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Credit: Seoul National University
The Department of Nuclear Engineering at Seoul National University has secured 4.75 billion won by signing an agreement with Korean Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning(KETEP) for an Integrated Major Program in High Level Waste Management (Principal Investigator: Professor Sung-yeol Choi). The funding will be used until 2026 to train MA and PhD level professionals for high-level radioactive waste management.
The aim is to foster professionals who can lead and advance high-level waste management at home and abroad by offering a curriculum that integrates engineering topics, such as storage, transportation and disposal of high-level waste, with those of the social sciences and humanities, such as laws, systems, regulations, communication, conflict management, and group decisions.
A total of six independent departments – Department of Energy Resources Engineering, Department of Industrial Engineering, Department of Communication, Graduate School of Public Administration, Graduate School of International Studies, as well as the Department of Nuclear Engineering – are involved in this Integrated Major Program for High Level Waste Management.
Various institutes in Korea will collaborate with SNU for this energy professional training project, which include Korea Radioactive Waste Agency, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, KEPCO Nuclear Fuel, The Institute for Korea Spent Nuclear Fuel, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, KEPCO E&C, Korea Institute of Public Administration, Science & Technology Policy Institute, Doosan Enerbility, Future and Challenge FNC Technology Co., Ltd.
□ Expected impact
◦ The Integrated Major Program will pave the way for the advanced convergence of the engineering and social science disciplines, and for producing outstanding professionals armed with knowledge in these fields, both of which are necessary for the safe management of high-level waste.
◦ It will help construct an innovative case model for convergence education and lay a foundation for convergence research.
◦ Initiating and vitalising the international research network will help assert global leadership, gain a competitive advantage, and garner growth engines for the future.
◦ Early career researchers trained to have knowledge of both engineering and social sciences will help overcome the ‘not in my back yard societal mindset regarding high level waste facilities from multiple perspectives.
◦ It is expected that training professionals to be equipped with a multidisciplinary mindset and understanding will help introduce sustainable high-level waste management measures and will steer a low-carbon society and the nuclear industry in the future.