STCU Announcement. Virtual Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technology Fellowship Program For Ukrainian Civil Nuclear Energy Scientists, Technicians, and Engineers Sponsored by the FIRST Program through the STCU

26 Jul 2022 - 01 Oct 2022

The STCU is pleased to announce the commencement of a new short-term virtual fellowship program for Ukrainian nuclear energy experts who are seeking supplemental financial support and collaboration opportunities for a limited time, from their current locations, during this temporary period of economic disruption and dislocation in Ukraine. This fellowship program will fund six-month fellowships for up to 25 Ukrainian civil nuclear energy experts, selected on a competitive basis following applications submitted to the STCU. Ukrainian experts who receive the Fellowships will work virtually, using the Internet, from wherever they currently reside (whether in Ukraine or temporarily located abroad). Each applicant may request up to $15,000 in financial support under the program.

All Fellowships should focus on scientific and technical topics related to Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), including but not limited to comparative analysis of nuclear safety, nuclear security, nuclear nonproliferation and proliferation resistance considerations among SMR options, or between SMRs and traditional nuclear reactor options; SMR technology familiarization and assessment;SMR regulatory development and licensing;preliminary SMR site selection and characterization surveys; SMR spent fuel and waste management;the potential role of SMRs in Ukraine’s clean energy mix; SMR cost and financial considerations;SMR-specific workforce development, nuclear education and curriculum development specific to SMRs; stakeholder engagement and public acceptance for SMRs; and other relevant topics.

These Fellowships will fund work consistent with the goals of the U.S. Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) program, which is funding this Fellowship program through the STCU. Information about FIRST may be found on the FIRST program website https://www.smr-first-program.net/.Supplemental information about FIRST is also attached below.

Approved Fellowship activities may include online research, publications intended for Ukrainian and East European audiences on SMR-related topics; seminars, lectures, classes, webinars, training programs and curriculaon SMR topics organized for Ukrainian participants; and other activities. Travel-eligible experts located in Ukraine (e.g., women) and experts currently located outside Ukraine may receive travel grant support to attend SMR-related conferences and workshops and visit U.S. SMR industry and academic partners in the United States or other approved locations. Ukrainian FIRST partners may also apply to participate virtually or in-person in FIRST capacity-building engagements for third countries as speakers, lectures, and panelists, and be compensated via travel grant and honorarium for their time.

Applications should be submitted in English no later than October 1, 2022 to the STCU Senior Deputy Executive Director Mr. Mykola Lubiv at (mykola.lubiv@stcu.in). Each application should include all the following components in order to be considered:

• Project title that states the topic and goal of work to be performed under the Fellowship

• 2-3 page statement of work describing each task to be performed under the Fellowship. Include project goals, list of key tasks, schedule, milestones, desired outcomes, and deliverables. The list of deliverables must include short monthly reports and a final report, following a report format that STCU will provide, that describes the work completed.

• Complete CV or resume for applicant, including educational and professional history, current employer if any, list of publications and credentials, and current contact information

• Applicant’s full name, date of birth, gender, nationality/country of passport issuance, job title, institution, applicant’s current email address, applicant’s current phone number, and a government issued identification or passport number

• Identification of any Ukrainian collaborating institutes or experts, if any, in the activity

• Identification of foreign collaborators or contacts, if any, (e.g., U.S., U.K, EU, Japan, South Korea) in the activity

• Amount of funding requested

Please direct any questions regarding this opportunity to STCU DED Mykola Lubiv at mykola.lubiv@stcu.int

Supplemental Information Regarding the FIRST Program
Building on more than 60 years of U.S. innovation and expertise in nuclear energy, FIRST provides capacity-building support to partner countries as they develop their nuclear energy programs to support clean energy goals under the highest international standards for nuclear security, safety, and nonproliferation. FIRST is designed to enhance U.S. cooperation in nuclear energy infrastructure development to support the responsible deployment of small modular reactor (SMR) or other advanced nuclear technologies. SMRs are next generation technologies that offer lower costs, scalability, siting flexibility, and ability to partner with other clean energy sources, such as wind and solar power. In addition to reliable electricity generation, SMRs can support a range of applications, such as desalination, industrial processes, district heating, and hydrogen production to help decarbonize transportation and other energy sectors.
The FIRST program provides the foundation for partner countries to benefit from advanced nuclear technologies and coming innovations in reactor design that are being pioneered in the United States and elsewhere, and to do so under the highest global standards. FIRST seeks to deepen strategic ties, support energy innovation, and advance technical collaboration with partner nations on secure and safe nuclear energy infrastructure through engagement between governments, industry, national laboratories, non-governmental organizations, academia, and technical institutions.
FIRST provides capacity building support in a manner consistent with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Milestones Approach for implementing a responsible nuclear power program. FIRST capacity building engagements include topics such as SMR technology selection, licensing and safety, SMR financing, workforce development, nuclear security and nonproliferation, project localization, stakeholder outreach, and spent fuel management.



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Contact Person: Mykola Lubiv