Tennessee Tech cements role as nuclear energy leader with inaugural World Nuclear Forum
From left: Jean-Luc Palayer, ORANO USA president and CEO, Kari Oldham, Tennessee Tech
first lady, Phil Oldham, Tennessee Tech president, Congressman Chuck Fleischmann,
Michelle Amante-Harstine, CEO of Congressional Energy Engagement, Brandon Gibson,
COO in the Office of Governor Bill Lee, Justin Maierhofer, TVA regional vice president,
Sunil Felix, nuclear counsellor to the French Embassy, Aleshia Duncan, deputy assistant
secretary for international cooperation in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office
of Nuclear Energy, and Anushya Ramaswamy, foreign affairs specialist in the U.S. Department
of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy.
Tennessee Tech University brought together more than 160 experts, industry leaders
and other distinguished guests for the inaugural World Nuclear Forum, held in partnership
with Congressional Energy Engagement.
The event comes on the heels of Tech’s announcement that the university has more than doubled its initial enrollment goals for the university’s new nuclear engineering degree
program – only the second in the state – and as the Tennessee Department of Economic
and Community Development reported that Tech is the latest recipient of a grant totaling more than $1 million from the
state’s Nuclear Energy Fund.
Sunil Felix, nuclear counsellor for the French Embassy in Washington, D.C. provided
keynote remarks at the forum, focusing on the importance of international partnerships
in achieving global energy security and sustainability, and highlighting France’s
leadership in closing the nuclear fuel cycle.
Lawmakers including Congressman John Rose, whose district encompasses the Tech campus,
and Congressman Chuck Fleischmann, chair of the House Committee on Appropriations
Energy and Water Subcommittee, also provided insights.
“As everyone here already knows, nuclear energy is a clean and reliable source of
energy that will propel the future of our economy. Of course, that future will only
be realized with a readily available, highly skilled, and successfully trained workforce,”
said Congressman Rose in his prepared remarks.
Rose went on to praise Tech’s leadership in launching a nuclear engineering degree
program, calling it “another milestone in that long and exciting history” of the university.
Congressman Fleischmann later said of the event, “America’s and the world’s New Nuclear
Future is being created right here in Tennessee. The groundbreaking World Nuclear
Forum hosted by Tennessee Tech and the university’s new nuclear engineering program
are further proof that our great state and educational institutions are leading the
way to develop state-of-the-art nuclear technologies that will power our nation and
grow our economy."
Jean-Luc Palayer, president and CEO of ORANO USA, also joined as a panelist for the
event. Palayer’s participation comes as ORANO USA recently announced that it will build a new multibillion-dollar uranium enrichment facility in Oak Ridge,
representing the single largest investment in Tennessee’s history.
“The unmistakable takeaway from this gathering is that Tennessee Tech is now a leading
voice and training ground for nuclear energy in what is quickly becoming the leading
state for nuclear energy across the country,” said Tech President Phil Oldham. “We
are proud to have served as the host site for this important event and look forward
to Tech’s continued leadership in this arena, working alongside the partners and expert
guests we heard from throughout the forum.”
Over the two-day event, Brandon Gibson, chief operating officer for Governor Bill
Lee’s office, and Justin Maierhofer, regional vice president at Tennessee Valley Authority
(TVA), additionally led a moderated conversation focused on Tennessee’s nuclear energy
innovations.
Sunil Felix, nuclear counsellor to the French Embassy, delivers keynote remarks. 
Congressman John Rose delivers remarks.
Balendra Sutharshan, chief operations officer for Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL),
Aleshia Duncan, deputy assistant secretary for international nuclear energy policy
at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, and Cosmin Ghita, CEO
of Nuclearelectrica Romania, rounded out the forum’s top-billed speakers.
"We look forward to building on this year’s success as we plan for 2025 and beyond,
strengthening international collaboration and continuing to position Tennessee as
a leader in nuclear innovation” said Michelle Amante-Harstine, CEO of Congressional
Energy Engagement. “Why? Because it’s crucial for our nation’s energy and national
security, and it's the key to achieving both national and global carbon neutral goals."
The milestone event was part of a banner week for Tech’s College of Engineering, which
is celebrating its largest enrollment in university history. Immediately following
the forum, the university celebrated the ribbon cutting for its state-of-the-art Ashraf Islam Engineering Building.
Governor Bill Lee, Congressman Rose, Congressman Fleischmann and others joined to
officially open the 100,000-square-foot academic space named for Tech engineering
alumnus, businessman, and philanthropist Ashraf Islam.
Learn more about the 2024 World Nuclear Forum at https://www.tntech.edu/research/world-nuclear-forum.php.
