World Atomic Week

Development of circular economy, flexible and secure energy solutions, preservation of jobs during the green energy transition are the global challenges of the next decades. Advanced nuclear technologies can effectively address these challenges and should have the same privilege as renewable energy sources to obtain green financial and non-financial support.

What is the role of nuclear power among other clean energy sources when building the sustainable future? How does clean atomic energy contribute to people's environmental well-being? What instruments are available to support the green quality of clean energy?

The scale and speed of nuclear energy development is amazing. Having heard the forecast of a three-fold increase in global nuclear capacity by 2050, we imagine an ideal world where clean, stable energy is available to absolutely everyone and nuclear technologies guarantee safety and comfort for hundreds of years to come. For the nuclear community, this lofty goal has already become a task at hand, backed up by well-designed plans, promising technical developments, and scientific achievements.

How can we ‘feed’ the rapidly growing NPP fleet? What will help develop uranium mining and make it more efficient? What role do secondary sources of raw materials and spent fuel processing play in the current energy balance? Leading experts already know the answers to these questions. They are ready to voice insights, share solutions, propose new technologies, and discuss international cooperation in the development of future energy programs.

An NPP construction project should be regarded not just as the largest industrial undertaking in the country, but also as an essential factor in the development of its economy and human capital. The necessary conditions emerge from cooperation between the vendor, global suppliers and local partners in order to ensure state-or-the-art solutions and to maximize the benefits of going local. The processes of localization transform lives of thousands of people in the country of construction, including both those who are directly and indirectly involved in the project implementation. Given that an average life-cycle of a nuclear plant spans over decades, quite often these changes affect several generations in the population. However, the NPP construction ‘for export’ imposes special requirements on vendors to ensure a deep-dive into specific conditions of the customer’s country.

What factors determine the vendor’s success abroad compared to the home market? What is the role of effective partnerships with global players and local suppliers? How does the involvement of resources of the customer’s country develop local competences? Which local stakeholders should be involved and at which point on the project timeline their involvement is especially important to deliver a successful project? How to find a common language with local partners, despite differences in culture, language, and technical standards?

Historically, SMR NPPs appeared much earlier than large-scale nuclear power plants. But now SMR NPPs are driving the Nuclear Renaissance worldwide due to their high-potential advantages: simpler design, modularity, and even the possibility of factory prefabrication. Since the implementation of the first pilot projects, the relative unit cost of SMR solutions has become an important factor that often prevents the introduction of the first SMR NPP into the country's overall energy system. For SMR NPPs, it can be difficult to compete in unit cost with large-scale nuclear power plants or other types of energy sources. That is why many SMR projects are implemented in the most demanding locations, such as remote areas with an undeveloped energy system and in harsh climatic conditions.

How do the first SMR NPP projects affect the development of remote territories and people's lives? How can this experience be taken into account when implementing similar projects in the future? What is the current situation in the field of international regulations and SMR NPP licensing for their implementation at larger scale?

At present, ‘floating’ energy solutions are highly demanded throughout the world. These solutions respond to the social and economic challenges: supply of reliable and, at the same time, affordable energy and environmental safety. In the emerging economies the affordable energy is key to the dynamic industrial development and crucial factor in the growth of the people’s prosperity. Stable energy supply using floating power units allows not only to meet the industrial needs, but also to develop the urban environment even in the most remote corners of the planet improving the social integration of the areas with a closed energy grid. Floating power units form the basis for the future technological paradigm, where innovations will serve everyone regardless of their geographical place of residence or social status. By providing green and stable energy such a project keeps pace with the times, and the keen interest in floating units in the countries of Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia confirms that.

How would floating nuclear solutions ensure energy sovereignty and guarantee comfort and convenience in everyday life not only tomorrow but also in hundreds of years? What opportunities do floating power units offer in creating a sustainable future? What challenges do such solutions face today?

The world is at a crossroads when it comes to global energy challenges. The fast-paced growth of certain economies, widespread electrification, and the boom of artificial intelligence development are delaying the plateauing of energy consumption. In an accelerating world, countries need technological solutions capable of creating sustainable, self-supporting, and flexible energy systems that serve the cause of humanity in a reliable, affordable, and eco-friendly way. The climate crisis pressure is getting more intense: the transition to a low-carbon economy requires a new energy network architecture.

