Opening Address

The Hon Martin Ferguson AM, MP
Minister for Resources, Energy and Tourism

Martin Ferguson is the Minister for Resources, Energy and Tourism. He has been the Federal Member for Batman since 1996 and holds an Honours Degree in Economics from the University of Sydney.  Before entering Parliament, Martin was President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) after working for the Federated Miscellaneous Workers' Union of Australia commencing in 1975.

"The Energy Challenge"

Martin Hoffman
Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism

The Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism promotes the importance of enhancing national economic prosperity, ensuring international competitiveness and responding to the increasing globalisation and technology developments of the resources, energy and tourism.

"Czech/Australian Cooperation and Relations"

 

Juraj Chmiel
Former Czech Ambassador to Australia, Former Minister for European Affairs.

 

Milo Hron has more than 40 years' experience in nuclear reactor science and in leadership of R&D projects in nuclear reactor systems development. At Nuclear Research Institute (NRI) in Řež, where he has been employed in Theoretical Reactor Physics Department since 1963 and has managed the Reactor Physics Division since 1972. Milo was leading the national project Research and Experimental Reactors from 1975 through to 1982 and achieved during this project general reconstructions of research reactor LVR-15 and experimental reactors LR-0 and SR-0 (at SKODA Nuclear Corp.) as well as started the erection of the University reactor VR-1P (Czech Tech. University in Prague).

"Where to from here?"

Hynek Kmoníček
Czech Republic Ambassador

Hynek Kmoníček, was recently appointed by the Czech Republic as Ambassador to Australia. Formerly he was the Permanent Representative following a role as Deputy Foreign Minister. Prior to that, he held a number of positions in his country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Director-General for Asia, Africa and the Americas; and Director of the Middle East and Africa Department.

Opening Address

Dr Adrian (Adi) Paterson
Chief Executive Officer of ANSTO

Formerly General Manager of Business Development and Operations at the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor Company in South Africa, Dr Paterson holds a BSc in Chemistry and a PhD in Engineering from the University of Cape Town.

Throughout his career, Dr Paterson has been involved in creating, establishing and developing science and technology institutions. His focus is on the interface between public spending and practical innovations that create wealth and quality of life – putting science and technology to work.

"The team that can contribute to a cleaner and safer environment "

Mr. Peter Stepanek
Director Thorium Energy Pty Ltd.

Peter Stepanek is Czech born and a former Czechoslovakian Commercial Attaché in Sydney. In 1984 he became an Australian citizen and is a significant promoter of Australian - Czech and European trade, business and political relations. He has been a member of various Czech and Australian delegations in Australia and Europe.

Peter is the Principal of Thorium Energy Pty Ltd and has for many years coordinated efforts to have thorium technology recognized as having the potential to provide safe and sustainable energy to the world. He has assembled the most eminent of Czech expertise and Scientists and is focusing his attention on the development of Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) new generation technology. The significant members of the MSR Thorium team are here today.

Professor Jiri Polansky
University of West Bohemia in Pilsen
As an author  Jirir reflects on the current and future role of educational institutions in training of top technical professionals for the 21st century nuclear facilities. He concentrates primarily on education of specialists for thorium usage and research into the MSR, ie. from nuclear physicists, reactor chemists to mechanical and electrical engineers.

Dr. Miloslav Hron
Chief Scientist
From 1983 to 1989 Milo was as the Deputy Director of NRI for Research, leading the whole research program of NRI including the nuclear chemistry project FREGAT developing the fluoride volatility process technology (front end of Molten Salt Reactor [MSR] fuel cycle). During 1996 to 2008 Milo was Project Leader of the national project SPHINX (SPent Hot fuel Incinerator by Neutron fluX) developing multipurpose MSR system for closing U-Pu fuel cycle as well as shifting for Th-U fuel cycle.

"Structural material for MSR application"

Pavel Hosnedl
Pavel Hosnedl has more than 30 years' experience in R & D in material research (fracture mechanics and structural safety of Reactor Pressure Vessel RPV) at SKODA Nuclear Corp. Pavel has managed key nuclear projects, such as residual lifetime of RPV Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) VV ER 440 MW and VV ER 1000 MW and other material and nuclear fuel tasks. Pavel was also leader of European Materials and mechanics projects related to nuclear reactors. Pavel was Head of Fracture Mechanics Department and coordinator of part of national SPent Hot fuel Incinerator by Neutron fluX (SPHINX) project within ŠKODA Nuclear Machinery based on MSR Molten Salt Reactor system and was the key person in the development of a new alloy for MSR, called MONICR (Molybden/Nickel/Chromium).

"Czech International Relations and Research "

Frank Formanek
Frank is a former member of the Czech Government. With a Czech-American background he provided advice to the Czech Senate on research and new technologies. He has worked with Senator John McCain, US Congress since 1992, and for American and Czech governmental and non-governmental organizations such as the American Enterprise Institute, Czech Ministry of Finance and the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs among others.