Per F. Peterson
Distinguished Professor, UC Berkeley
Chief Nuclear Officer, Kairos Power

Abstract
Over the last two decades the DOE Nuclear Energy Universities Program (NEUP) has had major impacts by supporting innovative research and training the next generation of nuclear energy professionals. This talk describes the origins of the concept of fluoride salt cooled, high temperature reactors, that led to multi-university NEUP-supported research efforts that verified the technical feasibility to design and license reactors using high-temperature TRISO fuel with a molten salt coolant. This enabled the founding of the startup company Kairos Power in December, 2016. This talk will also describe the progress at Kairos Power, including the current Nuclear Regulatory Commission review of the Construction Permit Application for the Hermes Low Power Demonstration Reactor.

Bio
Per F. Peterson is the Chief Nuclear Officer for Kairos Power, where he guides nuclear technology review and advises on scientific and technical topics for KP-FHR technology development and licensing. He is also a Distinguished Professor and holds the William and Jean McCallum Floyd Chair in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at U.C. Berkeley. His research and teaching at UC Berkeley have focused on high-temperature fission and fusion energy systems, as well as topics related to the safety and security of nuclear materials and waste management.