The Energy & Resources Group Spring 2015 Col­lo­quium presents TITLE Reinventing Nuclear Energy: the Role of Molten Salt Technology SPEAKER Per Peterson Professor William and Jean McCallum Floyd Endowed Chair Nuclear Engineering U.C. Berkeley Molten fluoride salts have greatly different chemical and thermophysical properties than other reactor coolants. They are chemically stable, have very high boiling temperatures (and thus are intrinsically low-pressure), have high volumetric heat capacity, and are optically transparent. This talk will provide an overview of the current status of molten salt reactor technology, including both solid and liquid fueled variants, place MSRs into a broader context of nuclear energy technologies, and discuss future prospects. Per F. Peterson is the William and Jean McCallum Floyd Professor of Nuclear Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. He performs research related to high-temperature fission energy systems, as well as studying topics related to the safety and security of nuclear materials and waste management. He was appointed in February 2010 as a member of the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future, asked by Secretary of Energy Steven Chu to provide advice on U.S. policy to manage high level nuclear waste and spent fuel. He served as the Chair of the Energy and Resources Group from 1998 to 2000, and subsequently served twice as Chair of the UCB Department of Nuclear Engineering. His research in the 1990’s contributed to the development of the passive safety systems used in the GE ESBWR and Westinghouse AP-1000 reactor designs. He participated in the development of the Generation IV Roadmap in 2002 as a member of the Evaluation Methodology Group. Currently his research group focuses primarily on heat transfer, fluid mechanics, and regulation and licensing for advanced reactors.