Author: Mary Kloser
Elise Wall, who works in energy efficiency and sustainability policy, was chosen as September’s volunteer of the month! Trained as a chemist and having interned at Argonne National Laboratory, Elise is passionate about equity issues in the energy sector and currently works in sustainability policy. During the state fair, she volunteered for the hottest shift on a scorcher of a day and had countless conversations with fairgoers on the importance and potential of nuclear energy. She also took the lead in organizing a social event to connect members of the Minnesota Women in Nuclear group. Her knowledge, dedication, and proactive approach makes Elise the clear choice for volunteer of the month. Want to learn more about Elise? Check out her Q&A below!
Q: When did you first get into nuclear advocacy and why?
A: “I’ve been interested in nuclear energy since I took an undergraduate internship at Argonne National Laboratory. The internship was about bacterial bioremediation of uranium-contaminated sites, so not technically on the main track for nuclear power topics — but there were a wealth of technical experts happy to talk to students, and an excellent museum on the history of nuclear power. My interest was piqued. I also met interns from Native American nations working with Argonne on issues of common concern, and learned about the impact uranium mining has had on their nations. I feet lucky to have been given both those opportunities to get a broader understanding of the systemic pros and cons of nuclear energy. The lack of a black-or-white answer intrigued me to learn more about the nuanced topic.”
Q: What has been one of your favorite moments while being a nuclear advocate?
A: “I loved chatting with folks at the MN State Fair! It was really fun to talk to so many people in such a short period of time. It was rewarding to hear the public’s curiosities first-hand, then dig deep to cite the research I did to answer similar questions of my own. My voice was pretty shot afterwards, but I had so many good conversations.”
Q: What hopes do you have for the future of nuclear energy?
A: “I dream of some beautiful future balanced economy where all the negative impacts from production and consumption are minimized. With nuclear energy’s track record of low-and-improving costs, deaths, and environmental impacts per unit of energy produced, I think nuclear energy has a key role in realizing the energy side of this vision. And, faster than other solutions, given that time is of the essence for decarbonization specifically! The non-stop advances we are seeing in nuclear technologies — low-impact fuel sourcing from the sea! even MORE power per unit fuel! designs/systems that are insanely safe even in cases of disaster or bad actors! — are awesome. I hope that the pros of deploying nuclear power continue to grow and the cons continue to shrink, becoming an incredible and almost magical resource for lowest-possible-impact power. By scaling nuclear power, we could finally enjoy the myriad of benefits already enjoyed by other nations who have accomplished the same.”
Thank you Elise for all you do.
If you would like to become a volunteer click here!
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