Naked Nuclear
Stripping down nuclear energy so it actually makes sense. Interviews with engineers, educators, and advocates about nuclear careers, reactor tech, and the people building our clean energy future.
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June 16, 2025
Nuclear 101: How this Sold Out Course was Built for Beginners
In this episode of Naked Nuclear , Danielle sits down with Dr. Rebecca Steinman, PhD and the American Nuclear Society (ANS) to explore Nuclear 101 —a hands-on, introductory course designed not just for engineers, but for anyone curious about the nuclear energy industry. Whether you're a welder, museum curator, communicator, or career changer, this episode reveals why now is the perfect time to step into nuclear. We also explore ANS's broader efforts in workforce development, including the Certif
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Aug. 7, 2025
Build Your Next Career at BWXT: Job Talk with Bob Duffy
What makes someone stay at the same company for decades — or even generations? In this episode of Naked Nuclear , we sit down with Bob Duffy , Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of BWX Technologies (BWXT) , to explore what's behind the company's incredibly low attrition rate, its investment in early talent, and how it's preparing for the next generation of nuclear professionals. Bob shares how BWXT is going beyond traditional hiring — building weld schools in high schools, ra
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Aug. 18, 2025
Now Offering: Recruiting Services with Nuclear Talent Scout
Breaking into the nuclear industry can feel overwhelming, from specialized certifications and security clearances to jobs that never even make it to job boards. In this episode of Naked Nuclear , Danielle shares an exciting new partnership with Nuclear Talent Scout , the premier recruiting firm focused exclusively on nuclear energy. Together, Naked Nuclear and Nuclear Talent Scout are planting the seeds for the next generation of the nuclear workforce. From free resources at nucleartalentboost.c
Recent Episodes
59
June 15, 2026
It's Not Actually Waste: How CURIO is Tackling the Nuclear Waste Problem with Ed McGinnis
Imagine filling up your car at a gas station in Washington, DC, and heading toward Richmond. Twenty miles down the road, you pull over, call a tow truck, and scrap the car, with 96% of the fuel still in the tank. That's what we do with nuclear fuel in the United States right now. Ed McGinnis is the CEO of Curio and a former senior official at the U.S. Department of Energy. He's spent decades in nuclear policy and energy security, and he's now building something that could change how we think abo
58
June 8, 2026
After-Pop! Megawatts Thermal vs Electric?
Dr. John Zino stood in front of a room of engineers, technicians, and career-changers and told them a nuclear reactor is "just boiling water." Jaws dropped. Really? That's it? Well, yes. And also, that little word "just" is hiding one of the most elegant chains in all of engineering. In this After Pop explainer, we follow a single uranium atom from the moment it splits to the moment your phone starts charging. Fission to heat. Heat to steam. Steam to a spinning shaft. Spinning shaft to electrici
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June 1, 2026
Inside the BWRX-300 with Dr. John Zino | "We're just boiling water!"
What does it actually look like to spend nearly 40 years inside the nuclear industry, from submarine shielding to the Department of Energy to the cutting edge of small modular reactor design?Dr. John Zino is a Chief Consulting Engineer at GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy and an Associate Teaching Professor at NC State University. In this episode, he breaks down the BWRX-300 — a 10th-generation boiling water reactor that strips nuclear power down to its simplest form. No massive recirculation pu
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April 24, 2026
How to Build the Internet’s Best Nuclear Guide with Nick Touran
What does it take to explain one of the most misunderstood technologies on Earth? This Final Friday on Naked Nuclear , Danielle sits down with Nick Touran for a new Follow Them Friday episode. Nick is the founder of What Is Nuclear , one of the internet’s most respected resources for understanding nuclear energy, reactor technology, fuel cycles, history, and policy in plain English. In a world drowning in hot takes and cold IQs, he built something useful. We discuss Nick’s journey into nuclear e
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April 6, 2026
The 41-Hour Pour: When a Nuclear Plant Begins to Exist
At 2:13 AM in Waynesboro, Georgia, crews were already deep into a process they couldn’t stop. For 41 continuous hours, concrete flowed into the basemat of Vogtle Unit 4, the foundation that would anchor one of the newest nuclear reactors in the United States. This episode breaks down: What a nuclear basemat actually is Why concrete is part of the safety system The physics of heat, cracking, and radiation shielding The choreography required to keep a 41-hour pour alive And why this moment marks t
54
March 30, 2026
Why Build Nuclear When We Have Solar?
I Asked If Solar Could Power California… and It Got Complicated What started as a simple question turned into a full-blown debate: If solar panels and batteries are getting so good… why does California still need nuclear energy? In this episode, we break down what actually keeps the lights on — beyond headlines, hot takes, and LinkedIn comment wars. What You’ll Learn Why “more solar” doesn’t automatically solve the problem Solar energy is powerful — but it only works when the sun is shining. Ele
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Recent Blog Posts
May 29, 2026
Follow Them Friday: How Nick Touran Built the Internet's Best Nuclear Energy Guide
Follow Them Friday: How Nick Touran Built the Internet's Best Nuclear Energy GuideIf you have ever typed "what is nuclear" into a search engine, chances are good that Nick Touran already answered your question -- years ago, for free, with a level …
Aug. 6, 2025
Your Reference Guide to Scholarships in Nuclear (Engineering, Welding, Physics, & More)
The Ultimate Guide to Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships in Nuclear and STEM [Updated 8/6/25]Whether you're fresh out of high school, transitioning careers, or deep into a grad program, one thing is clear—school is expensive. But here's t…
May 26, 2025
Find Your Nuclear Fit: Career Exploration Tools for the Future of Energy
In our latest episode of Naked Nuclear, we sat down with Dr. Fiona Rayment, OBE—a global leader in nuclear energy and workforce development. From leading research at the UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory to advising international energy p…
About the Hosts
Danielle Allen
Podcast Host & Creator
Hey, I’m Danielle Allen—firefighter, paramedic, commercial pilot, and host of Naked Nuclear. I’ve taught physics in Vietnam, trained as a flight instructor, and was once cast for a Discovery Channel-affiliated spaceflight show (RIP). After years of chasing adrenaline and saving lives, I realized the next frontier wasn’t just the sky—it was energy.
Naked Nuclear is my mission to strip down nuclear energy so it actually makes sense. We break past the fear, jargon, and politics to explore what nuclear really is, why it matters, and how it’s shaping the future. I interview engineers, ethicists, and industry pioneers to open the doors for curious minds who want in—whether you're switching careers or just nuclear-curious.
Whether I’m free-diving with sea creatures, climbing Denali, or decoding reactor systems in my nuclear engineering classes, I’m all in. The future is electric—and nuclear is the quiet giant behind it. Let’s get you up to speed.
Jackson H.
Nature loving, nuclear enthusiast, just here to support the mission.