About - Generation Atomic

ABOUT US

Our mission is to inspire and empower advocates for a clean future powered by atomic energy.

Our team is working to change the culture and build a movement to support nuclear energy.

OUR STAFF

Eric Meyer

Founder & Executive Director

Eric is the Founder and Executive Director of Generation Atomic. He started out pursuing a career in professional singing, but after hearing about the promise of advanced nuclear reactors, he decided to devote his life to saving and expanding the use of atomic energy. He worked as an organizer on several political, union, and issue campaigns while in graduate school for applied public policy, taking time off to attend the climate talks in Paris and sing operas about nuclear power. He has organized marches, rallies, and advocacy training across North America and Europe and been a featured speaker at several conferences hosted by organizations such as EarthX, American Nuclear Society, Energy Disruptors, and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

MATT MEYER

Program Manager

Matt is a serial entrepreneur, most recently selling his crossfit gym to come work with his younger brother Eric at Generation Atomic. He became interested in nuclear power after assisting in a march for Diablo Canyon power plant in 2016. As a passionate outdoors enthusiast, he became a strong nuclear supporter after understanding its small land footprint and lack of carbon emissions. He has extensive experience in coaching and member management, making him perfect fit to spearhead Generation Atomic’s Idaho National Lab funded initiative to train STEM professionals to more confidently talk about what they do, and then enable them to attend conferences and events in the broader clean energy space.

PHILIP HULT

Development Manager

Philip recognizes the opportunity afforded to humanity in our current energy transition. Hailing from Minneapolis, he is a promoter of the dual goals of expanding access to energy and reducing the impacts of climate change. After a career in IT consulting identifying and delivering pragmatic solutions that balanced long term goals with current user needs and real-world budgets, he now leverages those skills to promote energy policies that can affect meaningful change. He is currently focused on identifying opportunities to improve the US grid through regulatory reform and addressing the equity challenges surrounding the long term disposition of spent nuclear fuel. He holds a Master’s degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Cambridge.

GOVERNANCE BOARD

HEATHER HOFF

Board President

Heather Hoff is a reactor operator and procedure writer at Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant in California. She cares deeply for both the natural environment and humanity, and believes nuclear power is necessary to enable people to overcome energy poverty while also living in concert with the Earth that supports us. This is why she helped start the non-profit organization Mothers for Nuclear, where she works to share her knowledge and experiences with people who are less comfortable with nuclear power, particularly mothers and women. Heather spends time in nature - running, hiking, and working in the yard. Heather has a materials engineering degree from California Polytechnic State University and has positive hopes for the use of technology, particularly nuclear, to solve energy challenges both now and in the future.

Wendy Simon-Pearson

Board Member

Wendy, a seasoned energy attorney, brings vast experience to the Gen A Board. Known for her work in nuclear project development and financing, she played a key role in the creation of USNC's first advanced reactor project in Canada. At Morgan Lewis, she expanded her reach, applying her startup expertise to broader nuclear industry issues, such as US export controls and regulatory filings. As an educator for Yale's Clean Energy Program, she’s passed on her extensive knowledge. Wendy is devoted to exploring and promoting advanced reactors, making her a vital asset in our mission.

GENE GRECHECK

Treasurer

Gene Grecheck is a seasoned executive with 40 years of experience in commercial nuclear power generation, including operations, engineering, licensing, training, security and emergency planning, new plant development, and nuclear safety review. Grecheck’s career spanned over 38 years with Dominion Resources, where he held positions including nuclear station manager, site vice president at two different stations, and vice president over nuclear services and nuclear engineering. For over a decade, he led Dominion’s new plant development activities, including cooperative agreements with the DOE on NP2010, and submittal of applications for an Early Site Permit and a Combined Operating License for the proposed North Anna Unit 3.

CANON BRYAN

Board Member

Canon has held executive management positions, served as chief financial officer and served on boards of directors for private and public companies in Canada and the USA. Since 2004, he has focused primarily on the nuclear fuel and exotic metals sectors, and has extensive corporate development databases in these industries. Canon was a founding shareholder of: Terrestrial Energy (January 2013), a company developing a proprietary molten salt reactor ready for deployment in the 2020s. Previously Canon was a senior financial analyst for Lasik Vision Corporation (LSK: CDNX), which became the world’s largest provider of laser refractive surgical services during his tenure.

Our Partners

MADISON SCHRODER

Policy

Madison Schroder is a Political Science Ph.D. student at the University of Oregon researching voter mobilization and turnout. Madison became interested nuclear energy as an undergraduate student at the University of Missouri, which houses the largest university research reactor in the United States. With the belief that nuclear energy is crucial to addressing the Earth's climate issues, Madison advocates strongly for education as one of the keys to mobilizing support.

