Physics Seminar: Supporting Capacity Building through the UAE Nuclear Energy Program

In December 2009, the UAE signed agreements with the Republic of Korea that lead to the construction of four APR 1400 type PWR reactors to support the UAE’s economic plan. This landmark decision set in motion strategies that had been incubated in the UAE over the years, resulting in the creation of the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) as the regulator, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) as the owner of the UAE reactors and Nawah Energy Limited as the operator of the Barakah NPP plants (4 APR 1400 reactors). A fundamental tenant in this strategy is capacity building and creation of the human resources to meet the UAE’s goal for nuclear power from 2020, in order to support its 2030 economic plan. This seminar will present an overview of Khalifa University's activities over the past 9 years:

(a) The Role of Nuclear Energy in contributing to the future energy needs of the UAE
(b) The ENEC/Nawah NPP developments – status of plants and nuclear fuel
(c) Nuclear Waste – Safety, Security and Safeguards – contributions from GNEII

In February 2017, His Highness Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan decreed the merger of the old KUSTAR, Petroleum Institute and Masdar Institute into the Khalifa Institute of Science and Technology (KUST). This seminar will highlight the benefits of this merger in meeting the vision for the UAE in the 21st Century.

Speaker Information: Professor Philip Albert Beeley, Khalifa University of Science Technology and Research. As Chair of the Nuclear Engineering Department at Khalifa University, Dr. Beeley established the curriculum for the University's Nuclear Engineering MSc PhD and BSc Minor, is the Director of the Gulf Nuclear Energy Infrastructure Institute (GNEII) and is also a member of the Federal Radiation Protection Committee, UAE. He has been based at the Abu Dhabi campus since October 2009. Prior to joining Khalifa University, Dr. Beeley was the Director and Professor of the Nuclear Department, Defence College of Management and Technology, Defence Academy Shrivenham (1999-2009). He has also held visiting professor appointments at the universities of Manchester and Southampton. Professor Beeley graduated in 1977, with an honours BSc degree in Chemistry from Salford University, UK. In 1981 he completed his PhD in nuclear chemistry and physics at McGill University, Montreal, Canada, followed by postdoctoral studies at Queen’s University, Canada, and in 1995 he completed an Executive MBA from Imperial College, University of London, UK.

For more information, please contact Noor Abdulmaati, [email protected].