Chalk River | Feb 20, 2023
Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) is pleased to welcome Kathleen Heppell-Masys as Vice-President, Nuclear Operations Oversight, effective March 20, 2023.
In this role, Kathleen will be responsible for the oversight of CNL activities related to site operations and infrastructure, including nuclear operations, health, safety, security and environment.
Kathleen brings significant senior leadership experience in the development of nuclear regulatory policies and in the regulatory oversight of nuclear safety, security, international safeguards, non-proliferation and safety management of the Canadian nuclear fuel cycle. She has worked for the Department of National Defence and in the Canadian Armed Forces including serving as an Aerospace Engineering Officer for the engineering and maintenance of military aircrafts and facilities. Most recently, she was the Director General of Security and Safeguards at the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC).
Chalk River | Feb 15, 2023
Collaborative research agreement with one of Canada’s leading universities continues growth of academic partnership network for Canada’s national nuclear laboratories.
Chalk River, ON – February 15, 2023 – Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), Canada’s premier nuclear science and technology laboratory, and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), Canada’s nuclear Crown corporation, are pleased to announce that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Western University to pursue collaborative research opportunities. Both CNL and AECL have made it an organizational priority to cultivate closer relationships with Canada’s academic community, and this MOU with Western University represents the fifth agreement with a growing list of universities designed to advance collaborative research in health and environmental sciences, clean energy and nuclear safety.
The agreement includes an extensive list of focus areas where the organizations will collaborate, including imaging and radiopharmaceuticals; cybersecurity; high-performance computing and artificial intelligence; hydrogen; materials science and degradation; decommissioning and waste management; and advanced and small modular reactors, fuels and power grids. The agreement is intended to nurture closer relationships with Western’s research community, enable knowledge mobilization, spur innovation and the development of intellectual property, and to provide solutions that address national and industry challenges.
“Last year, CNL released a new corporate strategy, known as Vision 2030, where we announced our plans to pursue closer relationships with Canada’s academic community, including research-oriented universities like Western University,” commented Dr. Jeff Griffin, CNL’s Vice-President of Science and Technology. “A few short months later, we have made incredible progress towards that vision, culminating in this most recent agreement. Overall, there are tremendous advantages to this collaborative approach to research for all parties, whether it is sharing scientific and technical data, leveraging complementary resources, or developing new capabilities, and that is the motivation behind this new partnership with Western University.”
“AECL and CNL are uniquely positioned to bring together the foundational research undertaken at Western University, with private industry needs in innovation,” commented Amy Gottschling, Vice-President, Science, Technology and Commercial Oversight at AECL. “Together, we can leverage our complementary expertise and capabilities to bring technologies to bear to solve our nation’s greatest challenges.”
“This is an exciting new partnership for Western – one that builds on over 20 years of nuclear research across three of our faculties: Engineering, Science, and the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry,” commented Dr. Dave Muir, Associate Vice-President of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships at Western University. “This new partnership will support and provide funding for research projects as well as Chair opportunities in the areas of health, safety, security, energy, and the environment. It also will enable our students to have increased access to experiential learning, through research project and internship opportunities.”
As one of Canada’s top research-intensive universities, the science carried out at Western University intersects with many of the projects underway at Canada’s national nuclear laboratories. The driving force behind the agreement is the shared interest in exploring collaboration opportunities based on these mutual fields of research, and to help foster the development of highly qualified people here in Canada. By providing better access to the unique facilities that are available at Canada’s national nuclear laboratories, CNL and AECL hope to contribute to the professional development of the next generation of nuclear scientists and engineers, and offer these students a more dynamic and rich learning experience.
The MOU with Western University aligns with CNL’s corporate strategy, Vision 2030, which identifies what CNL views as its central role within the future Canadian nuclear landscape. Serving as a national resource to all levels of government, the nuclear industry, the broader private sector and the academic community, CNL aims to work in concert with other organizations to help advance innovative Canadian products and services towards deployment, including carbon-free energy, cancer treatments and other therapies, non-proliferation technologies and waste management solutions.
To learn more about CNL, including its research projects and programs, please visit www.cnl.ca. If you would like to learn more about Vision 2030, please visit www.cnl.ca/vision2030.
About CNL
As Canada’s premier nuclear science and technology laboratory, and working under the direction of AECL, CNL is a world leader in the development of innovative nuclear science and technology products and services. Guided by an ambitious corporate strategy known as Vision 2030, CNL fulfills three strategic priorities of national importance – restoring and protecting the environment, advancing clean energy technologies, and contributing to the health of Canadians.
By leveraging the assets owned by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), CNL also serves as the nexus between government, the nuclear industry, the broader private sector and the academic community. CNL works in collaboration with these sectors to advance innovative Canadian products and services towards real-world use, including carbon-free energy, cancer treatments and other therapies, non-proliferation technologies and waste management solutions.
To learn more about CNL, please visit www.cnl.ca.
About AECL
AECL is a federal Crown corporation with a mandate to drive nuclear opportunities for Canada. AECL enables nuclear science and technology, owns the Chalk River Laboratories and other sites, and manages the Government of Canada’s radioactive waste responsibilities. It oversees and evaluates CNL’s work through contracts.
In business since 1952, AECL designed and developed the fleet of CANDU nuclear reactors that serve Canada and five other countries. It also delivered more than one billion isotopes worldwide to detect and treat cancer. Today it delivers value for Canadians through supporting 14 federal departments and agencies, as well as the global nuclear industry.
For more information on AECL, visit www.aecl.ca.
About Western
Western University delivers an academic experience second to none. Since 1878, The Western Experience has combined academic excellence with life-long opportunities for intellectual, social and cultural growth in order to better serve our communities. Our research excellence expands knowledge and drives discovery with real-world application. Western attracts individuals with a broad worldview, seeking to study, influence and lead in the international community.