Gayatri Karnik

Fellow

With a Master’s in International Relations from the London School of Economics, Gayatri is interested in the ways International Law influences domestic policy and grassroots level action. She is deeply fascinated by the physics of nuclear energy generation and is optimistic about its potential to solve the global energy crisis and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. She also enjoys creating art, as she believes it is a powerful medium to advocate for nuclear energy.

KIERSTEN SUNDELL

Social Media

Kiersten is a student at the University of Rhode Island, pursuing a triple major in Environmental Science, Political Science, and Wildlife and Conservation Biology. She is studying the relationship between sustainable policy and social justice, working towards a career that will help expand the role of clean energy in repairing environmental racism. Kiersten believes that enhancing public understanding of nuclear science is pivotal in the fight against the climate crisis. She creates educational scientific content for various Generation Atomic communications platforms, edits the Kernel blog, conducts outreach, and has helped organize multiple creative projects for Generation Atomic and its partners.

Vladislav Malashevskyy

Technical Fellow

With a strong foundation in data science, he has excelled at Sorint.Tek since December 2018. His expertise spans various sectors like business, insurance, and energy, encompassing data cleaning, analysis, visualization, and trend forecasting. He actively participates in global climate discourse, focusing on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement at UNFCCC COP conferences. He is dedicated to social causes through volunteer work at the Red Cross and experience at IOM-UN Migration. His involvement in post-war reconstruction in Ukrainian cities showcases his ability to merge data analysis with sustainability and international collaboration, aiming to make a meaningful scientific and social impact.

MARY KLOSER

Digital Marketing and E-Commerce

Mary is a digital marketing professional who has a passion for creating engaging digital content that inspires others to take action. With a Bachelor's degree in Mass Media Interactive Media and her marketing expertise and passion for the environment, Mary helps spread Generation Atomic's message and grow its online community. She utilizes her skills in content creation, social media strategy, and community building to promote the organization's mission of nuclear energy advocacy.

VOLUNTEER TEAM

JIM HOPF

Policy Lead

Jim, who has degrees in physics and nuclear engineering from MIT and University of Texas, retired after spending over 25 years in the nuclear industry so he could focus on advocating for both nuclear power and addressing climate change. His focus is on educating the public about how maintaining current nuclear and building more nuclear in the future will be necessary in order to effectively address global warming. He is an experience citizen lobbyist and letter to the editor writer, both of which come in handy in facilitating advocacy workshops on these topics.

ALYSSA HAYES

Policy Lead

Alyssa is a Nuclear Engineering Ph.D. Candidate researching impurity transport in fusion reactors at the University of Tennessee. She has been a nuclear advocate since 2016, when she helped coordinate a student campaign during her B.S. at the University of Illinois to pass FEJA and save Clinton and Quad Cities nuclear power stations. In 2021, she repeated this success by pushing for the passage of CEJA, which saved Byron and Dresden nuclear stations as well. Alyssa continues to be highly active on the Generation Atomic government team and she aspires to pursue a career in energy policy after completing her Ph.D.

PRATIK LOKHANDE

Director, Technical Research Team

Pratik has a background in nuclear and chemical engineering. He has worked on lead-cooled fast reactors for their materials chemistry and structural mechanics. He is enthusiastic about nuclear energy and all its wonders. He believes nuclear energy should be part of the energy mix and has a huge role to play in tackling climate change, energy poverty, and other world problems. Besides this, he loves to be in nature, explore, and hike a lot.

Benjamin Kasper

Co-Director, Government, ECO Teams

Benjamin, originally from Ohio, recognizes how energy-revolutions are what lead to breakthroughs for the betterment of humanity. He has a Master’s Degree in Nuclear Engineering from The Ohio State University where he collaborated with the John Glenn School of Public Policy on his final thesis. It was at Ohio State that he crossed paths with Generation Atomic and was inspired by their passion to spread the good word of nuclear power. Commissioning in the Navy post-graduation, he went on to serve as an Officer onboard a Ballistic Missile Nuclear Powered Submarine. Benjamin now resides in Washington, D.C. and is working to move nuclear power forward on a political level while continuing to serve at Strategic Systems Program located within the Washington Navy Yard.

