Missouri S&T Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science's seminar speaker this upcoming Monday 2/27 will be Dr.  Md. Shafiqul Islam

We welcome alumni, students, faculty, and staff to join us on Friday at 12:00 PM, Fulton Hall, Room 227! 

South Asia hosts 1/4 of the global population. Most of the region is exposed to global warming which results in frequent foods, droughts, cyclones, heat waves, heavy rainfalls, earthquakes, and tsunamis. They are largely dependent on imported fossil fuels. Energy rationing and low consumption heavily suppress economic growth and standards of living in this region. Currently, per capita energy consumption is very low. An example includes 140 kWh in Afghanistan, and 1,200 kWh in India, whilst in the U.S. is 13,000 kWh. Out of 8 countries, only India and Pakistan have nuclear power. However, their share are 3.2 and 8% respectively. On the other hand, Bangladesh is currently constructing twin VVER-1200 reactors, Nepal and Sri Lanka also explore nuclear energy options for power generation. Initiatives and regional and/or international cooperation regarding the development and deployment of advanced nuclear reactors in the region is lacking. Advanced reactors i.e., small modular reactors (SMRs with power output <300 MWe) and micro modular reactors (MMRs with power output <10 MWe) have huge potentiality not only to generate electricity but also for heat generation, hydrogen production, desalinated water, and powering ships. They are also attractive in terms of siting, investment, construction period, transportability, and plug-and-play capability. To solve their chronic power crisis and build a climate resilient region, it is imperative to change the current policy and plan the development and deployment of SMRs and MMRs.  There are huge opportunities and potential to deploy SMRs and MMRs, as well as several barriers. International cooperation with supplier countries is required for technical support, supply chain management, regulatory frameworks, supporting facilities, and a competitive economic business model. 

Bio:  Dr. Md. Shafiqul Islam is a Fulbright Visiting Professor at the Nuclear Science and Engineering Department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA and Professor at the Nuclear Engineering Department of the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. He teaches a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses in nuclear reactor, thermal hydraulics, safety, nuclear reactor design and features, safety, security, and safeguards issues, and nuclear energy policy and Law. Islam has published 2 books and 75 journal articles and conference proceedings in the areas of nuclear reactor thermal hydraulics safety and design, nuclear security, public perception and energy policy. For his research work and his teaching at University of Dhaka, he won the Fulbright visiting scholar award (2022) and a best paper awards (2003, 2009). Islam worked as an expert and a chief scientific investigator of a coordinated research project at International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Austria. He is a recipient of several grantees of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); CDRF Global, USA; Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, University Grants Commission (UGC), the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Islam is a life member of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, Bangladesh Physical Society, Bangladesh Society of Mechanical Engineers (BSME) and past member of the IEEE.

Zoom Link: 

https://umsystem.zoom.us/j/98508972206

Passcode: 888