The modern toolkit, from renewable energy sources to small modular nuclear power plants, provides unprecedented opportunities, but also raises serious questions: how to combine technologies so that solar, wind, and nuclear energy complement each other, ensuring an optimal balance of green energy? How to strike a balance between different sources of generation and create a sustainable energy mix? What technological choices do different countries make when prioritizing the health, safety, and quality of life of their citizens?

Advanced nuclear technologies are a fantasy that is becoming reality due to the achievements of scientists and engineers. This would be an almost infinite amount of clean energy while saving energy resources and reducing the burden on the environment. New reactor technologies should contribute to improving the people's life quality through a safe, accessible and reliable source of energy.

What is the scenario for the full-scale implementation of advanced reactor technologies? What impact do innovations in nuclear energy have on the end user? What non-energy needs can nuclear generation of the future meet?

With the automation in manufacturing, concerns or myths related to the interrelation between humans and robots are becoming louder. ‘A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm,’ states Isaac Asimov's zeroth law. With automation and robotization of production, the mankind and human needs remain the top priority, with intelligent machines coming to the aid and benefit of humans. Advanced robotization technologies allow to change the paradigm of production, freeing humans from routine labour, and opening up opportunities for creativity, development, and more interesting high-paying tasks.

What could be the trigger for a shift in the ‘Robot is a Man's Friend’ paradigm in the dynamics of technology development? Can we achieve ethically safe, unmanned production and what resources does the world lack to achieve this goal?

Over the past 80 years large-scale nuclear projects have made strong impact on the development of the territories where they were implemented, by forming the demand for new jobs and ensuring sizeable input into the industrial growth within establishment of interconnected chains of manufacturing enterprises. In the current conditions of rapid technology growth it becomes especially important to facilitate close dialogue between government and business, which together can determine overall direction for development of the region within long-term planning process. Establishment of specialized industrial clusters fundamentally changes everyday lives of people that live in such areas, including corresponding infrastructural developments. Creation of new manufacturing sites, merger of such sites and their subsequent development provides a basis for labour migration and eventually growth in population. Examples of successful cooperation of companies in the nuclear industry with various regions of Russia, along with ability to share this experience with the partners abroad, creates a vivid interest amongst many international stakeholders striving to ensure development of their own national economies.

How do complex and high-tech projects in the nuclear sphere affect and transform industrial clusters? What is the role of modern science and higher education in terms of additive effect for industrial production? Which support measures can be most effective for the development of industrial clusters? How to manage the flow of manpower resources and guarantee integration with the local population in the region?

In the world of rapidly growing energy demand and industrial production, automation becomes the key to sustainable development, rather than just an optimization tool. However, in addition to technology, this process also involves humans. How can we merge technological advancement with human-centred approach, thus ensuring harmonious development of the economy, society and the environment?

This issue is especially relevant for regions with limited human resources and harsh climate conditions, such as Africa, Southeast Asia, Siberia, and the Far East. Deployment of large-scale projects in such regions requires that, in addition to implementing autonomous systems and digital twins, we shape a new outlook, in which technology serves as a catalyst for human capabilities, rather than a substitute for humans.

How does automation compensate for the lack of specialists and expedite the implementation of nuclear and industrial projects? How do standards and best practices help us reproduce successful cases, while ensuring the technological sovereignty of developing countries? And, on top of that, how does automation change the life in local communities: does it contribute to faster electrification, creation of new hi-tech jobs, development of the economy oriented on human welfare?

Modern cities are rapidly evolving, with people at the centre of this transformation as their daily needs shape the future of energy. Lithium-ion technologies are already becoming the foundation for solutions that make urban environments safer, more sustainable, and more convenient—ranging from ‘smart’ bus stops equipped with autonomous lighting to accessible electric charging stations and energy storage systems for households. The successful innovative projects that engage end-users, along with a new perspective centred on the interaction between technology and human needs, are shaping the city of the future.

How does the modern lifestyle drive the demand for the transformation of megacities? In what ways can innovative lithium-ion technologies transform urban spaces into green oases and become the heart of the city of the future? How might the widespread use of energy storage systems drive sustainable development and establish a new standard of living?

Additive technologies and composite materials have been transforming people's quality of life, the image of modern industry, medicine, and high-performance sports over the past decades. The unique capabilities offered by composites and 3D printing are in demand in nuclear energy, wind power generation, aerospace, transportation, and medical-biological research.

