The spotlight shines on a nuclear influencer
Brazilian model, nuclear advocate, and philanthropist Isabelle Boemeke, who the online TED lecture series describes as “the world’s first nuclear energy influencer,” was the subject of a recent New York Times article that explored her ardent support for and advocacy of nuclear technology.
Nuclear support: Boemeke first became interested in nuclear power in 2015. She has spent the past 10 years talking with experts, visiting nuclear sites, and, as of 2020, using her social media platforms to correct common misinformation and antinuclear talking points.
In her April 2022 TED Talk, “Nuclear Power Is Our Best Hope to Ditch Fossil Fuels,” Boemeke explained that her passion for nuclear comes from environmental consciousness; her climate anxiety came to a head as wildfires burned in the Amazon in her home country during 2019. She decided a few months later to take a more active role in changing the narrative on nuclear by creating “Isodope,” a pronuclear persona on social media.
NSI donation: Boemeke has also supported the nuclear sector through direct philanthropy. Last year, she and her husband Joe Gebbia, a prominent member of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, donated $5 million to the Clean Air Task Force, the EFI Foundation, and the Nuclear Threat Initiative.
The donation established and funded the cross-organizational Nuclear Scaling Initiative, which seeks to “build a new energy ecosystem that can quickly and economically scale to 50+ gigawatts of safe and secure nuclear energy globally per year by the 2030s,” according to the NSI’s website. The couple also donated a further $5 million to create a matching fund for the NSI to encourage other donations.
Other influencers: Boemeke is by no means the only content creator, science communicator, or influencer with a nuclear focus. One of the executive sessions at the recent ANS Annual Conference in June, “Going Viral: Engaging the Next Generation with Nuclear Science Online,” featured a roundtable discussion and Q&A with five of the leading voices in the intersection between social media and nuclear.
The speakers’ work covers a wide variety of platforms and styles. Nick Touran, the founder of What Is Nuclear?, focuses his efforts on providing approachable educational materials on his website. On the other hand, Kyle Hill focuses on YouTube, describing himself as “the most visible pronuclear voice” on the platform.
Christopher Perfetti also runs a YouTube channel, Nuclear Engineering Lectures, which, in contrast to Hill’s work, offers informative videos reminiscent of the style of university lectures and Khan Academy. Robert Hayes and Jenifer Avellaneda, who primarily use TikTok and X, respectively, also shared their experiences and work in the session.
While the New York Times struck a questioning tone on the idea of a nuclear influencer, it’s clear that there is no shortage of passionate educators inside and outside of ANS working to fight misinformation and foster excitement for the world of nuclear.
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