A research team from Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability recently visited Aiken, South Carolina, for a firsthand view of the nuclear industry and history of the Savannah River Site (SRS). The visit took place in late October during Nuclear Science Week, when SRS celebrates the vital role nuclear science plays in the United States and around the world.

Duke University expert Tom Cinq-Mars told PolitiFact that sanctions levied against Russia during the Trump administration delayed, but did not prevent, completion of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany. Cinq-Mars and other energy experts said the Biden administration's later move to lift some of the sanctions made finishing the pipeline easier for Russia but did not equate to "approval" of the project.

Understanding energy's past and present is crucial for moving into a sustainable future and addressing climate change. Watch this webinar recording from Duke Alumni Lifelong Learning to learn from Duke experts, including the Nicholas Institute's Tom Cinq-Mars, about the origins of power generation and a better-informed understanding of what our future energy will need to look like. See the other videos in the playlist here.

Last year, Tom Cinq-Mars (an Energy Initiative Doctoral Student Fellow) received a Bass Instructional Fellowship, which supported him in designing, teaching his own course, and building knowledge in digital instruction. "Designing the course enabled me to hone a distinct pedagogical style early in my career," he said. "Planning the component classes enhanced my research capabilities, and sharing material with colleagues reinforced the benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration." Two students went on to apply what they learned in his course to summer internships in the energy sector.