2009 Report to Government on National Research and

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Box 4. (continued) URA PhDs PDRAs Papers CRR 49 29 104 IPSE 14 17 78 ISL 11 13 75 MPC 35 24 60 Each of the URAs has generated several million pounds of research funding in addition <strong>to</strong> their initial core funding and they are clearly an invaluable component of the research and high-level skills bases. After their 5-year, start-up period, BNFL intended the URAs <strong>to</strong> be self-sufficient and all have achieved this. However, they have all had <strong>to</strong> diversify their funding sources and as a result, a substantial part of their activities are directed <strong>to</strong> areas other than s<strong>to</strong>rage and disposal. In some cases, their research portfolios now include significant non-nuclear activities. There are a number of other university groups undertaking nuclear-related research and providing PhD training in areas relevant <strong>to</strong> the management of higher activity wastes. These are: • University of Birmingham - Nuclear Power Technology Group, Department of Physics - Radiation Biophysics Group, Department of Physics • University of Cardiff - Geotechnical Research Centre, School of Engineering • University of Cambridge - Various groups, Department of Earth Sciences • Hull University - Design, Materials & Process Performance, Department of Engineering • Imperial College - Centre for Nuclear Engineering • Lancaster University - Control & Instrumentation Research Group, Department of Engineering • Loughborough University - Environmental Radiochemistry Research Group, Department of Chemistry - Radiation Damage Prediction Group, Department of Mathematics • University of Manchester - School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Science - School of Mechanical, Aeronautical and Civil Engineering - School of Chemistry. A number of consortia have been funded by the research councils (notably EPSRC) <strong>to</strong> undertake research and provide doc<strong>to</strong>ral-level research training in the nuclear area. These include: • The Nuclear Engineering Doc<strong>to</strong>rate (EngD) programme. This is a collaboration between six universities: Manchester, Imperial College, Sheffield, Leeds, Strathclyde and Bris<strong>to</strong>l. It provides a 4-year PhD programme that includes taught modules and research projects on the management, immobilisation, s<strong>to</strong>rage and disposal of radioactive wastes. • Keeping the Nuclear Option Open (KNOO - see Box 1) has been established <strong>to</strong> maintain and develop PhD level skills relevant <strong>to</strong> nuclear power generation. • DIAMOND (Box 1) funded mainly by EPSRC, is a 4-year programme which also seeks <strong>to</strong> address a growing EU-wide skills gap in the decommissioning and waste field and offers PhD and post-doc<strong>to</strong>ral training. • The Biogeochemical Applications in Nuclear Decommissioning and Waste Disposal Consortium (Box 1), A 4-year programme involving 5 universities and BGS. CoRWM Document 2543, Oc<strong>to</strong>ber <strong>2009</strong> Page 72 of 151
4.30 The NDA also operates a graduate recruitment scheme, which covers a wide range of disciplines and involves over 20 companies. The scheme currently attracts over 1,000 applicants a year, of which, about 10 are recruited annually (CoRWM doc. 2373). During the three-year scheme, the recruits receive two years of post-graduate training and are placed with SLCs and supply chain companies on a rotational basis <strong>to</strong> gain practical and industrial experience. This is an excellent scheme and, although relatively new, appears <strong>to</strong> be working well (CoRWM doc. 2373). There is, however, some concern that without any guarantee of, or commitment <strong>to</strong>, employment upon completion (as was the case with the first cohort recruited) these people could subsequently be lost <strong>to</strong> nonnuclear careers (CoRWM doc. 2630). 4.31 NDA is a partner with the University of Manchester in the Dal<strong>to</strong>n Cumbria Facility. Although small (3 academic posts), this aims <strong>to</strong> undertake nuclear-related research and provide research training and post-graduate level education in radiation sciences and in decommissioning engineering. The National Nuclear Labora<strong>to</strong>ry 4.32 NNL has a specific responsibility <strong>to</strong> maintain the critical skills required <strong>to</strong> support civil nuclear R&D. Arising from a skills review in which 72 essential areas were identified, it now maintains an R&D skills risk register. A key function of this register is <strong>to</strong> suggest actions <strong>to</strong> mitigate the risks, such as initiating recruitment before a skills gap appears. The NNL governance process will enable it <strong>to</strong> raise skills issues and this should ensure that skills are not lost by chance. 4.33 One of NNL’s concerns is that NDA’s tendering process has led <strong>to</strong> the need for nuclear skills <strong>to</strong> become spread across a much larger number of organisations than previously, with potential problems in maintaining appropriate technical standards. 4.34 In the view of NNL (CoRWM doc. 2630), in order <strong>to</strong> deliver its commitment on training, NNL needs <strong>to</strong> ensure that it has access <strong>to</strong> a wide range of R&D skills. It plans <strong>to</strong> pursue a growth strategy that increases staff numbers. Relevant Non-Nuclear Skills 4.35 A substantial range of non-nuclear skills will be required for the successful implementation of the MRWS programme, particularly in the geological, materials and engineering sciences. It is beyond the scope of this report <strong>to</strong> assess the level of skills provision in these areas, as each is a substantial sec<strong>to</strong>r in its own right. Consequently, text here is limited <strong>to</strong> comment on the geosciences sec<strong>to</strong>r where serious concerns have been directly expressed <strong>to</strong> CoRWM through bilateral meetings (CoRWM docs. 2455, 2456). It is noted, however, that it has also been drawn <strong>to</strong> CoRWM’s attention that fewer than ten UK universities have “full capability” first degree courses in materials science, despite the demand for graduates (CoRWM doc. 2630). 4.36 At present, there are 25 university departments teaching first degrees in geological sciences or environmental geosciences in the UK. The universities listed in Box 5 produce about 1,000 graduates a year, with around half staying in earth-sciences-related employment. Of these, many are recruited by overseas CoRWM Document 2543, Oc<strong>to</strong>ber <strong>2009</strong> Page 73 of 151
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Committee on Radioactive Waste Mana
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Finland ...........................
