Agenda
November 5-6, 2025
Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
This event is in partnership with the State of Indiana and Purdue University College of Engineering, with support from the LEAPS Initiative.
**Additional speakers and panelists will be announced as the Summit approaches—please check back for updates.**
Wednesday, November 5
| Time | Event/Details |
|---|---|
| 9:30-10:00 AM |
Arrival/Registration Stewart Center, Loeb Playhouse (1st Floor) 128 Memorial Mall Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907 Hospitality Area - Stewart Center 109 ABC |
| 10:00-10:10 AM |
Welcome Arvind Raman, John A. Edwardson Dean of the College of Engineering; Robert V. Adams Professor in Mechanical Engineering; Professor of Materials Engineering (by Courtesy), Purdue University Secretary Suzanne Jaworowski, Indiana Secretary of Energy and Natural Resources Michael B. Cline, Senior Vice President for Administrative Operations, Purdue University |
| 10:20-10:40 AM | Keynote: Assistant Secretary Theodore Garrish, Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, U.S. Department of Energy |
| 10:45-11:05 AM | Keynote: Director General William D. Magwood, IV, Director General, Nuclear Energy Agency |
| 11:10-11:55 AM |
Panel 1 - Powering Processors: Nuclear Solutions for AI's Energy Demands Moderator: Chris Nolan, Vice President, Nuclear Generation Strategy and Regulatory Engagement, Duke Energy Brendon Baatz, Energy Market Development, Google Vibhu Kaushik, Global Head of Energy, Amazon Web Services |
| 12:00-1:00 PM |
Lunch & Nuclear Engineering Student Poster Session (Two lunch locations, check nametag for room number), the Student poster session is taking place in STEW 310 |
| 1:10-1:30 PM | Keynote: Steve Baker, President and Chief Operation Officer, Indiana Michigan Power |
| 1:35-1:55 PM | Keynote: Rex Geveden, President and Chief Executive Officer, BWXT |
| 1:55-2:40 PM |
Panel 2 - Powering Deployment: Manufacturing and Supply Chain Readiness Moderator: Secretary Suzanne Jaworowski, Indiana Secretary of Energy and Natural Resources Major General (Ret.) Julie Bentz, Nuclear Safety, First American Nuclear Zachary McDaniel, Vice President, North American Fuel, Contracts and Services, Framatome Jeffrey Miller, Vice President of Business Development, TerraPower Cole Simons, Head of U.S. Government Affairs & Policy, GE Vernova |
| 2:50-3:10 PM | Keynote: Chairman David A. Wright, Chairman, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission |
| 3:10-3:55 PM |
Panel 3 - Powering Profits: Building Investor Confidence in Nuclear Deployment Moderator: Rinaldo Hunt, Executive Director for Business Development and Strategic Partnerships, Purdue Applied Research Institute Peter Hill, Senior Managing Director, Ramirez & Co. Corey McDaniel, Vice President, Kiewit Nuclear Solutions Allen Otto, Managing Director, Power, Energy and Renewables Investment Banking, Guggenheim Securities Michael Woods, President and Managing Member, Woods Capital, LLC |
| 4:00-4:30 PM |
Panel 4 Moderator: Ellen Ginsberg, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Nuclear Energy Institute Richard Hyde, His Britannic Majesty’s Consul General Matt MacVicar, Vice President, Government Relations, Rolls Royce Ben Reinke, Senior Vice President, Global Business Development, Deputy Chief Commercial Officer, X-energy Kelly Trice, President of Holtec International |
| 4:30 PM | Doors Open at Loeb Playhouse for Fireside Chat |
| 5:00-6:00 PM |
Fireside Chat Stewart Center, Loeb Playhouse (1st Floor) 128 Memorial Mall Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907 Governor Mike Braun, Governor of Indiana President Mung Chiang, President of Purdue University |
| 6:30-7:30 PM |
Nuclear Energy Economy Summit Mixer Purdue Memorial Union, Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux Restaurant (Ground Floor) 101 Grant Street, West Lafayette, IN 47906 |
Thursday, November 6
| Time | Event/Details |
|---|---|
| 8:00-8:30 AM | Continental Breakfast and Registration |
| 8:30-8:40 AM |
Opening Remarks/Welcome Secretary Suzanne Jaworowski, Indiana Secretary of Energy and Natural Resources Michael B. Cline, Senior Vice President for Administrative Operations, Purdue University |
| 8:40-10:10 AM |
Indiana's Nuclear Ecosystem: Needs & Opportunities Led by Julio Prado, Strategic Doing |
| 10:10 AM-12:00 PM |
Breakout Sessions - Building Collaboration Proposals Working Group 1: Nuclear R&D and Technology Integration Led by Seungjin Kim, Capt. James F. McCarthy, Jr. and Cheryl E. McCarthy Head of the School of Nuclear Engineering Working Group 2: Civil Infrastructure & New Nuclear Construction Led by Amit Varma, Karl H. Kettelhut Professor in Civil Engineering and Director of Bowen Laboratory Working Group 3: Investment attraction and business environment Led by Jon Ford, Executive Director, Indiana Office of Energy Development Working Group 4: Workforce Development Led by Lefteri Tsoukalas, Professor of Nuclear Engineering |
| 11:15 AM-12:00 PM | Working Group Report-Outs & Action Planning |
| 12:00-1:00 PM |
Working Lunch Led by Julio Prado, Strategic Doing |
| 1:30-4:30 PM |
Optional Purdue Research Facility Tours: PUR-1 Nuclear Reactor Tour The Purdue University Reactor Number One (PUR-1) is the first and only nuclear reactor operating in Indiana. It is the first and only US NRC facility to be licensed for a fully digital safety and control system. The primary mission of the facility is to teach and train the next generation of Nuclear Engineers. In addition to its educational uses, the reactor acts as a neutron source for activation analysis to support other departments including engineering, health science, chemistry, pharmacy, agriculture, biology, and nanotechnology. Bowen Laboratory Tour The Robert L. and Terry L. Bowen Laboratory for Large-Scale Civil Engineering Research provides the space and technical capability needed to investigate the behavior of large structural models and elements subjected to loads representing extreme events, such as earthquakes, blasts, and impact, so that future structures will be designed to better withstand these extreme events. The lab's "strong floor," clear ceiling height of 54 feet, loading apparatus, and advanced instrumentation set a new standard for materials and structures testing. Digital Twin (DT) Training Facility Tour The PUR-1 digital twin is a high-fidelity virtual replica of the PUR-1 reactor, integrating advanced physics-based models, AI/ML, and real-time process data. Together with PUR-1, it is an ideal testbed for multi-disciplinary research and training in safety assessment, cyber-physical protection, and advanced control technologies for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). Wade Utility Plant Tour Wade Utility Plant is a 24/7/365 combined heat and power (CHP) plant built in 1961. The plant utilizes natural gas and solid fuel boilers to produce high pressure steam that powers turbine generators producing about half of the electricity for campus annually. The steam is extracted from the turbine generators at lower pressures where it is distributed to campus for heating, humidification, hot water generation, and a variety of laboratory uses. Wade also produces chilled water for campus cooling, dehumidification, and laboratory uses with a combination of electric and steam turbine driven chillers. Campus has two substations connected to the grid where power is purchased from Duke Energy. The Southeast Substation is located next to Wade. Also next to Wade is the Duke CHP Plant housing a natural gas combustion turbine with heat recovery steam generator (CT-HRSG). The high-pressure steam from the Duke CHP is piped to Wade for use in power production and campus heating, providing about 40% of the annual steam needs of campus. The power is supplied to the grid through the Southeast Substation. |
| 4:30 PM | Conclusion |