Fissionary

Singapore imports nearly all of its natural gas. It has no wind, and its rooftops can generate enough solar power to meet less than 10% of national demand. For a country that has committed to net zero by 2050, that math falls dangerously short.

Nuclear was never the obvious answer. But the emergence of energy security concerns alongside the advent of small modular reactors has moved it from fringe consideration to serious policy conversation. In this episode, Jordan sits down with Low Xin Wei, CEO of Singapore's Nuclear Research and Safety Institute, to trace the full...

Poland ran on coal for decades—in fact, more than 90% of its electricity came from it. Now the coal is running out, the grid needs replacing, and Poland is building its first commercial nuclear power plant. In this episode, Jordan talks with Robert Rudich about what it actually takes to build a nuclear industry from the ground up: the policy hurdles, the workforce challenges, the financing puzzles, and why Poland moved faster than every other country in the region. 

Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary.

Connect with Robert: LinkedIn | SGE Website 

The UK once held the crown in nuclear development, and now they are eager to reclaim that title. In this episode, Jordan chats with Millie Beaver, the Public Affairs Director at the Nuclear Industry Association, to explore what’s shaping up to be one of Europe’s most ambitious nuclear projects. They discuss Sizewell C, which will feature two reactors capable of powering six million homes for 60 years, and Project Gwyndaf, the innovative Rolls-Royce SMR making its way to Wales.

Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary.

Connect with Millie: LinkedIn | NIA Webs...

In much of Africa, the question isn't how to optimize the grid. It's how to build one at all. Princy Mthombeni grew up in a rural South African village without electricity until she was 14 and that experience shapes how she talks about energy today. As founder of Africa4Nuclear, Princy makes the case that nuclear isn't just a power source for the continent; it's a path to jobs, medicine, clean water, and so much more. Jordan talks with Princy about which African countries are moving fastest on nuclear, why the "just energy transition" framing misses the mark for developing...

A nuclear renaissance doesn't just happen on paper, it takes thousands of people to design, build, operate, and sustain it. In this episode, Jordan sits down with Callum Thomas, a workforce strategist and talent expert who works across the nuclear sector in the UK, Europe, and beyond, to explore one of the industry's most urgent and underappreciated challenges: building the human infrastructure behind the new era of nuclear growth. Callum breaks down what's actually happening across Europe right now and what it tells us when countries get serious about workforce planning. 

Visit us at w...

After Fukushima in 2011, Japan went from getting roughly a third of its electricity from nuclear power to running zero reactors for two full years- and spending $270 billion more on fossil fuel imports in the process. Today, Japan's government has reversed course, officially committing to maximize nuclear energy in its national strategic energy plan. Jane Nakano, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, joins Jordan to unpack what actually drove that shift, from rising energy demand and AI-powered data centers to decades of careful, community-by-community rebuilding of trust. 

Visit us at www.n...

Germany shut down its last nuclear plants in 2023. Now, the country is asking whether that decision came at a cost. In this episode of Fissionary, Mary and Jordan head to Germany to talk with educator and Mothers for Nuclear Deutschland co-founder, Britta Augustin, about the country’s changing nuclear conversation. From rising energy prices and economic pressure to shifting public opinion and growing political support, Britta explains why nuclear is once again becoming part of Germany’s energy debate.

Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary.

Learn more about Nuklearia https://nuklearia.de/<...

Nuclear is having a global moment and this season of Fissionary is taking you around the world to understand why. In the Season 6 premiere, Mary and Jordan sit down with former diplomat and nuclear policy expert, Justin Friedman, to unpack the rapidly changing international nuclear landscape. From Europe and Southeast Asia to Africa and Latin America, countries are rethinking energy security, economic prosperity, and what it takes to build reliable power systems for the future.

Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary.

Music used in this episode was created...

Pack your bags because Season 6 is going global! This season, Mary and Jordan travel around the world to explore how different countries are approaching nuclear energy and why the conversation is accelerating everywhere from Japan and Poland to the UK and beyond. From energy security and climate goals to workforce development and innovation, every country has a different nuclear story to tell. So grab your passport, make sure you’re subscribed, and get ready for a season that’s officially cleared for takeoff.

Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary.

Mu...

Pack your bags, Fissionaries! Season 6 is going global. In this special kickoff episode, Mary and Jordan are joined by an international trade expert from the Nuclear Energy Institute, Stephanie Pronco, for a whirlwind tour of the countries shaping the future of nuclear energy. Through a trivia-style game packed with nuclear facts and surprisingly difficult clues, Steph breaks down how countries around the world are approaching nuclear in completely different ways.



Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary.

Fissionary Wants To Hear From You! Fill out our short listener survey

Mu...