Katlego Sebopela

Co-Director, ECO Team

Katlego's story isn't about rags-to-riches, but rather a story of mastering physics and finding a passion for Nuclear Science and Technology. He's the founder of "Nuclear Flavoured Anything - An Atoms Are Good Initiative," a Junior Delegate of the South African Young Nuclear Professionals Society (SAYNPS), and a frontrunner in NuLwazi - A nuclear education outreach project. Currently, he’s a part-time lecturer of physics at Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria, South Africa, where he discovered this fascinating world of nuclear. Holding dual master's degrees in Nuclear Engineering and Nuclear Physics, and specializes in fuel design and optimization.

Samiru Alhassan

Co-Director, ECO Team

Samiru Alhassan is a young enthusiastic advocate for nuclear because he yearns to see the world in a better place. He is engaged in advocacy, volunteerism, and leadership in his community. Samiru wants to contribute to Ghana's vision of tripling nuclear energy by 2050, a vision that will contribute positively to climate change by reducing carbon emissions. His hobbies are reading, watching basketball games, and visiting family.

Our Accomplishments

Contributed to extending the life of Diablo Canyon (1/8 of California’s clean power) by:

Engaging with lawmakers
Assembling a coalition of scientists to write in its favor
Rallying agricultural organizations for support
Raising public awareness through letters to the editor, blog articles, and memes

Helped save four Illinois nuclear plants by:

Coordinating efforts to call, email, and fax elected officials in support of the plants
Sending over 1,000 fax messages to the Governor’s chief negotiator, advocating to keep the plants operational
Testifying in legislative proceedings, with standout volunteer Alyssa Hayes delivering testimony before a crucial State Senate vote

Played a significant role in seven UNFCCC Climate Talks by:

Serving as a chief organizer and workshop facilitator
Contributing to shifting the perception of nuclear energy from a taboo subject to a key component of deep decarbonization strategies

Collaborated with European partners to:

Petition ministers and parliament members to include nuclear energy in the green taxonomy, resulting in over 5,000 emails sent in support

Introduced the iconic polar bear mascot for nuclear energy, Melty, along with the slogan “Only U Can Prevent Climate Change.”

Started the tradition of distributing bananas with informational stickers at COP events to demystify radiation.

Established and trained a global network of Atomic Ambassadors, supporting them in actions that have received national TV coverage.

Initiatives include:

Organizing the Step Up Nuclear demonstration
Distributing 1,000 books on nuclear energy in schools
Educating high school students about the potential of nuclear energy and career opportunities in the field.

👉 Visit fellowship Alumni

Our Community Events

Our International Efforts

IMPACTFUL TRAININGS NUCLEAR ADVOCACY AND COMMUNICATION TRAINING

As members of the nuclear community, we know that the success of nuclear energy has never been more important to ensuring a positive future for the world – but what can we do to make a difference? Our workshop will leave participants energized to tell today’s nuclear power story and be well-equipped with the tools to do so. Gen A presents four impactful and unforgettable modules

TELLING YOUR NUCLEAR STORY

Convincing others about the benefits of nuclear is more than just laying out the facts; it’s about values. Storytelling can bridge gaps when speaking to those who are unfamiliar with the technology by explaining the personal and moral reasons that we work in this field. This interactive module helps participants develop new skills in nuclear communications that will serve them anywhere– at social functions, delivering a presentation a community group, or making the case to an elected official. Each opportunity to tell your story is an opportunity to shift someone’s perspective on nuclear energy and make a positive change in the world. And after this training, when the opportunity presents itself, you’ll be ready.

OVERCOMING OBJECTIONS 101

The most effective nuclear advocacy often takes place at the interpersonal level when we strike up conversations with peers and even better, strangers. Because you can never know who it might be sitting across from you at that dinner party or next to you on the airplane, it’s important to practice having open, considerate conversations with people of all backgrounds. This module will focus on identifying different types of interactions you may experience as well as the goals for those interactions. We will conclude with Nuclear Conversations Speed Dating, an exercise designed to model those instances so that you can feel prepared when speaking with anyone: regardless of their political, environmental, social, or economic views.

NUCLEAR ADVOCACY ONLINE

Many conversations about nuclear energy are happening on social media or in comment threads. Learn the best practices of online engagement, and how to grow your impact outside of the usual people who see your posts online.

THE ATOMIC LIST

What if you could reinforce the skills of the day with fun and occasionally hilarious activity that had real-world impact? That’s what the atomic list does. Participants play the role of lab employees or nuclear workers balancing *simulated* job responsibilities while completing actual nuclear advocacy actions like contacting legislators and engaging on social media.

Generation Atomic
1878 Pascal St
St. Paul, MN 55113