The illustrative cases of successful implementation of advanced developments demonstrate how to effectively combine technological achievements with concern for the population's quality of life, planetary natural heritage, and cost reduction in production. As the current trends show, not only does the first creator of a unique product win, but also those who bring innovation faster into mass production, expand its application areas, and change attitudes towards new breakthrough technologies that replace traditional materials and approaches.

What material innovations can reshape our vision of the future? How can we ensure balance between technological progress and responsible resource use? What are today's 3D printers capable of, and how are additive technologies applied across different fields?

Water and energy are the most valuable resources. Without them a sustainable territorial development and comfortable life are unfathomable. Yet, millions of people are still deprived of free access to them.

How does the integration of modern technologies help in solving that problem? How can we create territories of sustainable growth that combine water and energy resources in a world, where climate is becoming less and less predictable, while a demand for the above-mentioned resources grows year by year? What technological solutions are already changing an approach to sustainable development, from water desalination and hydropower to hybrid technologies?

All the relevant research in the field of nuclear medicine strives to ensure the creation of a targeted impact tool for the diagnosis and treatment of many dangerous diseases. However, nowadays most countries have limitations to develop, produce and transport radioisotopes and innovative radiopharmaceuticals. One of the main factors hindering the development of international radiopharmacology is the lack of unified approaches between countries to radiopharmaceuticals registration and multicentre clinical trials.

What needs to be done to speed up the creation of new radiopharmaceuticals? What are the tools and mechanisms for effective commercial and technical cooperation? Is it possible in the current reality to organize an international radioisotope community with a unified regulation?

Human-centricity is the basis of medicine today and tomorrow. The foundation of technologies to be introduced into medicine at the turn of the 21st and 22nd centuries is already being laid today. Just as antibiotics in the 20th century made it possible to radically change the fight against diseases and prolong people's lives, today scientists are creating the basis for a leap in the development of medical technologies.

What we will be like in 80 years depends on the path we choose today. What will be the human life expectancy, and will the future technologies be able to provide ‘immortality’? Will it be possible to print spare organs, or will one injection be enough to preserve youth?

The human-centred approach is transforming healthcare by making technology more accessible to patients. The synergy of high technologies and healthcare system demonstrates unlimited possibilities of radiopharmaceuticals on the one hand, and the ever-expanding demands of the medical community on the other. However, one of the factors limiting the availability of high-tech methods for patients is a specialized infrastructure.

Where and how can we apply radiopharmaceuticals tomorrow? What are the prospects of using radiopharmaceuticals in various nosologies? What drugs are the future? And what are requirements for nuclear medical infrastructure to meet the medical community needs?

Medical tourism primarily aims to increase life expectancy and, more importantly, to enhance the quality of life for individuals. A patient-centred approach ensures not only high-quality treatment, but also full-spectrum care – from clinic selection to post-operative recovery. Personalized service, cultural sensitivity, and world-class standards make medical support accessible and comprehensible to anyone, regardless of nationality or language.

What role does the development of medical tourism play in shaping the future health of nations? What new opportunities does it open access to?

Today, digital technologies are becoming a key driver for the development of energy systems, enhancing their efficiency, safety, and scalability. The integration of specialized monitoring and control solutions opens new opportunities for the industry, while state initiatives accelerate the adoption of advanced developments. The focus is on digital products that are already transforming approaches to infrastructure management and data analysis.

How does the combination of nuclear and digital expertise create breakthrough products capable of transforming energy, industry, and global markets? What challenges does the industry face in the era of digital transformation? And what prospects are opening up for high-tech solutions on the international stage? The answers lie ahead on the horizon of new opportunities.

The rapid development of digital technologies has made it possible to comprehend and predict the future of complex industrial facilities in 50 and more years ahead. Digitalization throughout the entire life cycle of such facilities is the core challenge for the mankind.

Should we leave this challenge to the next generations or embrace it now by applying modern digital tools and developing a platform-based IT landscape? How to implement an end-to-end digitalization of a complex industrial facility? And which lifecycle stages and processes should be prioritized?

Technological progress begins with fundamental decisions: will it be the energy of an atom or the power of a digit? Modern technologies are born at the intersection of the physical and digital worlds, where nuclear energy meets artificial intelligence, and traditional IT cannot exist and develop without an energy boost.