Sometimes wonder doesn’t come from discovering something new, but from realizing we misunderstood something all along. In this episode of Fissionary, Mary and Jordan sit down with Dr. Tim Gregory, senior nuclear chemist at the UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory and author of Going Nuclear: How the Atom Will Save the World. Tim shares how his journey from cosmochemistry to nuclear science reshaped the way he thinks about energy, progress, and human flourishing. Together, they explore why nuclear power is often misunderstood, how fear of radiation has shaped public perception, and why energy abundance is foundational to everything from...

What does nuclear energy have to do with your living room? More than you might think. In this episode of Fissionary, Mary and Jordan talk with design historian Alessandra Wood about how the Atomic Age reshaped the visual language of the 20th century. From starburst clocks to Sputnik chandeliers, the shapes and symbols of atomic science made their way into furniture, architecture, and everyday objects, transforming fear of new technology into a sense of optimism about the future.

Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary.

Fissionary Wants To Hear From You! Fill o...

When a new technology changes the world overnight, culture feels it first.

In this episode of Fissionary, Mary and Jordan sit down with historian Alan Carr and archivist Patty Templeton from Los Alamos National Laboratory to explore how the Atomic Age reshaped not just science, but culture. From the birth of the phrase “Atomic Age” to Godzilla, Googie architecture, Star Trek, and the nuclear rocket engines that almost took us to Mars, this conversation traces how fear, optimism, and imagination collided in the mid-20th century.

Visit us at www...

What if turning on the lights wasn’t a given, but a daily question mark? 

In this episode of Fissionary, Mary and Jordan sit down with Gwen Holdmann, an engineer, energy researcher, and longtime off-grid Alaskan, about what energy access really means in some of the most remote places in the United States. Gwen shares what it was like to live for decades without reliable electricity, how fragile Alaska’s power systems really are, and why energy is about far more than convenience when heat can be a matter of survival. 

V...

Mosquitoes might be small, but the science used to stop them is anything but. In this episode of Fissionary, Mary and Jordan talk with Dr. Zach Adelman, a geneticist and professor of entomology at Texas A&M, about how nuclear science is being used to fight some of the deadliest and most destructive insects on the planet. From malaria-spreading mosquitoes to flies that threaten the global food supply, Zach explains how sterile insect techniques work, why radiation is essential to the process, and how these tools have quietly protected human health and agriculture for decades. Along the way, we...

What if a museum could change the way an entire generation thinks about nuclear?

In this episode, Mary and Jordan sit down with Jennifer Hayden, President and CEO of the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History, to explore how museums spark curiosity, reshape narratives, and make even the most complex topics feel accessible. Jennifer shares how her team brings nuclear to life through storytelling, hands-on learning, community events, and a bold new vision for the museum’s upcoming nuclear energy exhibit.

Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary.

N...

What if Walt Disney had actually built the city of the future—powered by nuclear energy?

In the Season 5 premiere of Fissionary, hosts Mary Carpenter and Jordan Houghton sit down with urban planner and author Sam Gennawey to uncover how Walt’s imagination extended far beyond theme parks. From Disneyland to his unrealized vision for Epcot, Walt dreamed of communities built around innovation, clean power, and human connection. Sam shares how those plans included a nuclear-powered city under a climate-controlled dome, what it reveals about Disney’s faith in technology, and why his “yes, if” philosophy still matters to...

Every era has its spark- a force that drives imagination, innovation, and the will to build something extraordinary. 

Fissionary returns with Season 5: What Powers Wonder, an exploration of how energy fuels creativity, culture, and progress. From life-saving breakthroughs to designs and the boundless imagination of Walt Disney himself, hosts Mary Carpenter and Jordan Houghton uncover the surprising ways nuclear shapes our world.

Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary.

Fissionary Wants To Hear From You! Fill out our short listener survey

The world runs on energy, but the real power comes from curiosity. Fissionary is the podcast that uncovers how nuclear energy shapes our lives in ways you might never expect, from medicine and design to space exploration and climate solutions. Hosted by Mary Carpenter and Jordan Houghton, Fissionary brings together scientists, artists, policymakers, and creators to explore how innovation and imagination collide.

Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary.

Fissionary Wants To Hear From You! Fill out our short listener survey

Gabriel Ivory, one of the creative forces behind the "I Heart Nuclear" sign at College GameDay, joins us for the season finale of Fissionary to talk about how a bold move turned into a nationwide campaign. Gabriel shares the story behind the sign, the strategy that helped it go viral, and how he’s using his platform to change the conversation around nuclear energy. It’s not just about advocacy; it’s also about making nuclear relatable, creative, and fun for a new generation of activists. Tune in to hear how one sign sparked a movement and how the next w...

