Advanced Nuclear, the Official Podcast of UCAN Power

Captain Stephen Carmel joins Advanced Nuclear to explore how maritime nuclear technology could reshape commercial shipping, global trade, and U.S. strategic competitiveness. From lessons learned through the NS Savannah to small modular reactors, floating nuclear power, regulation, workforce development, port readiness, and AI, Carmel examines what it will take to build an entire ecosystem around nuclear-powered maritime operations, and why U.S. leadership now could help shape the standards and architecture of this emerging industry.
Captain Stephen M. Carmel is Administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) and an experienced maritime executive and master mariner. A U.S. Merchant Marine Academy graduate, he has held senior leadership positions with U.S. Marine Management and Maersk Line Limited and has extensive experience in maritime operations, security, and global trade.
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Former NRC Commissioner Jeffrey S. Merrifield joins Advanced Nuclear for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of nuclear energy in America.
Merrifield discusses the changing culture of nuclear regulation, advanced reactor licensing, fusion regulation, microreactors, nuclear power and propulsion in space, used nuclear fuel and recycling, and the opportunity to rebuild the U.S. nuclear fuel cycle.
Drawing on decades of experience across government, regulation, law, and industry, Merrifield also shares what he believes the next five years could mean for American nuclear power and why educating policymakers and communities will be critical to realizing that potential.
Advanced Nuclear is the official podcast of UCAN Power.

Brad Williams, the former DOE, Senate, and national lab policy leader who helped write the law ending Russian uranium imports, explains exactly where the fuel cycle is fragile and what has to happen next.
Dominique Cooper talks with Brad about the hidden weak link in nuclear fuel security, why conversion—not just mining or enrichment—may be the most overlooked choke point, and how a single missing step can stall the entire system. Brad breaks down the nuclear fuel cycle in plain English, from uranium in the ground to fuel rods in a reactor, so listeners can finally understand what “front end” and “back end” really mean.
Brad also shares what his move from government into Uranium Energy Corp really means in practice, from helping expand domestic production in Texas and Wyoming to shaping the policy, permitting, and supply chain strategy needed to get new capacity online faster. If you care about energy security, national security, advanced reactors, or where the next generation of nuclear jobs will come from, this conversation shows why fuel supply is now just as important as reactor design. It is a rare inside look at the policy, industry, and technical decisions that will determine whether the U.S. can actually close the nuclear loop.
About Brad Williams
Bradley Williams is Vice President of Government Affairs at Uranium Energy Corp., where he works to strengthen the domestic nuclear fuel supply chain and advance U.S. nuclear leadership. A recognized expert in nuclear energy policy, he also serves as Vice Chair of the American Nuclear Society’s Public Policy Committee. Previously, he held senior policy and leadership roles at Idaho National Laboratory, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Senate, where he helped develop and advance major nuclear energy and fuel security legislation, including the Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act and the Nuclear Fuel Security Act. Brad holds degrees in physics from Mary Washington College and Virginia Tech and has received four Secretary of Energy Awards for his contributions to nuclear energy policy and research.
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NASA, DOE, and the Department of War are all pulling in the same direction - and the result could reshape how America powers the moon, Mars, and beyond. Dr. Justin Coleman sits inside the programs making it happen, and he breaks down how we get from today’s reactor work to a real nuclear future in space.
From the fuel line at Idaho National Lab to the launch path for SR1 Freedom and Skyfall, this conversation goes deep on the engineering, regulation, and mission design behind the next era of nuclear. If you want to understand why mobile microreactors, space reactors, and nuclear electric propulsion suddenly matter more than ever, this episode is packed with answers.
Justin shares how years of work on spent fuel, structural dynamics, and reactor testing built the foundation for the programs he leads now. He also explains why the space nuclear conversation is moving from “can we do it?” to “how fast can we scale it?” and why the answer depends on supply chains, mass constraints, shielding, and the right engineering team.
We also break down the role of AI in reactor development, what autonomous operation could look like on Earth and eventually off-world, and why the future of nuclear is not just about electricity - it’s about mobility, resilience, and exploration.
Dr. Justin Coleman is a licensed Professional Engineer and currently serves as the Senior Technical Advisor to the NASA Administrator for Nuclear. In this role, he provides expert technical and strategic guidance on space nuclear technologies to NASA’s top leadership. He is also the Division Director in Nuclear Science and Technology at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), focused on delivering reactor prototypes, and mission driven research and development.
In his previous role, Coleman was manager for the Special Reactor Concepts organization at INL. In that role, he advised and managed the U.S. Department of Defense’s Strategic Capability Office on its mobile microreactor program. In other roles, Coleman developed international collaborations and worked on U.S. bi-lateral agreements with Japan and India.
Coleman has a Ph.D. in earthquake engineering from the University of Buffalo and more than 22 years of experience in nuclear reactor research, facility design, operations, construction, and decommissioning and demolition.
Coleman has served on the American Society of Civil Engineers Nuclear Standards committee. In his free time, he enjoys mountain biking and skiing with his family.
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This episode tackles one of the least understood but most critical links in the nuclear fuel cycle: uranium conversion. As demand for nuclear energy grows, the United States faces significant challenges in securing a reliable domestic fuel supply. Dominique sits down with Nick Smith, founder of Raven-Flint Nuclear, to discuss how his company is working to strengthen America's nuclear fuel infrastructure and reduce dependence on foreign sources. Nick explains the uranium conversion process, why it is essential to nuclear power generation, and how supply chain bottlenecks have become a strategic vulnerability for the United States. He shares Raven-Flint's vision for building new conversion capacity, developing a skilled workforce, and leveraging advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, to improve efficiency across the nuclear industry.
The conversation also explores the future demand for nuclear energy, the rise of innovative nuclear startups, and policy measures that could help secure America's energy future. Whether you're a nuclear industry professional, policymaker, investor, or energy enthusiast, this episode provides valuable insight into one of the most important challenges facing advanced nuclear today.
Nick Smith is the Co-Founder and CEO of Raven-Flint Nuclear Corporation, a company focused on modernizing uranium conversion technology to address a critical gap in the nuclear fuel supply chain LinkedIn. With over 15 years of experience in nuclear engineering and energy systems, he has worked in high-profile roles at Radiant, Idaho National Laboratory (INL), and Southern Company, where he directed major projects such as the Molten Chloride Reactor Experiment (MCRE).
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