Nuclear Matters

Liz Williams

From cancer treatments that save lives to energy solutions dividing the nation, Nuclear Matters explores Australia's nuclear past, present, and future with the help of experts actively working on these issues. Nuclear Matters is a production of the Australian National University (ANU) College of Systems and Society. Its creator, host and lead producer is Liz Williams, Nuclear Systems Discipline Lead for the ANU School of Engineering.

  1. 1 juli

    How seismology helps the world detect nuclear weapons tests (amongst other things), with Professor Hrvoje Tkalčić

    Imagine a global network of sensor stations, ready to detect even the smallest nuclear weapons test. This network is in fact a reality. As we learned in our last episode, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organisation’s monitoring network is up, running, and ready for the Treaty to enter into force. One of the most important of those stations is located in Australia's remote Northern Territory – the Warramunga Seismic and Infrasound Facility – and it's directed by Professor Hrvoje Tkalčić, Head of Geophysics at the Australian National University. In this episode, Professor Tkalčić joins our host, A/Prof Liz Williams, to talk about what seismology actually is – how waves generated by earthquakes, storms, and even whale calls can be used to see inside the earth – and how the extraordinary silence of the Australian outback makes it one of the best places on the planet to listen for nuclear tests. Professor Tkalčić is also the author of a brand-new popular science book called, When Worlds Quake: The Quest to Understand the Interior of Earth and Beyond, which has just been released in the English language by Princeton University Press [link to publisher page here]. CREDITS Guest: Professor Hrvoje Tkalcic Host: A/Prof Elizabeth Williams Audio Producer: Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) The usual end matter Nuclear Matters is a production of the Australian National University College of Systems and Society and the ANU Nuclear Stewardship Network. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which this podcast is being recorded on or listened to, and pay our respects to their Elders – and all First Nations people. If you want to send us some feedback on an episode, email us at nuclearmatterspodcast@anu.edu.au. Keep in mind that this podcast is intended for information and education only. In particular, nothing in this episode is intended to serve as medical advice - please consult a qualified medical practitioner. The views and opinions expressed in each episode are those of the individual speakers and do not represent the official policy or position of the Australian National University College of Systems and Society or the University as a whole.

    48 min

  2. 27 maj

    Nuclear Testing in a No-Test World: Verification, Politics, and Risk – with Prof Trevor Findlay

    When President Trump announced last year that the US might resume nuclear weapons testing, it raised a question the world hasn't had to seriously consider in decades: what happens if they do? In this episode, Liz Williams sits down with Professor Trevor Findlay, a nuclear governance expert who was involved in the early diplomatic work that became the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). The CTBT exists, the monitoring network is nearly complete, and the organisation behind it is operating, but the treaty never entered into force. What would states would actually do if testing resumes? In this conversation, Trevor shares insights into how the treaty and accompanying verification system was built, why it was designed the way it was, and what it all means now that nuclear testing is once again in the news. CREDITS Guest: Professor Trevor Findlay is an honorary professor at the University of Melbourne with expertise in nuclear governance. He has spent many years working on the issue of nuclear testing and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and its verification system. Host: A/Prof Liz Williams is the Interim Director of the ANU Nuclear Stewardship Network and Nuclear Systems Discipline Lead for the ANU School of Engineering. Audio producer: Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) A note of correction: When posting this episode, Liz - who typically struggles with remembering names on a good day - realized she dropped 'Nuclear' from Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty consistently. This is incorrect. When stating the full treaty or organisation name, one should include the 'nuclear', just as Trevor does consistently throughout the episode. We'll work on correcting the audio, but for now, just remember the treaty / organisation acronym drops the N, but the full name does not. The usual end matter Nuclear Matters is a production of the Australian National University College of Systems and Society and the ANU Nuclear Stewardship Network. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which this podcast is being recorded on or listened to, and pay our respects to their Elders – and all First Nations people. If you want to send us some feedback on an episode, email us at nuclearmatterspodcast@anu.edu.au. Keep in mind that this podcast is intended for information and education only. In particular, nothing in this episode is intended to serve as medical advice - please consult a qualified medical practitioner. The views and opinions expressed in each episode are those of the individual speakers and do not represent the official policy or position of the Australian National University College of Systems and Society or the University as a whole.

    53 min

  3. 29 apr.

