How to deal with nuclear waste? First interdisciplinary symposium in Berlin

Source: bildkraftwerk/kurc

The Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE) organised the first interdisciplinary research symposium safeND from 10 to 12 November at Berlin's Westhafen Convention Centre. Due to the pandemic, the symposium took place as a hybrid event both on site and online. Over the course of three days, BASE provided a forum for scientists to exchange views on the complex issues of nuclear safety and the respective state of research.

In addition to current scientific findings from geology, physics and chemistry, which are directly related to the interim and final storage of radioactive waste, research projects from social sciences and the humanities were also presented. The safeND symposium was an invitation to scientists to present and discuss the results of their research in the field of nuclear waste disposal. The complex task of finding a final repository poses various technical and social challenges and can only be fulfilled in an interdisciplinary way.

Source: bildkraftwerk/kurc

BASE has the legal mandate to monitor the safe disposal of radioactive waste in Germany, and to involve the public in the search for a final repository, a task that entails bringing together the fields of science and social actors. The research symposium contributed to this mission: almost 400 participants from 15 countries registered for a total of 130 presentations. Many of the participants especially praised the opportunity to discuss, exchange views and network both on site and online. The interactive approach was supported by formats such as poster sessions or innovative exchange platforms, such as open forums.
At the end of the conference, BASE Vice President Prof. Patrizia Nanz reiterated that interdisciplinary and scientific cooperation was the only way to address the issue of nuclear legacies and their safe storage.

The „Safety of Nuclear Waste Disposal“ (SaND) platform is a digital publication platform BASE provides to all researchers in the field of nuclear waste disposal, thus making a contribution to these learning processes. The contributions submitted for safeND are available for free.

Jochen Ahlswede, Abteilungsleiter Forschung / Head Division General Research, BASE Source: BASE / bildkraftwerk/kurc