UNIST has embarked on an effort to lead the world’s nuclear decommissioning market through international research collaboration with the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom.
On October 23, UNIST signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement with the University of Sheffield to foster international research collaborations in the areas of nuclear decommissioning and advanced manufacturing. Amid COVID-19, the signing ceremony of MoU between UNIST and the University of Sheffield was held virtually.
In the memorandum of understanding, the two organizations also promised to form a strategic partnership for the purpose of fostering Korea–UK nuclear power decommissioning and advanced manufacturing industry, technology exchange, and global manpower training.
UNIST signed a cooperation MoU with the University of Sheffield on Friday, October 23, 2020. l Image Credit: Kyoungchae Kim
Led by Director Hee Reyoung Kim, the Center for Core and Fundamental Nuclear D&D Research at UNIST will play a central role in the development of core technologies for the decommissioning of nuclear installations, as well as nurturing experts in this field. The center is currently working on the development of nuclear-decommissioning technologies related to radiation monitoring, safety evaluation, and management of decommissioning waste with the support of the government and Ulsan Metropolitan City.
“S. Korea is facing the dismantling of its first commercial nuclear reactor, namely the Kori-1 reactor,” says Professor Kim. “Accordingly, through cooperation with other countries that have already experienced the decommissioning of nuclear facilities, we must diligently carry out the decontamination, dismantling, decommissioning waste treatments, and site remediation activities.”
The University of Sheffield has an Advanced Manufacturing Research Center with industry membership (AMRC Group) which is a cluster of world-class centers for industry-focused research and development of advanced manufacturing technologies, including nuclear parts, and has an international branch (AMRC Korea) in Ulsan City.
The Center for Core and Fundamental Nuclear D&D Research at UNIST, led by Director Hee Reyoung Kim (left), will be the center of this collaboration. | Photo: Hongbeom Ahn
Meanwhile, the ceremony has been attended by President Yong Hoon Lee of UNIST, Chair Professor Il Soon Hwang (Department of Nuclear Engineering), Dean Ji Hyun Kim of Academic Affairs, Dean In Cheol Bang in the Department of Nuclear Engineering, Professor Seung Jun Lee, Professor Sang Joon Ahn, Professor Jae Young Park, Professor Uiseong Yoon, and Director Hee Reyoung Kim (Center for Core and Fundamental Nuclear D&D Research, UNIST), President Jung-Hwan Lee of AMRC Korea, and other key officials from Ulsan Metropolitan City.
Besides, President Koen Lamberts, Vice President Dave Petley, Professor Neil Hayatt, and Acting Head Katja Nieminen of Partnerships & Global Opportunities from the University of Sheffield, attended the meeting virtually.
