Fels alum Joseph Milo ’22 recently presented a paper stemming from his Fels capstone at the Second International Conference on Climate Change and the Role of Nuclear Power, hosted by the United Nations in Vienna. His paper, “A Risk Informed Policy Analysis of Nuclear Power in the Electricity Markets,” built upon his capstone work as a student, was geared toward legislators seeking to better understand the interaction between clean energy source subsidies and financial risk in the markets.
Joseph credits his Fels educational experience with helping build his skillset and providing the opportunities needed to address these global challenges and engage in high-level policy discussions with industry experts. He notes, “There is still much more work to do to bring clean energy to these countries, and a hands-on background in public administration that the Fels Institute of Government provides helped give me context for how to overcome challenges posed in implementing ambitious policy goals.”
At the conference in Vienna, Joseph also engaged in diverse conversations, ranging from the safety and regulation of new and advanced nuclear reactors to the potential of extending our operating global nuclear fleet’s lifetimes beyond 80 years.
“What struck me most [was] how much of an enviable position we are in with a mature nuclear industry in the United States,” shared Joseph, reflecting on the conference. “In the US, as in much of the world's largest economies, we are discussing the energy transition from the context of going from abundant coal and natural gas generation mixes to cleaner sources of electricity, with nuclear robustly discussed as part of that transition.”
Participants from developing nations discussed key levers that would help them develop nuclear industries in their countries, including more financing, assistance with technological challenges, and help with sourcing supply chain components. Fellow conference attendees underscored these disparities, and US Ambassador to the Vienna Office of the United Nations Laura Holgate announced that the US will soon sign a pledge to triple global nuclear power output by 2050.
Joseph returns to Fels this Friday to speak to current students for an EMPA Career Panel on "Leveraging Your Capstone for Your Career” to share his insights on using his capstone to advance his career.
