear power. 

“I think there is this struggle to point out that nuclear is in fact absolutely necessary. The growth in energy demand all over the world is so dramatic. Renewables are growing, but we have not reduced the amount of fossil fuels. The percentage of fossil fuels to clean energy has remained static since the turn of the century,” said Stone. “So, I think that is the next front in terms of making the case for nuclear energy.”   

The opening day’s first panel featured speakers spanning the gamut of stakeholders including government officials, leaders from municipalities that host nuclear facilities, financial experts, newcomer countries, Indigenous Peoples and NGOs. The panellists from Argentina, Belgium, Finland, Jordan, Kenya, the United States of America and the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation (Canada) discussed issues such as nuclear facility host community engagement, misinformation and how incentives such as scholarships and other educational opportunities can be an effective component of stakeholder engagement. 

Learning Lessons

Stakeholder engagement for nuclear power has been done for many years, evolving as lessons are learned and implemented. The conference’s second panel brought together experts to discuss how practices for engaging communities, regulators, industry and media have improved over the years in line with shifting societal perceptions and expectations.  

Around 30 newcomer countries are currently either considering the introduction of nuclear power or have embarked on developing a programme. The third and final panel of the day showcased stakeholder engagement for newcomers, three of which (Bangladesh, Egypt and Türkiye) are already constructing their first nuclear power plants. 

The conference, for which 627 participants registered from 81 countries and 17 international organizations, was organized to help meet increasing demand for support on stakeholder engagement for nuclear power programmes as well as to serve as a global platform for exchange among nuclear communities worldwide. The weeklong programme includes panel sessions, side events and flash talks, as well as a special event featuring around 80 mayors and representatives from host communities around the world. The event, ‘Nuclear Communities and Mayors in Focus’, will take place on 27 May and serve as an opportunity for these community leaders to share their experiences and exchange ideas. 

Nuclear Art Contest

The conference also features an international nuclear art contest. Much as the Pop Art movement in the 1960s revolutionized the way society viewed mass culture and consumerism, Nuclear Pop! asked artists to reclaim nuclear energy’s cultural narrative — from fear and fallout to innovation and sustainability. More than 400 works were submitted for the contest, organized by Generation Atomic, and a selection of the best are on display at the IAEA headquarters this week. 

“We are living in such a unique moment where public acceptance, government support, and even big venture capital money is going into nuclear,” said Boemeke.  “Keep putting the stories out there, keep engaging with the communities.”