    What are theranostics, and how are they used to treat cancer? With Dr Ashleigh Hull and Dr Stephen Tronchin

    In this episode, Dr Ashleigh Hull and Dr Stephen Tronchin join host Liz Williams to explore theranostics — a cutting-edge approach to cancer treatment that uses radiopharmaceuticals to both detect and treat cancers from within the body. They cover the science behind how these treatments are designed to target cancer cells, which cancers theranostics is already being used for, and the real-world supply chain challenges that determine how many patients can access these therapies. The episode closes with a look at what's on the horizon for the field in Australia and globally. Dr Ashleigh Hull is a nuclear medicine technologist and lecturer in medical physics, and Dr Stephen Tronchin is a post-doctoral research fellow. Both work at Adelaide University and are part of Radinnovate, an Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Center focused on developing the next generation of nuclear and radiation science researchers for Australia. Credits Guests: Ashleigh Hull, Stephen Tronchin Host: Elizabeth Williams Audio Producer: Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) Show notes Stephen wanted to clarify that beta particles have a range of 1-10 mm in tissue. Places to study to become a nuclear medicine technologist in Australia Mines to Medicines Acknowledgements Thank you to Eva Bezak for introducing me to Ash and Stephen. ANU is one of the university partners involved in Radinnovate. The usual end matter Nuclear Matters is a production of the Australian National University College of Systems and Society and the ANU Nuclear Stewardship Network. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which this podcast is being recorded on or listened to, and pay our respects to their Elders – and all First Nations people. If you want to send us some feedback on an episode, email us at nuclearmatterspodcast@anu.edu.au. Keep in mind that this podcast is intended for information and education only. In particular, nothing in this episode is intended to serve as medical advice - please consult a qualified medical practitioner. The views and opinions expressed in each episode are those of the individual speakers and do not represent the official policy or position of the Australian National University College of Systems and Society or the University as a whole.

    52 min

  4. Trailer för säsong 2

    New season of Nuclear Matters begins end of April

    We thought we'd share a sneak peek of the new season of Nuclear Matters. The first full episode is coming at the end of April. If you haven't already subscribed to the feed, what are you waiting for? The Apple Podcasts link is here if that's where you prefer to find us (and while you're at it, please leave us a review or some feedback - it helps us keep this going!). While you wait, you can keep up with Australian National University's work on all things nuclear by following the ANU Nuclear Stewardship Network on LinkedIn. Thanks to Martin Franklin from East Coast Studio for the audio production of this teaser. As always, the views shared on this podcast are for your education and enjoyment only, and are the speakers' own. They should not be taken as representative of the views of the Australian National University or any of its business units.

    2 min

  5. 2025-11-25

    Citizen science and nuclear technologies, with A/Prof Michiel Van Oudheusden

    What roles can citizen science play in the governance of nuclear technologies? In this episode, I explore this topic with Michiel Van Oudheusden, Associate Professor of Public Participation in Science and Democracy at VU Amsterdam. Michiel previously worked at the Nuclear Research Centre in Belgium, and had the opportunity to study citizen science initiatives focused on managing nuclear technologies in both Japan and the European Union. We explore what he found in this work, and discuss how these lessons might apply to the Australian context – particularly given the growth in our involvement with nuclear technology due to AUKUS. This is our final episode for this season. Stay tuned for Season 2 in March 2026. CREDITS Guest: Michiel Van Oudheusden Host: Liz Williams Audio Producer: Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) Acknowledgements Thank you to A/Prof Fabien Medvecky for recommending Michiel's work to me. The usual end matter Nuclear Matters is a production of the Australian National University College of Systems and Society. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which this podcast is being recorded on or listened to, and pay our respects to their Elders – and all First Nations people. If you want to send us some feedback on an episode, email us at nuclearmatterspodcast@anu.edu.au. Keep in mind that this podcast is intended for information and education only. The views and opinions expressed in each episode are those of the individual speakers and do not represent the official policy or position of the Australian National University College of Systems and Society or the University as a whole.

