CIENS and the School of Nuclear Engineering Hosts the 2nd Atoms for Humanity Symposium
Atoms for Humanity aims to highlight the role of nuclear energy in achieving a clean energy ecosystem through synergisms and complementarities with various energy sources. Topics include, but are not limited to, decarbonization, hydrogen production, electrification of transportation, integrated energy storage with renewables, district heating/CHP, desalination, agriculture, and manufacturing.
Atoms for Humanity brings together a committed community of scholars from a wide range of technological domains leading the development and integration of clean energy and its impact on value-adding enablers for sustainable growth in health, prosperity, and the environment.
The symposium featured distinguished speakers from leading research institutions, organizations, and corporations, including Argonne National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, BWX Technologies, Inc., Duke Energy, and Westinghouse Electric Company. The event also featured speakers from Purdue University’s School of Nuclear Engineering, Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Office of Research and Administrative Operations. These experts discussed a wide range of topics related to clean energy and nuclear technology, making Atoms for Humanity a significant platform for advancing discussions on sustainable energy solutions.
Dr. Hitesh Bindra, a professor in the School of Nuclear Engineering and the Technical Program Chair for the symposium, emphasized the importance of a fresh perspective in new age energy generation, stating, "New age energy generation needs a fresh perspective on how we harness, dispatch and store energy while achieving energy equity as well as a cleaner environment for all. Our students had a wonderful experience in engaging with the national and international leaders on these topics and also had the opportunity to showcase their own work during the poster session."
The 2-day symposium was organized by the Center for Intelligent Energy Systems (CiENS) as part of Purdue's technical and scientific leadership in clean energy. CiENS is a renowned innovation hub, whose objective is to create new ideas, approaches, and methodologies for digitalized massive energy systems, such as artificial intelligence, neural networks, and learning systems to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
To critically assess, advance, and integrate current and upcoming energy research, CiENS brings together a dedicated community of academics and industry leaders, encouraging cooperation between many technological fields. Their expertise is distributed in many fields such as avionics, semiconductor manufacturing, transportation systems, power and chemical plants, specialty steel production, and other manufacturing businesses.