Five Questions With Michael Weber

Michael Weber is the head of the NRC’s Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

  1. How would you briefly describe your role at the NRC?

I lead NRC’s scientists, engineers and administrative professionals in confirming safety and security through research on nuclear power plants and uses of nuclear materials, including transportation and disposal. I also help develop our people, computer codes, standards, and experiments to meet our mission well into the future

  1. What is your foremost responsibility at work?

Keeping our people focused on the nuclear safety and security mission of the agency.

  1. What is your most significant challenge in the workplace

Competition for time and attention. There are many issues that compete for our attention from the urgent to the strategic. With our focus on nuclear safety and security, we seek balance in how we use our resources to accomplish our mission in a manner consistent with our vision as a trusted, independent, transparent and effective regulator.

  1. What do you consider one of your most notable accomplishments at the NRC?

Actually protecting the public and ensuring the security of nuclear facilities and material. It is what we do and why we regulate. Because our regulatory program is highly successful in protecting the public, it can be difficult to see the outcomes that we seek to achieve. However, occasionally when we are responding to real safety or security incidents, we glimpse the benefits of nuclear regulation where the actions that we take or the controls we require prevent theft of radioactive material, avoid significant radioactive contamination following a transportation accident, or reduce radiation doses to workers or members of the public.

  1. What is one quality of the NRC that more people should know?

How talented and dedicated NRC people are throughout the agency. I am honored to be part of such a team working daily to protect the nation and to strengthen nuclear and radiological safety and security around the world.

Five Questions is an occasional series in which we pose the same questions to different NRC staff members.

 

 

Author: Moderator

Public Affairs Officer for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

9 thoughts on “Five Questions With Michael Weber”

  2. Stronger regulatory/industry standards across the board are so necessary, especially if we are talking about recycling and redistribution of toxic nuclear waste. Omg, let’s get a bit more candid on the truth of where this industry ACTUALLY is for the American People. It’s great several old plants are being decommissioned by their corporate owners … we are watching regulation of that cost and closures carefully.

  6. I like the Five Questions series, and appreciate Mr. Weber’s answer to Question 5.

  8. What I’d like to ask, it’s on what basis does he believe this: “consistent with our vision as a trusted, independent, transparent and effective regulator”?

    I’ve only been watching nuclear power for less than 5 years and I would not give the NRC that kind of historic review, does he really think that our nuclear regulating government did that? It’s better today when I started being involved, yet, we need to really get rid of the illusion of the past performance to see what the real risks are going forward.

    Stronger regulatory/industry standards across the board are so necessary, especially if we are talking about recycling and redistribution of toxic nuclear waste. Omg, let’s get a bit more candid on the truth of where this industry ACTUALLY is for the American People. It’s great several old plants are being decommissioned by their corporate owners … we are watching regulation of that cost and closures carefully. Industry must be first be responsible with the communities allowing the time and clean-up to REALLY get completed.

    Thanks for the interview, it’s nice to see how our regulators think, even if they are using soundbyte answers in an industry that really needs good, clear, accurate information, and the People really need more information. Hugs

Comments are closed.