Dr. Rita Baranwal is the Vice President of Nuclear and the Chief Nuclear Officer at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), where she leads R&D serving over 80 percent of the world’s commercial nuclear fleet. Prior to EPRI, Dr. Baranwal served as the Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, managing DOE’s research portfolio on new and existing advanced nuclear reactors. She has worked at the Idaho National Laboratory within the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative, where she provided R&D expertise in advancing nuclear capabilities. Dr. Baranwal also managed several laboratories as the Director for Technology Development and Applications at Westinghouse. She is widely respected for her work overcoming nuclear energy challenges and advancing nuclear power as part of a low-carbon energy revolution, including Advisory Board positions at MIT and UC Berkeley, her role as a Fellow at the American Nuclear Society and membership on the Atlantic Council’s Nuclear Energy and National Security Coalition.
Dr. Baranwal joins Nuclear Matters for an exclusive interview to discuss how the nuclear industry is changing, where nuclear fits into a global clean energy transition, and the role of policy and grassroots advocacy in supporting that transition. Find out why collaboration will be key to overcoming nuclear energy’s challenges and what Dr. Baranwal is most excited to see in the future of the industry.
| “As a Matter of Fact” is an interview series powered by Nuclear Matters which gives experts and thought leaders a forum to discuss nuclear energy’s role in protecting the environment, promoting economic stability and enhancing national security. |