Kirk Sorensen is one of the most enthusiastic “nukes” I know, with a real passion for sharing his hard won knowledge about using molten salt reactors to convert thorium into a fissile material and ultimately into a heat source for a work producing heat engine. With the help of Charles Barton, Kirk runs the excellent and informative Energy From Thorium blog where he has posted hundreds of research reports on molten salt reactors. He is gainfully employed as a NASA engineer on loan to the US Army, he is finishing his second master’s degree in nuclear engineering, and he has taken the time to teach two of his daughters how to recite the periodic table. In short, he is a busy man with dreams and visions.
Recently, Kirk was invited to Manchester, England to make a presentation at a festival called Manchester Report 2009. His presentation was one of 20 selected from a field of several hundred entries that were all aimed at providing a workable plan to address climate change. (I have to admit a slight bit of professional jealousy here – I also entered into the contest, made the short list and then found out that I had not been selected as presenter. Darn.)
Kirk has provided an excellent summary of his experience in a post titled LFTR and the Manchester Report. I encourage you to go and read that post, download his presentation, and share in the after glow of a job well done.
Hat tip to Dave Bradish at NEI Nuclear Notes who wrote about Kirk’s trip in a post titled What do thorium reactors and girls who can cite the periodic table from memory have in common?
