The European Commission announced the seven winners of the Nuclear Innovation Prize, highlighting important researchers in the field of fission research.
On 31 May 2022, the European Commission (EC) announced the winners of the Nuclear Innovation Prize, giving recognition to researchers or engineers who have found innovative solutions in the area of fission research. The prize was awarded at the 10th Euratom Conference on fission safety of reactor systems (FISA 2022) and radioactive waste management (EURADWASTE ’22) that took place in Lyon, France from 30 May to 3 June 2022.
The Nuclear Innovation Prize was created to strengthen innovation and entrepreneurship in fission research. It aims to identify potential disruptive innovations across product developments and their supply chain, as well as to highlight excellence in nuclear innovation and reward outstanding researchers in this field. There are two categories in which the Nuclear Innovation Prize is awarded, one in safety of reactor systems and one in radioactive waste management. Researchers, research teams and innovators working for public and private organisations or companies were able to submit their applications on the EU Funding and Tender opportunities portal from 28 July 2021 until 15 December 2021.
In total, the EC received 28 proposals, which were then evaluated by an independent jury of experts in technology transfer from business and academia. The proposals were assessed based on three different criteria: i. Originality and replicability; ii. Technical excellence; iii. Economic impact and exploitation of the innovation. The Nuclear Innovation Prize was awarded to seven different projects, with a first prize of €50’000, a second prize of €30’000, and a third prize of €20’000 in each of the two categories, the third prize in the category of safety of reactor systems being split evenly between two projects. However, there are no winners from Switzerland: In order to be eligible for the prize, applicants must be legal entities established in either an EU Member State or in a third country associated to the Euratom Programme.
The Euratom Research and Training Programme (2021-2025) is a complementary funding programme to Horizon Europe, funding nuclear research and innovation with a budget of €1.38 billion until 2025. It uses the same instruments and rules for participation as Horizon Europe, meaning that for now, Switzerland participates in the programme as a non-associated third country. The programme places special emphasis on fusion and fission research, the continuous improvement of nuclear safety, radioactive waste management and geological disposal, radiation protection, open access to infrastructures, education and training, and fostering international cooperation. On 24 June 2022, the EC has adopted the amendment of the Euratom Research and Training Work Programme 2021-2022, which now includes two new actions supporting Ukraine-based researchers and researchers displaced by war.