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Geosphere Characterisation ........
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. CoRWM’s remi
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odies would need to</strong
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disseminate and assimilate its resu
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1.3 CoRWM’s Work Programme for 20
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1.11 The R&D requirements for the l
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2. ESTABLISHING R&D REQUIREMENTS Wh
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adioactive waste management facilit
Page 21 and 22: should mitigate the risks of findin
Page 23 and 24: there is no unwarranted repetition
Page 25 and 26: safety case development, the overal
Page 27 and 28: Table 1. Approximate annual levels
Page 29 and 30: Figure 1. Structure of UK R&D provi
Page 31 and 32: NDA R&D for Geological Disposal 3.1
Page 33 and 34: 3.27 The purpose of NNL can be summ
Page 35 and 36: identified the research required an
Page 37 and 38: submitted to RCEP
Page 39 and 40: Box 1. Research Council Funded Univ
Page 41 and 42: 3.62 BGS is conducting three projec
Page 43 and 44: 3.70 In the current FP7 programme (
Page 45 and 46: 3.77 RCEP noted that there was a la
Page 47 and 48: sectors: land disp
Page 49 and 50: eyond those that RWMD intends <stro
Page 51 and 52: Box 2. USDOE 2006 Workshop R&D Issu
Page 53 and 54: 3.111 Fundamental and applied resea
Page 55 and 56: France 3.122 There are six major gr
Page 57 and 58: and in concert with Forpro is desig
Page 59 and 60: • encourage the transfer and pres
Page 61 and 62: comparison to othe
Page 63 and 64: 4. R&D SKILLS TO SUPPORT THE MRWS P
Page 65 and 66: Figure 3. UK Nuclear Skills Map Sou
Page 67 and 68: ensure the availability of a skille
Page 69 and 70: which is longer than the competitio
Page 71: Box 4. Postgraduate University Prov
Page 75 and 76: for NDA to acquire
Page 77 and 78: Retention of Skills 4.48 It has bee
Page 79 and 80: 5. INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED FOR R&D
Page 81 and 82: purchase of equipment. In addition,
Page 83 and 84: 5.23 The Pacific Northwest National
Page 85 and 86: 5.35 The range of possible function
Page 87 and 88: 5.40 Early in 2009
Page 89 and 90: 6. SOME R&D ISSUES 6.1 R&D carried
Page 91 and 92: interactions, the impact of highly
Page 93 and 94: 7. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Page 95 and 96: 7.11 CoRWM has found that responsib
Page 97 and 98: and Appendix A is only intended <st
Page 99 and 100: Current and Planned R&D for ILW A.5
Page 101 and 102: wasteform integrity at end of s<str
Page 103 and 104: Magnox Fuel A.20 Magnox fuel consis
Page 105 and 106: capability exists in the UK for doi
Page 107 and 108: purpose-built building. The former
Page 109 and 110: pending a decision on its long-term
Page 111 and 112: through all these. The nature of th
Page 113 and 114: Box 7. Radionuclide Speciation Many
Page 115 and 116: could mix with the bulk hydrogen ga
Page 117 and 118: than that for uranium-235. Likewise
Page 119 and 120: near-field of the part containing t
Page 121 and 122: • Long-term stability and perform
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few millimetres to
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environment, all with the character
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Number Title 2500 Interim S
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EPSRC, 2009. Grant
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Nuclear Decommissioning Authority,
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Skomurski FN, Ewing RC, Rohl AL, Ga
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Co-location Disposal of “high lev
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Geosphere Solid portion of the eart
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Packaging Placing waste int
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Stillage A metal frame used <strong
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BNGSL British Nuclear Group Sellafi
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FP Framework Programme (of the Euro
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MOX mixed oxide fuel (contains uran
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RS Royal Society RSC Royal Society
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Leadership in the
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2009 Report to Government on National Research and

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