    52 min

  6. 2025-10-29

    Exploring nuclear safeguards cultures, with Prof Trevor Findlay

    In this episode, we’re joined by Professor Trevor Findlay, honorary professorial fellow at the University of Melbourne and author of Transforming Nuclear Safeguards Culture: The IAEA, Iraq, and the Future of Non-proliferation. With the world’s growing interest in nuclear technologies—especially in the context of AUKUS and the global push for clean energy—understanding how nuclear safeguards work to support non-proliferation is crucial. But beyond the technicalities lies a deeper, often overlooked dimension: culture. What assumptions shape the way nuclear inspectors operate? How do values, habits, and institutional norms influence the effectiveness of global non-proliferation efforts? We'll explore these questions (and more) in the episode, so listen in. Credits Guest: Trevor Findlay Host: Liz Williams Audio producer: Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) Acknowledgements Thank you to Dr Russell Leslie for recommending Trevor's book to me. The usual end matter Nuclear Matters is a production of the Australian National University College of Systems and Society. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which this podcast is being recorded on or listened to, and pay our respects to their Elders – and all First Nations people. If you want to send us some feedback on an episode, email us at nuclearmatterspodcast@anu.edu.au. Keep in mind that this podcast is intended for information and education only. The views and opinions expressed in each episode are those of the individual speakers and do not represent the official policy or position of the Australian National University College of Systems and Society or the University as a whole.

    57 min

  7. 2025-09-30

    How does plutonium behave in marine environments? - with Madison Williams-Hoffman

    This episode of Nuclear Matters takes us to Montebello Island, a former UK nuclear weapons test site off the coast of Western Australia. Our guest is Madison Williams-Hoffman – or Maddy, for short. Maddy is a postdoctoral fellow at the Radinnovate ARC Training Centre for Radiation Innovation at ANU. She uses chemistry to explore how plutonium from the weapons tests carried out in that region have moved through the marine environment. She has kindly joined us to talk us through what she’s found, and help us understand why it matters for our explorations of future uses of nuclear technologies. Credits Guest: Madison Williams-Hoffman Host: Liz Williams Audio producer: Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) Contacts If you are interested in projects and wish to contact Maddy about collaborating or joining the group as a student, you can reach her via the email on this webpage. Further reading The Guardian article on Maddy's workThe paper mentioned in the article (with Maddy as lead author)Acknowledgements Thanks to Nanda Dasgupta for introducing us to Maddy. Errata Maddy flagged that the Plutonium ratio they usually look at is 240Pu/239Pu, rather than 239Pu/240Pu. The usual end matter Nuclear Matters is a production of the Australian National University College of Systems and Society. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which this podcast is being recorded on or listened to, and pay our respects to their Elders – and all First Nations people. If you want to send us some feedback on an episode, email us at nuclearmatterspodcast@anu.edu.au. Keep in mind that this podcast is intended for information and education only. The views and opinions expressed in each episode are those of the individual speakers and do not represent the official policy or position of the Australian National University College of Systems and Society or the University as a whole.

    51 min

  8. 2025-08-26

    Trust, technology, and radioactive waste, with Nate Smith

    What do you think about radioactive waste? This is a question that most nuclear professionals need to consider at some point in their careers. In today’s episode, Tellus CEO and Managing Director Nate Smith joins us to talk about what it’s like to establish a radioactive waste facility in Australia. We learn about what radioactive waste is, the many industrial processes –including clean energy technologies –that produce it, and some of the ways this waste is managed. Nate also shares insights into consent-based siting, community engagement with Traditional Owners, and the importance of building trust. CREDITS Guest: Nate Smith Host: Elizabeth Williams Producers: Julieanne Dougherty, Elizabeth Williams Audio Producer: Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) Acknowledgements: We would like to acknowledge the help of Ryan Bloxsom in the production of this episode. Article on the Deep Borehole Disposal method: Available here Nuclear Matters is a production of the Australian National University College of Systems and Society. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which this podcast is being recorded on or listened to, and pay our respects to their Elders – and all First Nations people. If you want to send us some feedback on an episode, email us at nuclearmatterspodcast@anu.edu.au. Keep in mind that this podcast is intended for information and education only. The views and opinions expressed in each episode are those of the individual speakers and do not represent the official policy or position of the Australian National University College of Systems and Society or the University as a whole.

    51 min
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From cancer treatments that save lives to energy solutions dividing the nation, Nuclear Matters explores Australia's nuclear past, present, and future with the help of experts actively working on these issues. Nuclear Matters is a production of the Australian National University (ANU) College of Systems and Society. Its creator, host and lead producer is Liz Williams, Nuclear Systems Discipline Lead for the ANU School of Engineering.

Information

  • Skapad av
    Liz Williams
  • Aktiva år
    2025 - 2026
  • Avsnitt
    13
  • Åldersgräns
    Barnvänligt
  • Copyright
    © The Australian National University 2025
  • Programmets webbplats
    Nuclear Matters

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