RAIN Hub BIG MEET

The RAIN Hub recently got together to share their research and ideas.

The last RAIN Big Meet was in June 2018. Since then, the RAIN Hub has grown by a third! In total, 60 researchers were present. We began with updates from RAIN Director Barry, and Programme Manager John. Researchers from each theme then took to the podium to give an overview of what progress they have been making over the last few months; from sensors to safety, via robotics and remote handling. After the theme updates, Malcolm Joyce gave a fascinating introduction to the history of nuclear disasters – focusing on Fukushima Daiichi in particular. The day finished with a stimulating poster session. More than 20 PDRAs brought posters with them and it represented the diversity of work within the Hub. It was exceptionally difficult to pick between them, but Prizes went to Matthew Goodliffe from RACE and Dave Megson-Smith from Bristol.

Dinner was a mysterious event. RAIN director Barry Lennox was murdered and a smattering of suspects were accused of cannibalism, envy, or just simply finding him irritating. Luckily, this was of course only in the name of entertainment.

Many people within the Hub don’t have a nuclear background. On the second day we had asked Bruce Hanson, from the University of Leeds, and Karl Whittle, from the University of Liverpool, to provide training in nuclear power and the nuclear industry in the UK. We invited our friends from the NCNR Hub to attend this as well. It was incredibly useful to give perspective to the environment our technology will be deployed in.

Our next Big Meet will be in September. I am sure there will be even bigger leaps forward made by this time.