When it comes to moving the needle on nuclear energy, support is needed at every level, and Illinois is at a turning point. In this episode of Fissionary, Mary and Jordan sit down with Illinois State Senator Sue Rezin—a longtime advocate for nuclear energy—to talk about lifting the state’s partial moratorium and Illinois’ unique position to support nuclear energy production. 

With Illinois home to the largest nuclear fleet in the country and transmission infrastructure already in place, Sue makes the case for why the state is perfectly positioned to meet rising energy demands fueled by AI, da...

What happens when a generation raised online realizes that data centers, social media, and streaming all depend on a strained power grid? As climate pressure mounts and digital consumption surges, Gen Z is stepping into the energy conversation—with nuclear power on their radar.

In this episode of Fissionary, hosts Mary and Jordan sit down with José Gaona, founder and CEO of ZETA, a fast-growing Gen Z-led organization focused on emerging tech and energy policy. From his first role as a voting school board trustee at age 16 to organizing advocacy campaigns that reached all 535 congressional offices, José offe...

What if saving the world looked more like a rave than a lecture? In this episode, we catch up with Ryan Pickering—former anti-nuclear activist turned DOE policy advisor, co-founder of NICE (Nuclear is Clean Energy) and all-around nuclear hype man. From organizing a rave to support California legislation to collaborating with Indigenous leaders and traveling globally to advocate for nuclear inclusion, Ryan is doing the most in the best way. We get into how culture, community, and energy realism are reshaping the nuclear conversation and why the future might just be on-grid and wildly optimistic.



Visit...

Imagine building something today that has to stay safe for tens of thousands of years! That’s the mind-bending challenge behind long-term nuclear waste storage, and in this episode, we’re diving deep into how Canada is pulling it off.



Jordan and Mary sit down with Lisa Frizzell from the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) to unpack how one of the most complex infrastructure projects in the world is being designed to protect people and the planet for basically forever. From solid ceramic fuel pellets and copper-coated steel canisters buried beneath 500 meters of rock, to the Indi...

We've sent humans to space and robots to Mars. The next leap? Sending nuclear reactors that can power the future, space life, and beyond.

Joining us today is Dr. David Poston, the reactor designer behind NASA’s Kilopower project and one of the leading minds in the push to bring compact, resilient nuclear systems to space. From Krusty and DUFF (yes, those are Simpsons references) to his disruptive new company, SpaceNukes, David walks us through how we power life far from Earth and why nuclear is the right fuel source for the job. 

<...

What do ChatGPT, cloud servers, and nuclear reactors have in common? More than you think. 

As AI expands and tech giants scramble for energy that’s clean, constant, and scalable, nuclear power is stepping into the spotlight. In this episode, Mary and Jordan sit down with Faraz Ahmad, the former head of Amazon’s global clean energy team, to explore why Big Tech is betting on nuclear. With a résumé spanning GE, NextEra, and British Nuclear Fuels, Faraz offers a rare insider’s look at why nuclear is becoming essential infrastructure for the digital a...

We’re SO back! In the Season 4 premiere, Mary and Jordan catch up on just how fast things are moving in the world of nuclear. From billion-dollar investments and new reactor projects breaking ground to nuclear’s role in powering AI and deep space missions, the pace of change has been wild—and it’s only speeding up.

We break down what’s behind the hype, who’s driving it, and why nuclear is suddenly the main character in conversations around clean energy, tech infrastructure, and climate solutions.

Visit us at www.ne...

Nuclear is having a moment, and Fissionary is back to break it all down!  In Season 4, we’re diving headfirst into the next era of nuclear.

Hosts Mary Carpenter and Jordan Houghton return to explore the bold ideas, and brilliant minds shaping the future of clean energy. From deep space to data centers, nuclear’s time is now- and trust us, you’ll want a front-row seat.

Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary.

Fissionary Wants To Hear From You! Fill out our short listener survey

<...

The future of clean energy is here, and it’s nuclear. Welcome to Fissionary, your guide to the innovations, stories, and amazing possibilities of nuclear.

Season 4 coming soon!

Visit us at https://www.nei.org/news/fissionary

Fissionary Wants To Hear From You! Fill out our short listener survey

Get ready to dive deep into the thrilling possibilities of nuclear power on the high seas! In our season finale, Mary and Jordan drop anchor with Mikal Bøe, Chairman and CEO of CORE Power, a company building scalable new nuclear technologies for ocean transport. Striving to see a world where shipping generates zero carbon emissions, Mikal and his team are leveraging new nuclear technologies for the development of both nuclear ships and floating reactors. 

Mikal shares insights on how nuclear ships operate, what decarbonizing ocean transport would mean, the evolution of shipping technology, an...

