Energized Campus Speeches & American Women Go Nuclear

Here's the latest roundup.

Apr 15, 2025

Good evening,

I apologize for this coming on Monday evening. My busy travel schedule can throw me off. I’ll resume my regular posting schedule, god-willing, on Friday.

For you newbies out there, welcome to Outsider on the Inside. I hope this dispatch from in and around the nation’s capital on underreported topics finds you well.

If you’re just discovering my musings, here’s a backgrounder and make sure we’re connected on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Quick Thoughts

Support and follow the work of IWF’s Center for Energy and Conservation today if you haven’t already.

This is the best penguin tariff meme.

The Trump administration is supercharging new coal production.

The Trump administration is rethinking invading Greenland with $10,000 payments to entice the Danish-owned nation into America’s sphere of influence.

Listen to Madison Hughes’ full length album, ALL THAT I AM, out now.

That’s all for now. Stay tuned for the next dispatch dropping Friday.

One Speech Left on My Spring Speaking Tour

I journeyed up to New Jersey to speak at William Paterson University last Thursday. I unveiled my new energy policy lecture, where it was well-received.

I’ll be giving an encore presentation - with a touch of conservation - at UNC-Asheville this Thursday to round out my spring 2025 speaking tour. I’m bummed I couldn’t fulfill more speaking requests - my policy director job is keeping me busy! - but hope to visit more campuses this fall.

Western NC has been through a lot this past year, with many folks still reeling in from last fall’s devastating floods. I hope to give them my tourism dollars and some reassurance when I’m there.

If you’re in the Asheville area, come to my talk on campus at 7pm. Details below!

American Women are Going Nuclear

My latest at IWF explores a new poll showing the majority of American women, 51%, now support nuclear energy.

A new poll suggests growing support for nuclear energy in the U.S., especially among women.

Gallup News reports that 61% of Americans, overall, favor nuclear energy development—with 51% of female respondents saying they “strongly” or “somewhat” favor more nuclear energy production.

In August 2024, the Pew Research Center polled American attitudes on nuclear energy, finding that a majority—56%—of Americans support new development opportunities. It also found that women were less likely to support nuclear power, with only 44% of female respondents expressing support.

Women, sadly, have previously bought the fearmongering about nuclear energy not being safe or practical. But this is not the case. As I noted at IWF/RealClearEnergy last fall:

Understandably, women are concerned about the safety protocols and safe storage of nuclear waste (or used nuclear fuel). In the last 60 years, there have only been three significant accidents at nuclear plants worldwide. American nuclear power plants are among the safest in the world and are built to minimize accidental radiation release and meltdowns. Additionally, reactor operators undergo rigorous training and must be federally licensed to supervise these plants. Our Energy Department reports that U.S. facilities pose the least harm to people and the environment due to “safety procedures, robust training programs and stringent federal regulation.”

This 7% positive swing in support of nuclear energy by women should be celebrated.

Surging support for nuclear energy by women reflects the growing popularity of this energy source. Gallup further explained, “When Gallup first asked this question in 1994, 57% of Americans favored and 37% opposed using nuclear energy. By 2001, when the question was next asked, views were evenly divided — yet from 2004 through 2015, public support for the use of nuclear power again outpaced opposition, including a high of 62% in 2010.”

The surge in support for nuclear energy, Gallup adds, is attributed to growing acceptance of nuclear energy to power data centers—particularly those for AI—from financial institutions and technological companies like Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who used to be a board advisor to small modular reactor (SMR) startup Oklo, stated his agency intends to catalyze the commercial production of nuclear energy these next four years.

Nuclear energy is the most reliable, cleanest energy source out there, producing near-zero emissions. Facilities operate nearly 93% of the year and are the least land-intensive power plant facilities.

The Independent Women’s Center for Energy and Conservation is actively working to demystify nuclear energy and make women fall in love with it.