Congratulations to SPPGA Professor Ramana, who was recently awarded a Fostering Research Partnerships Fund (FRPF) grant for his project titled, “Environmental Impacts Of Small Modular Nuclear Reactors: Engagement with Civil Society”. The FRPF is a pilot program aimed to support and encourage early conversations between researchers and potential non-academic partners, which range from public, private to non-for-profit organizations, and facilitate collaboration.
Professor Ramana’s project works in collaboration with the Canadian Environmental Law Association to engage with civil society groups regarding the environmental impact of nuclear power. This workshop is motivated by the increasing push by nuclear reactor companies for a new generation of nuclear power plants in Canada, primarily targeting remote northern communities. The nuclear reactor designs being pursued, however, are termed small modular reactors (SMRs), which remain largely untested. Professor Ramana identifies the urgent need to enhance civil society capacity to understand what the environmental impacts of these reactors will be.
