Welcome to Dr Mir Anamul Haq Jeri (Inam), who joins the Department of Earth Sciences as the NANO Nuclear Teaching and Research Fellow in Nuclear Energy. This new role, funded by Nano Nuclear Energy Inc, a company specialising in advanced nuclear technologies, will focus on training and educating the next generation of nuclear scientists.
Nuclear power is widely regarded as essential for meeting future global energy demands, providing reliable, large‑scale, low‑carbon electricity alongside complementary renewable sources. Yet the sector faces a significant skills gap, with too few highly trained specialists able to design, operate, and regulate nuclear technologies safely and sustainably. The new fellowship will address this challenge.
“I am really excited to join Cambridge, with its long tradition of research excellence in nuclear energy,” said Inam. “This, combined with Cambridge’s global reputation and world-class facilities, gives us a fantastic springboard to expand work in this critical area.”
Cambridge has a proud history in nuclear science, from John Cockcroft and Ernest Walton’s pioneering work in splitting the atom in 1932, to the University’s broad and collaborative nuclear research today. In addition to coordinating nuclear research and teaching across the University, the Cambridge Nuclear Energy Centre (CNEC) is developing a detailed understanding of the route to increased deployment of nuclear technology as a tool in the decarbonisation of our energy system. The Department of Earth Sciences is a leading partner in the CNEC and drives a portfolio of innovative research on nuclear energy, from work on heat transfer and flow in geophysics to mineral physics approaches to nuclear waste disposal.
“I see real potential for our Department to be a leading centre for research and teaching on this topic, both in the UK and worldwide,” said Professor Marie Edmonds, Head of Department at Cambridge Earth Sciences. “We’re delighted to welcome Inam to the Department and work with NANO on the latest innovations in the sector, building on the exceptional work on nuclear energy already happening across the University.”
Meet Inam
Inam joins Cambridge from the UK Atomic Energy Authority, having previously held an EPSRC Early Career Fellowship at the University of Huddersfield, where he worked with the National Nuclear Laboratory and leading nuclear research organisations in France and Australia on the safe geological disposal of nuclear waste.
“Generating power using nuclear energy has far lower carbon emissions than fossil fuels,” said Inam, “but we can’t really convince the public of its safety and sustainability without finding a way to manage legacy radioactive wastes responsibly and minimise them in the future.”
A physicist by training, Inam sees the Department of Earth Sciences as the ideal home for research and teaching in nuclear energy. “Challenges such as geological disposal sit at the crossroads between physics and geoscience.”
Geological disposal, where high‑level nuclear waste is sealed in stainless‑steel canisters and stored deep underground, is internationally regarded as the safest long-term solution. “My aim is to identify and develop the most robust materials for conditioning radioactive waste so it remains contained and cannot leach into the environment, even tens of thousands of years after disposal,” said Inam.
NANO-Cambridge collaboration
The partnership with NANO marks a major milestone for the Department’s and wider University’s work on nuclear science, said Marie. “This is about taking our research excellence to the next level by joining forces with industry partners who share our ambition to shape the future energy landscape and ensure sustainability of resources.”
NANO develops miniature nuclear reactors that can deliver energy efficiently, particularly in regions where electricity grids are less developed. This technology is especially valuable in parts of Asia and Africa, where the high cost of large conventional reactors can be prohibitive, offering a pathway to low‑carbon energy transitions in the developing world.
“Nuclear as a sector is investing heavily in the future, and we’re proud to be leading the way in developing advanced, small-scale reactors. With that innovation comes a need for a new skilled workforce. The University of Cambridge is the ideal place and partner to work on providing the education needed to upskill nuclear energy professionals and foster that talent,” said Jay Yu, Executive Chairman and President of Nano Nuclear Energy Inc.