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MV Ramana

Simons Chair in Disarmament, Global and Human Security at the Liu Institute for Global Issues, University of British Columbia

M. V. Ramana (Ph.D. Boston University; M.Sc Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur) is the Simons Chair in Disarmament, Global and Human Security at the Liu Institute for Global Issues, UBC. His research interests are in the broad areas of international security and energy supply, with a particular focus on topics related to nuclear energy and fissile materials that can be used to make nuclear weapons. He combines technical skills and interdisciplinary methods to address policy relevant questions related to security and energy issues. Ramana is the author of The Power of Promise: Examining Nuclear Energy in India, Penguin Books, New Delhi (2012).

His recent work has involved studying the multiple risks associated with the acquisition and expansion of nuclear power around the world, including the linkage with nuclear weapons, the financial risks stemming from the high capital costs of reactors, the environmental risks associated with spent fuel and long-lived radioactive waste, and safety risks as a result of the potential for severe accidents like the ones at Chernobyl in 1986 and Fukushima in 2011. He has also carried out critical assessments of new reactor technologies. Earlier work has included studying the effects of nuclear explosions, accidents involving nuclear weapons, and the detection of ballistic missiles.

His work has been recognized through honors such as a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2003 and the Leo Szilard Award from the American Physical Society in 2014. He is a member of the International Panel on Fissile Materials and on the editorial board of Energy Research & Social Science.

Why Ontario must rethink its nuclear refurbishment plans

Jan 07, 2020 15:45 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy

Ontario is working to refurbish 10 nuclear reactors at the Darlington and Bruce power plants at estimated costs of $12.8 billion and $13 billion respectively. In the months ahead, Ontario Power Generation expects to start...

Ontario can phase out nuclear and avoid increased carbon emissions

Jan 06, 2020 16:48 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

As wind and solar energy have become cheaper, theyve become a more prominent and important way to generate clean electricity in most parts of the world. The Ontario government, on the other hand, is cancelling renewable...

Canada could slow the accelerating nuclear arms race

Sep 02, 2019 23:19 pm UTC| Insights & Views

The Aug. 8 explosion at a remote missile test site in Nyonoksa in Northern Russia has been covered widely in the media. The test involved something powered by radioactive isotopes (possibly a nuclear power generator of...

The argument from cyberspace for eliminating nuclear weapons

Nov 08, 2018 16:41 pm UTC| Insights & Views Technology

At the height of the Cold War in 1982, American psychiatrist Robert Jay Lifton argued that the central existential fact of the nuclear age is vulnerability. That warning predated the proliferation of computers into almost...

Small nuclear power reactors: Future or folly?

Jul 25, 2017 14:46 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy

Nuclear energy companies are proposing small nuclear reactors as a safer and cheaper source of electricity. In June, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories put out a call for a discussion around Small Modular Reactor (SMRs) in...

Economy

Gold Prices Slide Below $5,000 as Strong Dollar and Central Bank Outlook Weigh on Metals

Gold prices reversed early gains and moved lower during Asian trading on Thursday, pressured by a strengthening U.S. dollar and reduced demand for safe-haven assets. Investor focus has shifted toward upcoming central bank...

Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January

Thailands annual headline inflation rate stayed in negative territory for the tenth consecutive month in January, underscoring continued price pressures driven largely by lower energy costs and government measures aimed at...

Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off

Silver prices tumbled sharply during Asian trading on Thursday, leading a broad sell-off across the precious metals market and erasing most of the short-lived rebound seen earlier this week. The steep decline highlighted...

South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks

South Koreas efforts to stabilise its currency are facing a growing domestic challenge as retail investors continue to pour record amounts of money into U.S. stocks, driving strong demand for dollars while the won trades...

Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady

Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook emphasized the importance of protecting the central banks credibility by ensuring inflation returns to its long-term target, signaling continued caution on monetary policy despite recent...

Politics

Nvidia, ByteDance, and the U.S.-China AI Chip Standoff Over H200 Exports

The U.S. government is prepared to allow Chinas ByteDance to purchase Nvidias advanced H200 AI chips, but negotiations remain stalled as Nvidia has not agreed to the proposed conditions governing their use. According to...

Trump Endorses Clay Fuller in Georgia Special Election to Replace Marjorie Taylor Greene

President Donald Trump has thrown his weight behind conservative prosecutor Clay Fuller in the upcoming Georgia special election to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene, signaling a major shift in the political dynamics of...

CK Hutchison Launches Arbitration After Panama Court Revokes Canal Port Licences

Hong Kong-based conglomerate CK Hutchison has initiated international arbitration proceedings against the Panamanian government after Panamas Supreme Court annulled licences held by its subsidiary, Panama Ports Company, to...

Trump Stays Neutral on 2028 GOP Successor as Vance and Rubio Emerge as Top Contenders

President Donald Trump has declined to take sides in early speculation over who could succeed him as the Republican presidential nominee in the 2028 election, as Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio...

U.S. Justice Department Removes DHS Lawyer After Blunt Remarks in Minnesota Immigration Court

The U.S. Justice Department has removed a government lawyer from a high-pressure assignment in Minnesota following blunt comments made in federal court about her workload and the governments failure to comply with judicial...

Science

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Technology

Global PC Makers Eye Chinese Memory Chip Suppliers Amid Ongoing Supply Crunch

Major PC manufacturers including HP, Dell, Acer, and Asus are reportedly exploring the option of sourcing memory chips from Chinese semiconductor companies for the first time, as a prolonged global supply crunch continues...

OpenAI Expands Enterprise AI Strategy With Major Hiring Push Ahead of New Business Offering

OpenAI is significantly accelerating its enterprise AI strategy by hiring hundreds of new employees for its technical consulting division, according to a report by The Information, citing a person familiar with the...

SoftBank Shares Slide After Arm Earnings Miss Fuels Tech Stock Sell-Off

SoftBank Group Corp. (TYO:9984) shares tumbled sharply on Thursday, tracking a steep decline in Arm Holdings (NASDAQ:ARM) after the UK-based chip designer reported weaker-than-expected earnings for the December quarter....

Sony Q3 Profit Jumps on Gaming and Image Sensors, Full-Year Outlook Raised

Sony Corp (TYO:6758) reported stronger-than-expected third-quarter earnings, driven by solid performance in its gaming, music, and image sensor businesses. The Japanese conglomerate also raised its full-year forecast,...

SpaceX Pushes for Early Stock Index Inclusion Ahead of Potential Record-Breaking IPO

Elon Musks SpaceX is reportedly exploring ways to secure early inclusion in major stock market indexes ahead of its highly anticipated initial public offering, a move aimed at boosting liquidity and stabilizing its share...