Chalk River | Feb 14, 2023
Canada’s national nuclear laboratory continues to expand academic partnership network through MOU with one of Canada’s leading universities
Chalk River, ON – February 14, 2023 – Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), Canada’s premier nuclear science and technology laboratory, and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), Canada’s nuclear Crown Corporation, are pleased to announce that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of Waterloo to pursue collaborative research opportunities. The agreement represents the fourth MOU signed by CNL and AECL with a growing list of Canada’s universities, demonstrating continued momentum in their efforts to cultivate closer relationships with Canada’s academic community, and to advance collaborative research in health and environmental sciences, clean energy and nuclear safety.
Included in the MOU is a list of focus areas that leverage key strengths within the organizations, such as small modular and advanced reactors; additive manufacturing and advanced materials research; nuclear cogeneration and energy storage; infrastructure, lifecycle and operational assessment; and cyber security and safety. Overall, the agreement is intended to nurture closer relationships with the University of Waterloo’s research community, enable knowledge mobilization, spur innovation and the development of intellectual property, and to provide solutions that address national and industry challenges.
“As part of our new corporate strategy, Vision 2030, CNL has made it an organizational priority to build and grow alliances with Canada’s leading academic institutions, and this agreement with the University of Waterloo is a major step in that process,” commented Dr. Jeff Griffin, CNL’s Vice-President of Science and Technology. “This partnership will support the professional development of the next generation of nuclear researchers and engineers; allow us to share knowledge in order to accelerate early-stage research; and combine our financial resources to advance common interests. It is a proven model that leads to more ambitious research, and we are thrilled that the University of Waterloo have agreed to work with us through this collaborative framework.”
“As AECL and CNL deepen our relationships with academia, we are excited to be providing a bridge between foundational research and private industry services that rely on innovation to solve our nation’s greatest challenges,” says Dr. Amy Gottschling, Vice-President, Science, Technology & Commercial Oversight, AECL. “Waterloo has an excellent reputation for bringing forward technology through collaboration, and our mutual expertise and interests will be a strong foundation for driving real change in nuclear science.”
“We are pleased to partner with CNL and AECL on advancing research in critical areas that align with our mutual priorities. This collaboration will fuel innovation and advance training in key areas, including additive manufacturing, clean energy, and security, areas that are important for Canada’s future,” says Charmaine B. Dean, Vice-President, Research and International, University of Waterloo.
At the heart of the new agreement is the pursuit of collaborative research projects related to health sciences, environmental stewardship, clean energy and national security. This also includes developing highly-qualified people, knowledge mobilization and the sharing of specialized infrastructure. As Canada’s national nuclear laboratory, the Chalk River Laboratories is home to a wide range of advanced nuclear facilities, including laboratories dedicated to nuclear fuel development and testing, biological research, analytical chemistry, thermalhydraulics and mechanical testing, among others. By offering improved access to these facilities, the three organizations hope to not only pursue joint research projects and programs, but also to cultivate a more talented and diverse workforce within the industry, by offering richer, more dynamic learning opportunities for the next generation of nuclear scientists, engineers and technical professionals.
As in other recent agreements, the MOU with the University of Waterloo aligns with CNL’s corporate strategy, Vision 2030, which was launched last year, and which identifies what CNL views as its central role within the future Canadian nuclear landscape. Serving as a national resource to all levels of government, the nuclear industry, the broader private sector and the academic community, CNL aims to work in concert with other organizations to help advance innovative Canadian products and services towards deployment, including carbon-free energy, cancer treatments and other therapies, non-proliferation technologies and waste management solutions.
To learn more about CNL, including its research projects and programs, please visit www.cnl.ca. If you would like to learn more about Vision 2030, please visit www.cnl.ca/vision2030.
About CNL
As Canada’s premier nuclear science and technology laboratory, and working under the direction of AECL, CNL is a world leader in the development of innovative nuclear science and technology products and services. Guided by an ambitious corporate strategy known as Vision 2030, CNL fulfills three strategic priorities of national importance – restoring and protecting the environment, advancing clean energy technologies, and contributing to the health of Canadians.
By leveraging the assets owned by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), CNL also serves as the nexus between government, the nuclear industry, the broader private sector and the academic community. CNL works in collaboration with these sectors to advance innovative Canadian products and services towards real-world use, including carbon-free energy, cancer treatments and other therapies, non-proliferation technologies and waste management solutions.
To learn more about CNL, please visit www.cnl.ca.
About AECL
AECL is a federal Crown corporation with a mandate to drive nuclear opportunities for Canada. AECL enables nuclear science and technology, owns the Chalk River Laboratories and other sites, and manages the Government of Canada’s radioactive waste responsibilities. It oversees and evaluates CNL’s work through contracts.
In business since 1952, AECL designed and developed the fleet of CANDU nuclear reactors that serve Canada and five other countries. It also delivered more than one billion isotopes worldwide to detect and treat cancer. Today it delivers value for Canadians through supporting 14 federal departments and agencies, as well as the global nuclear industry.
For more information on AECL, visit www.aecl.ca.
About the University of Waterloo
University of Waterloo is a leading global innovation hub that drives economic and social prosperity for Canada and the world. We are home to a renowned talent pipeline, game-changing research and technology, and unmatched entrepreneurial culture, that together create solutions to tackle today’s and tomorrow’s challenges.
A strategic integration of research and teaching excellence, the world’s largest co-operative education program, entrepreneurship-intensive programs, and creator-owned IP, has resulted in extensive industry collaboration, the generation of thousands of commercial and social enterprises, and a dynamic learning experience for more than 41,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
Find out more at uwaterloo.ca.