Where are the energy and IT industries of tomorrow heading, and how are they changing the rules of the game? What technological priorities will become key for international cooperation in the next decade? And most importantly, how does the balance between nuclear and digital technologies create a solid foundation for the future of man?

Improving process efficiency, reducing downtime and costs, maintaining the leading position in the technology race – these are the challenges faced by modern society. For the sustainable development of society and economy, technologies such as artificial intelligence, mathematical modelling, digital twins and robotization are being introduced today. Their replication can provide a new quality of life for people and industry. They influence the development of a comfortable and safe environment, free people and processes from the routine, and provide an opportunity to expand their creative and engineering potential. The success and achievement of these effects will depend not so much on the technologies, but on the people who use and implement them.

But how ready are we to change to meet the demands of these technologies? How can we build efficient digital processes in production, provide training and support during the transformation period? What can truly be considered a breakthrough tool today, and what is a loud slogan, and are there now global practices for the application of industrial AI to help humans?

The technological breakthrough that made the development of the Northern Sea Route possible has occurred only in the last 70 years of its five-century history. Today, the Arctic remains a testing ground for innovation, with the strategic direction of its future development increasingly oriented toward human needs – opportunities for further economic and social growth.

Five hundred years ago, interest in the Northern Sea Route was driven by the search for easier access to Arctic resources – first furs, then minerals and hydrocarbons. Can we now predict what Arctic resources will be relevant 500 years from now? What technologies will become essential in the Arctic Zone if, over this five-century horizon, ice cover eventually melts? Which countries that are not geographically present in the Arctic may be interested in the Transarctic Transport Corridor, given that India and China are already showing sustained interest in this intercontinental route?

From grain and pineapples to oil, automobiles, and special oversized cargo for nuclear power plants, the world's ocean and land passages serve as a connective domain for international economic exchange. These supplies are essential to the sustainability and success of businesses, the food and energy security of countries and their citizens, and the daily living of an average person.

Are you aware of the intriguing multimodal journey that a coffee bean makes before it ends up in your cup of coffee? What projects for the modern person's life are made achievable thanks to logistical innovations?

The creation of global energy infrastructure is intrinsically linked to logistics. Large-scale energy projects act as a driving force behind the development of transport and logistics infrastructure in their host regions and foster the establishment of new international transport corridors connecting Russia with the Global South. These new corridors are designed with accessibility, service quality, and user convenience in mind. Established projects become centres of attraction for technologies and digital services, ultimately contributing to increased regional prosperity, improved living standards, and enhanced professional competencies.

What current infrastructure projects enable the formation of new transport and logistics chains and improve long-term transportation efficiency? How can we design the hubs of the future to integrate all interrelated regional development areas? Which new opportunities does logistics development create for enhancing market connectivity and expanding trade routes?

To create a sustainable, technologically advanced and comfortable urban environment that meets social, economic and environmental challenges, it is necessary to create a futuristic image of the metropolis, adapted to the needs of future generations in the field of education, health and safety. A holistic image of the green city of the future can be formed only on the basis of the integration of environmental knowledge, innovative technologies, sustainable urban planning, social responsibility and interdisciplinary cooperation.

What concept should be used in designing the metropolis of the future? What innovative technical solutions for the formation of new urban infrastructure, resource management, transport, energy need to be applied and developed? How to ensure the rational use of resources, energy and water, to form an ecological consciousness? What social technologies need to be used to ensure effective management?

Electric Vehicles are not about fantastic future. EV cars show us how the global trend is already shaping our reality now: urban infrastructure, our lifestyle and mindset. The new era of automotive industry is changing the urban infrastructure, where new technologies, new mobility standards and comfortable environment are balanced in harmony.

How to join a new automotive evolution, cope with the headwinds and achieve technological sovereignty? What will happen with us and our children when we find ourselves in the new world of electric mobility? Join us to see how the fantastic future is coming to our reality now! Fasten your seatbelts and step on it!

This is a journey from the past to the future, an opportunity to visit where the new energy of cities emerges and lives. This is an excursion into the world of the cities of the future. The construction of nuclear power plants and the implementation of other technological projects are becoming a powerful driver in these cities. The changes in urban infrastructure, the development of the urban environment, the use of new digital urban technologies are due to the emergence of nuclear power facilities.

