Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) – What will the world be like with the help of nuclear technology in 10 years? What should we prepare for now? What opportunities and risks does atom bring in the energy sector and beyond? Graduates of NRNU MEPhI tried to formulate answers to these and many other questions during a special meeting “The Future of the Atom – 2035”, which took place at the Tashkent branch of NRNU MEPhI.

The meeting of young nuclear scientists was held in the format of a foresight session, a special type of brainstorming, which is carried out with the goal of “looking into the future” and predicting scenarios for its development.

The discussion participants, taking into account the advantages, possibilities of the current state of affairs and accumulated experience, modeled possible options for the development of new technologies in the future. In this case, graduates of NRNU MEPhI from Uzbekistan, who graduated from the university from 2020 to 2023, tried to imagine what role the atom will play in 2035. The forecasts turned out to be optimistic. A peaceful atom is needed not only for green energy and saving the planet, but also for health, increasing security, developing artificial intelligence and much more. The results of the meeting were commented on by Vakhid Kudratov, a graduate of the NRNU MEPhI master's program in the field of “Nuclear Physics and Technology”:

“Four years have passed, during which time a certain number of graduates have accumulated who are already working in various organizations of the fuel and energy complex and research institutes of the nuclear industry of our country. This was an occasion to meet, exchange experiences, and formulate trends for the future of the atom for the next decade. From the main conclusions: the world is moving towards nuclear energy, the integration of artificial intelligence, the development of the concept of a “green” atom and the use of nuclear technologies for non-energy purposes. During the session, we actively discussed almost all available aspects and areas related to peaceful nuclear energy, from electricity generation to agriculture and nuclear medicine, where nuclear technologies are actively developing and the demand for their use is growing every year. Almost all graduates said that for tangible progress, first of all, it is necessary to begin the development of the atom in the energy sector, with the construction of nuclear power plants, and then develop it in other industries.”
Looking back ten years, the guys noted that the strong negativity in the rhetoric of the world community regarding nuclear technology and nuclear energy has decreased significantly. Moreover, the geography of nuclear technology supporters has changed and expanded. When asked how the new generation of nuclear scientists in Uzbekistan sees the world with the participation of atom, Vahid Kudratov answered:
“In the next ten years, the role of nuclear technologies in the diagnosis and treatment of complex diseases, especially oncology, is expected to increase.
Thus, nuclear medicine will become one of the priority areas in research, new developments and the emergence of new technologies. In addition, we should expect the emergence of new specialties related to one or another application of nuclear technology. At international dialogue platforms, speaking about the concept of the “green square” (wind, sun, water and atom), I noticed how young nuclear scientists from other countries are interested in the development of green technologies, realizing that without the atom this development will not be complete. Many are already trying to get away from carbon technology, developing green technologies in order to use them to save the world for the future,” concludes Vahid Kudratov.