Nuclear Matters

Imagine a global network of sensor stations, ready to detect even the smallest nuclear weapons test. This network is in fact a reality. As we learned in our last episode, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organisation’s monitoring network is up, running, and ready for the Treaty to enter into force. One of the most important of those stations is located in Australia's remote Northern Terri...

When President Trump announced last year that the US might resume nuclear weapons testing, it raised a question the world hasn't had to seriously consider in decades: what happens if they do? In this episode, Liz Williams sits down with Professor Trevor Findlay, a nuclear governance expert who was involved in the early diplomatic work that became the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). T...

In this episode, Dr Ashleigh Hull and Dr Stephen Tronchin join host Liz Williams to explore theranostics — a cutting-edge approach to cancer treatment that uses radiopharmaceuticals to both detect and treat cancers from within the body. They cover the science behind how these treatments are designed to target cancer cells, which cancers theranostics is already being used for, and the real-world su...

We thought we'd share a sneak peek of the new season of Nuclear Matters. The first full episode is coming at the end of April. If you haven't already subscribed to the feed, what are you waiting for? The Apple Podcasts link is here if that's where you prefer to find us (and while you're at it, please leave us a review or some feedback - it helps us keep this going!). While you wait, you can keep u...

What roles can citizen science play in the governance of nuclear technologies? In this episode, I explore this topic with Michiel Van Oudheusden , Associate Professor of Public Participation in Science and Democracy at VU Amsterdam. Michiel previously worked at the Nuclear Research Centre in Belgium, and had the opportunity to study citizen science initiatives focused on managing nuclear technolog...

In this episode, we’re joined by Professor Trevor Findlay , honorary professorial fellow at the University of Melbourne and author of Transforming Nuclear Safeguards Culture: The IAEA, Iraq, and the Future of Non-proliferation . With the world’s growing interest in nuclear technologies—especially in the context of AUKUS and the global push for clean energy—understanding how nuclear safeguards work...

This episode of Nuclear Matters takes us to Montebello Island, a former UK nuclear weapons test site off the coast of Western Australia. Our guest is Madison Williams-Hoffman – or Maddy, for short. Maddy is a postdoctoral fellow at the Radinnovate ARC Training Centre for Radiation Innovation at ANU. She uses chemistry to explore how plutonium from the weapons tests carried out in that region have...

What do you think about radioactive waste? This is a question that most nuclear professionals need to consider at some point in their careers. In today’s episode, Tellus CEO and Managing Director Nate Smith joins us to talk about what it’s like to establish a radioactive waste facility in Australia. We learn about what radioactive waste is, the many industrial processes –including clean energy tec...

In this episode, we explore how education in nuclear science can serve as a bridge between nations. I’ve invited Dr AJ Mitchell , an experimental nuclear physicist here at the ANU, to help us with this exploration. AJ’s journey into international nuclear education began with a simple email—an unexpected opportunity that led to meaningful collaborations with Myanmar and Cambodia that supported nucl...

This episode explores all things nuclear security with Jasmin Diab. Jaz is the Managing Director of Global Nuclear Security Partners and President of Women in Nuclear Australia . She is also a military veteran with a couple of decades of experience thinking about how to secure nuclear technologies – both here and abroad. I am personally fascinated by how experienced nuclear professionals grapple w...

In this episode, we explore how nuclear technologies play a crucial role in enabling life-saving cancer treatments. Our guest, Eva Bezak, is Professor of Medical Radiation at the University of South Australia and President of Asia-Oceania Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics . I’ve asked Eva to join me today to find out more about how nuclear technologies for medical applications get de...

Join us as we dive deep into Australia's complex nuclear history with Dr. Jessica Urwin from the University of Tasmania. In this episode, we explore what "responsible use" of nuclear technologies truly means for a nation whose nuclear footprint began long before the Nuclear Age. Dr Urwin's work focuses on how the nation's contributions to global nuclear activities have impacted First Nations commu...

What roles should nuclear technologies play in our world? If and when we choose to use them – how do we do so safely, securely, and responsibly? Nuclear Matters is a new podcast from the Australian National University College of Systems and Society, hosted by Liz Williams (Nuclear Systems Discipline Lead, ANU School of Engineering). Listen in for a sneak peak about the season of episodes to come....