U.N. taps NE Head Kim for advice on small modular reactors
Selection raises Purdue's energy transformation leadership to global level
Seungjin Kim, the Capt. James F. McCarthy, Jr. and Cheryl E. McCarthy Head and Professor in Purdue’s School of Nuclear Engineering, has been selected to join a United Nations expert roundtable on small modular reactors (SMRs), elevating Purdue’s impact on the energy transition to the world stage.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and his Scientific Advisory Board recently designated SMRs as a research priority area. The board will produce a science brief outlining recent advances, emerging and future considerations, and possible considerations for the U.N. and its partners. Comprised of globally recognized experts, the roundtable will make a vital contribution to this work, participating in an off-the-record discussion of scientific, technological and social issues.
“It’s a privilege to be invited by the U.N. for this important discussion,” Kim said. “I am happy to have this opportunity to represent Purdue in a global setting to help shape the future of nuclear energy and the broader energy transition.”
Arvind Raman, the John A. Edwardson Dean of the College of Engineering, said: “We are proud that the U.N. has chosen Dr. Kim to share his significant expertise in a promising area in which we have advised the state of Indiana and attracted national attention. Dr. Kim’s appointment heightens Purdue’s prominence in the energy transformation, demonstrated by his work and our LEAPS (Leading Energy-Transition Advances and Pathways to Sustainability) initiative.”
“We applaud Dr. Kim for this great honor, and we look forward to his roundtable participation expanding Purdue’s leadership in accelerating the energy transition,” said LEAPS co-chairs Fabio Ribeiro, the William Nicholas and Elizabeth Holstein Delgass Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering, and Lefteri Tsoukalas, professor of nuclear engineering who leads the Center for Intelligent Energy Systems, both at Purdue.
Kim also serves as the Chair for the Council of Advisors of the OECD / Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Global Forum on Nuclear Education, Science, Technology and Policy, led by representatives from over 20 influential global universities with nuclear education programs. The Global Forum serves as a vital platform for collaboration among academic institutions, policymakers, and key stakeholders within the global nuclear energy sector.
Kim was the lead principal investigator of a study for the Indiana Office of Energy Development on the feasibility and potential impact of implementing SMRs in the state and nationwide. Collaborators included Purdue’s School of Nuclear Engineering, Ivy Tech Community College and Argonne National Laboratory. When the report was released in February 2025, Kim said it “underscores the transformative potential of SMRs, offering Indiana a pathway to a cleaner, resilient energy future.”
The report states that SMRs, which are smaller than existing nuclear power plants and could be faster and less expensive to build, are a viable option for 24/7 carbon-free electricity in Indiana and may benefit the state economically. It identifies ways Indiana’s strengths, including its robust manufacturing output, could help it become an early adopter of the new technology.
“Small modular reactors represent innovative solutions to bring additional and much-needed sources of energy generation to the state,” Indiana Secretary of Energy Suzanne Jaworowski said. “Purdue University, the School of Nuclear Engineering, and Dr. Kim are valuable partners as Indiana continues to advance its understanding and engagement in a technology with boundless potential.
“Through Governor Braun’s leadership, Indiana serves as a transformative leader in energy modernization and this honor is yet another example of our commitment — and many strengths — to achieve this goal.”