What happens when a passion for the outdoors meets a mission to advocate for nuclear energy? Meet Matt, a military veteran turned nuclear energy advocate, who biked more than 1,500 miles from Massachusetts to Florida to shine a light on the role nuclear plays in sustainable energy. In this episode, Matt shares stories from his epic ride, including tours at seven nuclear plants, stealth camping through the night, and the inspiration behind his advocacy for nuclear in the outdoor community.

Matt Randall: Instagram | YouTube 

Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary.

In a world increasingly focused on clean energy solutions, nuclear power is re-emerging as a critical player in the fight against climate change. Yet, in some places, like Australia, long-standing bans and public misconceptions continue to hold back its potential. In this episode, we meet Will Shackel, the founder of Nuclear for Australia, who has become a leading voice for nuclear advocacy at just 18 years old. From his meetings with global leaders like Emmanuel Macron to his work debunking myths about nuclear power, Will discusses the challenges and triumphs of changing public opinion in a politically charged landscape.

Meet MURR (the Missouri University Research Reactor), a leading facility in the production of life-saving medical isotopes that’s redefining what’s possible in both energy and healthcare.

In this episode, we talk to Mike Hoehn, Program Director for NextGen MURR, and John Brockman, Associate Director of Research and Education at MURR, about how MURR’s cutting-edge research is revolutionizing cancer treatment and diagnostic tools with isotopes that are essential for modern medicine. 

Learn more about MURR: https://www.murr.missouri.edu/

Next Gen MURR: https://nextgenmurr.missour...

In a world where climate anxiety looms large, the power of storytelling shines as a beacon of hope. In this episode of Fissionary, we chat with Charly Frisk, Director of Climate Action at Time for Better, about her mission to reshape the climate conversation. Charly and her team are redefining what it means to gather around climate issues by creating vibrant spaces like the Hope House, where optimism thrives and meaningful connections are made. From engaging events at Climate Week NYC to innovative approaches to climate communication, she shares how they’re turning traditional events into inspiring hubs of cr...

Ever thought nuclear energy and abstract art could be connected? In this episode, we sit down with Angel “Ralph” Rafael Vázquez-Concepción, an artist, educator, and advocate who blends nuclear technology with the beauty of abstraction. From uranium glass to abstract expressionism, Ralph explores the atomic world through a creative lens, using art to challenge our views on nuclear power. We dive into his story, his vibrant creations, and how he uses art to spark conversation about energy, climate change, and humanity’s future. From education to activism, Ralph’s work challenges us to rethink our approach to science, t...

Rhino poaching remains a critical issue, threatening the survival of their species while fueling illegal trade networks. Luckily, there is hope for these creatures as new anti-poaching methods like the Rhisotope Project emerge.

In this episode, James Larkin, the director of the radiation and health physics unit at the University of the Witwatersrand and the founder of The Rhisotope Project, shares how one conversation led him to develop an innovative method to fight back. He explains the global implications of rhino poaching, the criminal syndicates behind it, and how his project aims to protect...

Recent climate and energy reporting have emphasized the need to roll out new technologies on a large scale to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But what exactly needs to happen to make this a reality?

In the Season 3 premiere, we sit down with Cat Clifford, senior science and economics correspondent at Cipher. With her extensive experience in climate reporting, Cat delves into the challenges of deploying nuclear technologies. She provides valuable insights on the barriers to scaling and commercializing climate technology across various sectors.

Cat Clifford: Cipher | LinkedIn 

V...

Welcome back to Fissionary! A podcast dedicated to exploring the potential of nuclear energy in addressing the climate crisis and securing our energy future. As our podcast continues to grow, 

we’re diving even deeper into how nuclear technology is being used to heal, power, and save our planet.

Season 3 launches on October 10, 2024! Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out.

Sign up for our Newsletter: https://www.nei.org/news/fissionary

Fissionary Wants To Hear From You! Fill out our s...

For Fissionary’s season 2 finale, Mary and Jordan speak with some nuclear power players!  

We’re joined again by Dr. J’Tia Hart, along with Kaylee Cunningham (Ms. Nuclear Energy) and Ryan Pickering who are working hard to advocate for a cleaner world powered by nuclear. They discuss the current state of the nuclear industry, the challenges they face when educating others on nuclear, and where they hope to see the world in 2050.  

J’Tia Hart: Website | YouTube | LinkedIn 

Kaylee Cunningham: Website | TikTok | LinkedIn 

Ryan Pickering

From the Manhattan Project to the Oscars—Oppenheimer brought nuclear back into the mainstream. 

Charles Oppenheimer, grandson of J. Robert Oppenheimer, is building a legacy of his own with The Oppenheimer Project. In this episode, Charles reflects on seeing his grandfather portrayed on the big screen, funding a nuclear future, and the importance of distinguishing between nuclear weapons and nuclear energy.

Charles Oppenheimer: Website | LinkedIn 

Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary.

Fissionary Wants To Hear From You! Fill out our short list...