U.S. WIN member Hannah Patenaude recently published a study titled, “Topical Analysis of Nuclear Experts’ Perceptions of Publics, Nuclear Energy, and Sustainable Futures,” that aims to begin including nuclear experts’ perceptions on nuclear technology into the field of science communication and nuclear rhetoric. In a special edition of Frontiers in Communication, “Helping Scientists to Communicate Well for All Considered: Strategic Science Communication in an Age of Environmental and Health Crises,” Hannah and Dr. Emma Frances Bloomfield created a seat for nuclear experts to have their voices shared. The article extracts four primary themes from 12 interviews conducted with nuclear experts from across the U.S. and Canada in hopes of shedding light on what these experts think about nuclear energy. Split between “monologue” and “dialogue” perceptions, this paper explores the non-homogeneity of those views.

Check out the article online or through the U.S. WIN Outreach Library.

Have thoughts about the piece? Want to share your perspectives? Contact the Public Communication Initiative at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas via [email protected] or Hannah directly at [email protected].

Hannah is a Ph.D. student in the Radiochemistry Program at UNLV, where she also graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry and B.A. in Communication Studies in 2020. Using spectroelectrochemical techniques, she conducts laboratory research on U and Pu molten salt fuel matrices. Outside of the lab, she integrates social science to bridge the gaps between the public and the nuclear industry.