September 4th, 2012

Higuchi: Fukushima Daiichi failures not uniquely Japanese

Toshihiro Higuchi, historian and 2011-2012 CISAC fellow, explains how the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear incident was not due to Japanese cultural shortcomings. He criticizes Japanese officials as using two sides of the the same coin: pre-Fukushima, they praised the safety record as a testament to Japanese self-discipline, harmony and professionalism. In the aftermath of the nuclear accident, they now say the failures are due to obedience, groupism, and narrow-mindedness. Blaming the problem on cultural factors prevents long-lasting reform.

• » Japan’s culture: Culprit of the nuclear accident?

March 22nd, 2012

MacArthur Foundation awards CISAC $2.45 million to enhance nuclear security research

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has awarded Stanford’s CISAC a $2.45 million grant to support its mission of reducing the dangers of nuclear weapons. Read more »

November 28th, 2011

Scott Sagan: Can we have nuclear power without nuclear weapons?

At a Stanford reunion weekend lecture, the political scientist looked at the current and projected use of nuclear energy around the world, and examined what it means for the future of nuclear weapons proliferation.
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June 14th, 2011

Thomas Isaacs: Is nuclear the fuel of the 21st century, or a relic of the past?

The 8.9 earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011 set in motion one of the largest nuclear disasters in almost three decades. It also renewed the debate over the future of nuclear energy in the U.S. and abroad. With 104 nuclear power plants across the country, generating about 20 percent of America's energy, there is no doubt that we are currently dependent on nuclear energy, yet the debate over this highly contentious technology is far from resolved. At the World Affairs Council of Northern California, Thomas Isaacs discussed what this disaster means for the future of U.S. energy. Read more »

June 7th, 2011

Kate Marvel and Michael May: What is the future of nuclear energy?

In a new paper published by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, Kate Marvel and Michael May explore the potentially game-changing events for the future of nuclear energy.
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May 13th, 2011

Rodney Ewing: Why are rare events so common?

"More than a month has passed since the one-two punch of an earthquake and tsunami added a third dimension to the tragedy in Japan: a major nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station," writes CISAC's Rodney Ewing in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. "Over the next year, the impact of the Fukushima disaster on the public's perception of nuclear power will evolve, with advocates portraying the event as an opportunity to make an indispensable source of energy safer, and critics characterizing it as a final indictment of the dangers of nuclear energy. As this debate develops, the public would be well served by answers to a few simple but critical questions." Read more »

March 22nd, 2011

CISAC researchers: How the failing reactors could change Japan and the industry

As events unfold at Japan's troubled nuclear power plants, CISAC researchers past and present discuss the future of nuclear energy, regulation, and what could happen next.

• » Edward Blandford: Nuclear energy and the true cost of electricity
• » Alan Hanson: Preventing the worst
• » Thomas Isaacs: The future of nuclear
• » Gaurav Kampani: How India will respond
• » Kate Marvel: Game changers in nuclear energy
• » Charles Perrow: Safety improvements are needed now
• » Charles Perrow: Experts ignored the risks
• » Robert Rosner: What is the future of nuclear power?
• » Hanson, Marvel, and Daniel Okimoto: What's next for Japan
• » Crisis in Japan (slides and video)