“A View of Nuclear Power in the World’s Energy Future”

About

About 15% of the world's electrical power now comes from nuclear fission. Should/will this be greatly increased or even eliminated? Some prescriptions are clear-that recycling plutonium from power reactors is at present an economic loss and an unnecessary security hazard. After a brief presentation of the economics, sustainability, safety, and security of nuclear power, Garwin supports an expansion of nuclear electricity, without future subsidy and based initially on plants with which the world has had much experience.  This must be accompanied by a major increase in oversight of safety worldwide, and much improvement in the competence and efficiency of the regulatory system. The acquisition of nuclear weapons is not dependent on nuclear power, and nuclear power need not contribute to nuclear proliferation, but a growing and spreading nuclear power sector requires increased vigilance and resources in this regard. 

Richard L. Garwin received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Chicago in 1949. He joined IBM in 1952 at the Watson Laboratory in New York City. From 1965-1966, he served as Director of Applied Research at the Thomas J. Watson Research Center, where he still maintains an office. He holds 44 U.S. patents. He has taught at Columbia, Harvard and Cornell Universities, and is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, the Council on Foreign Relations, and many other organizations. From 1994 – 2001, he also chaired the Arms Control and Nonproliferation Advisory Board at the Department of State. Garwin was previously awarded the Enrico Fermi Award by President Clinton and the Department of Energy for his many contributions to national security and arms control and for his achievements in nuclear and particle physics. Garwin received the National Medal of Science, the nation's highest honor for the fields of science and engineering, in 2003.

The Future of Energy lecture series is sponsored by the Harvard University Center for the Environment with generous support from Bank of America. All of the lectures are free and open to the public.

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Contact:

Lisa Matthews

Events Coordinator

Harvard University Center for the Environment