Wednesday 16 September 2026
UKNNL publishes latest NuClear Science: Case Studies series
United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL) has published the latest edition of its NuClear Science: Case Studies series, showcasing how science, innovation and collaboration are helping to address nationally important challenges across the UK nuclear sector.
The publication marks the culmination of five years of UKNNL’s Science and Technology Agenda and highlights a selection of projects demonstrating how research and innovation are contributing to safer operations, more effective decommissioning, the development of future reactor technologies and informed decision-making across government and industry.
The case studies showcase the impact delivered through five years of investment in UKNNL’s Science and Technology Agenda. They demonstrate how internally funded research is creating value for the sector, building critical capability, advancing knowledge and helping to address some of the most significant opportunities and challenges facing UK nuclear.
Over the past five years, UKNNL and its partners have:
- Published more than 400 peer-reviewed journal articles, contributing to the global nuclear research community
- Supported 70 PhD researchers, helping develop the next generation of nuclear scientists and engineers
- Established two collaborating centres that support innovation and the UK’s journey to net zero
- Produced 29 impact case studies demonstrating the value science and technology can deliver to the nuclear sector and wider society
The 2025-2026 edition features six case studies covering:
- AI-enabled access to historic nuclear knowledge
- Nuclear data research underpinning current and future reactor technologies
- Smarter approaches to nuclear safety
- The UK Fission Materials Roadmap
- Advanced reactor modelling and simulation
- Innovation addressing operational challenges across the sector
Together, these examples demonstrate how collaboration between government, industry, academia and the wider research community is helping to solve today’s challenges while building the knowledge, capability and technologies needed for the future.
Dr Gareth Headdock, Chief Science and Technology Officer and Deputy CEO of UKNNL, said:
“These case studies showcase some of the ways UKNNL’s science and technology is being applied to challenges that matter, from preserving critical nuclear knowledge and advancing reactor technologies to shaping approaches to safety and innovation. They also reflect the strength of the partnerships that underpin so much of what we achieve. Together with colleagues across government, industry and academia, we are helping deliver the science, expertise and capability the UK nuclear sector needs for the future.”
Dr Paul Nevitt, Vice President Science and Technology at UKNNL, said:
“This publication marks an important milestone for our Science and Technology Agenda. Over the past five years, our teams and partners have produced world-class research, developed future talent and delivered work that is informing decisions across the nuclear sector. These case studies provide a snapshot of that achievement and demonstrate the breadth of expertise that exists across UKNNL and our partner network.”
While the publication captures only a small selection of activity from across UKNNL’s Science and Technology Agenda, it highlights the impact that can be achieved through long-term investment in science, innovation and collaboration.