Regarding the decision on a Nuclear Power Plant construction: What are the actions that ensure long-term development of the territory? A city that lives in real time: How is the city's economy changing? Is it the preservation of identity or a technocratic transformation? What is the appearance of the city becoming and how is the daily life of the citizens changing? Which experience is most important for local communities?

Nuclear power is becoming safer and more affordable because of nuclear scientists who develop and test more reliable materials and fuel, and because of research reactors where such research is conducted. The implementation of non-energy nuclear solutions contributes greatly to the scientific and technological progress of any country, but how exactly can they improve the quality of life of the population? Where products and technologies created using a research reactor can be found in everyday life? And what people’s needs should be taken into account when developing a research reactor in a country?

Practical mastery of nuclear fusion reactions will open the way to new energy horizons for humanity. An environmentally friendly and safe source of energy, controlled thermonuclear fusion is capable of providing people with energy for thousands of years to come. Currently, research on controlled thermonuclear fusion is being conducted within the framework of the international gigaproject ITER and in the largest scientific laboratories in the world. In recent years, the activity of private companies with the attraction of investment capital has increased sharply. Controlled thermonuclear fusion is a road for young people into the field of promising science and technology.

At what stage is the global thermonuclear research? How will mastering fusion energy change the life of humanity? What specialists will be in demand in this field?

The rapid development of quantum technologies launches a new technological round. Quantum computing, sensors and quantum communications will become the basis for revolutionary changes in industry, energy, logistics, healthcare and the social sphere. But in order to get greater results, you need to learn how to formulate big tasks.

What breakthrough results can be expected from quantum technologies in the coming decades? How will new technologies based on the achievements of quantum physics change the world and ourselves? How to make this development human-centred, to form a new worldview in the field of future technologies, the basis of which will be the principles of humanism and justice, and not the race for super-profits?

In an era of technological breakthroughs and innovations, human capital is recognised as a key factor in the sustainable development of the nuclear industry. Nuclear HR experts and managers face modern challenges and uncertainties daily. This includes finding solutions to make the industry more attractive to Generation Z, integrating AI technologies into HR processes and maintaining unique expertise in the context of digitalization.

Is there a contradiction between the demands of the younger generation and the opportunities offered by the nuclear industry? Why do young professionals still tend to associate the industry with ‘traditional’ technologies? What can be done to transform this perception into a success story?

Young leaders from the fields of energy, politics, entrepreneurship and ecology are studying the impact of nuclear technologies on society. They will eventually become ambassadors for nuclear innovations in areas such as sustainable development, climate strategies and space exploration. By combining science and entrepreneurship, they are broadening the scope of nuclear technology application for today and tomorrow.

But how do young people and established industry leaders view the future of the nuclear industry? What opportunities does education in this field offer young people today? How will healthcare, technology and agriculture evolve in light of nuclear scientific achievements, and what role will young people play in this evolution?

Today, more and more female professionals around the world are choosing to build their careers in the nuclear industry. Thanks to their creativity, leadership skills and adaptability, women are becoming leaders in the nuclear industry, managing enterprises and divisions and setting new trends in technological development. Leadership programmes designed for women , encouraging them to  build a career in a traditionally male-dominated industry, various supporting initiatives, such as educational grants from  international organisations, are only some of examples of what the nuclear industry has to offer for involving more women in STEM professions.

What qualities make a woman a successful leader in the nuclear industry? What are the most effective programmes for supporting women's professional development in the nuclear industry? What motivates young girls to pursue a career in the nuclear industry? How can female communities contribute to achieving the mission of the nuclear industry?

In today’s world, education is more than just training qualified specialists, it’s a powerful tool to foster mutual understanding, building trust, and shaping a sustainable future. High quality engineering education equips graduates with not only strong technical expertise, but also a chance to become part of a global professional community committed to progress and innovation. Nuclear industry is beyond high technology, it’s about people, new ideas that unite and build the future.

Forming interaction between the older and younger generations of professionals is a basis for fruitful interaction on key topics. How are perceptions of technology and professional development evolving? What values remain constant from generation to generation? How do alumni envision the future of nuclear and green energy? What emerging trends are shaping the development of the industry, and how can we prepare for the challenges ahead? What competencies and qualities must future professionals possess to lead in this field?