Who We Are

Ryan Pickering

Ryan Pickering is an American energy policy researcher focused on balancing renewables, nuclear and conventional energies to achieve affordability, reliability and sustainability.

Based in Berkeley, California, Ryan spent the first 13 years of his career developing rooftop solar projects in California, installing over 7,000 systems.

In 2021, Ryan retired from the solar industry to study energy policy in partnership with UC Berkeley. He is a founding member of UC Berkeley’s Nuclear is Clean Energy organizing group known as NiCE Club as a way for student’s to grapple with the culture and economics of new nuclear infrastructure. He is the author of The Real History of Diablo Canyon (2022) and Renewables+Nuclear (2023).

Ryan currently serves as a Crew Facilitator for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Consent-Based Siting Program, representing North Carolina State University, Mothers for Nuclear 501(c)(3) nonprofit and Tribal Consent Based Coalition 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Ryan Pickering

Ryan Pickering is an American energy policy researcher focused on balancing renewables, nuclear and conventional energies to achieve affordability, reliability and sustainability.

Based in Berkeley, California, Ryan spent the first 13 years of his career developing rooftop solar projects in California, installing over 7,000 systems.

In 2021, Ryan retired from the solar industry to study energy policy in partnership with UC Berkeley. He is a founding member of UC Berkeley’s Nuclear is Clean Energy organizing group known as NiCE Club as a way for student’s to grapple with the culture and economics of new nuclear infrastructure. He is the author of The Real History of Diablo Canyon (2022) and Renewables+Nuclear (2023).

Ryan currently serves as a Crew Facilitator for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Consent-Based Siting Program, representing North Carolina State University, Mothers for Nuclear 501(c)(3) nonprofit and Tribal Consent Based Coalition 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Katie Mummah

Science Advisor

Katie Mummah is a graduate student in Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She earned her B.S. in Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering from the University of Illinois in May 2017. Her research focuses on using nuclear fuel cycle simulators to inform international safeguards and in her free time she tweets about nuclear science and engineering at the handle @nuclearkatie. Katie has spent several summers working at Los Alamos and previously served as the Student Director on the ANS Board of Directors.

Website: http://www.nuclearkatie.com

Spotlight:
With Climate Change on Her Mind, This Engineer Sees a Future in Nuclear

Katie Mummah

Science Advisor

Katie Mummah is a graduate student in Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She earned her B.S. in Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering from the University of Illinois in May 2017. Her research focuses on using nuclear fuel cycle simulators to inform international safeguards and in her free time she tweets about nuclear science and engineering at the handle @nuclearkatie. Katie has spent several summers working at Los Alamos and previously served as the Student Director on the ANS Board of Directors.

Website: http://www.nuclearkatie.com

Spotlight:
With Climate Change on Her Mind, This Engineer Sees a Future in Nuclear

Allen Penticoff

Friends of Fission Manager

Allen Penticoff is a long time environmental and social activist who is the Mr. Green Car columnist for The Rock River Times. Allen is dedicated to promoting an all-electric society with safe, clean and reliable fission power serving as the primary source of energy.

Allen Penticoff

Friends of Fission Manager

Allen Penticoff is a long time environmental and social activist who is the Mr. Green Car columnist for The Rock River Times. Allen is dedicated to promoting an all-electric society with safe, clean and reliable fission power serving as the primary source of energy.

Tom Jessessky

Tom Jessessky is a retired electrical engineer who worked in the defense industry early in his career. He then spent 27+ years in nuclear power as an engineer, an operations supervisor, and finally as an operations shift manager at the Point Beach Nuclear Plant in Two Rivers, Wisconsin. Point Beach Nuclear Plant consists of two Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) designed by Westinghouse.

Tom maintained a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Senior Reactor Operator active license for 17 years, led one of the six operating crews at the plant, and was very involved with design and modifications to improve and maintain the nuclear power generation site. He is currently splitting his time between Cape Canaveral, Florida and Two Rivers, Wisconsin. He enjoys biking, pickleball, travel, golf and time with his grandchildren.

Tom Jessessky

Tom Jessessky is a retired electrical engineer who worked in the defense industry early in his career (control system design for guided missile launching systems – 8 years) and then spent 27+ years in Nuclear Power as an engineer, operations supervisor and finally as an operations shift manager at the Point Beach Nuclear Plant in Two Rivers, Wisconsin.   Point Beach Nuclear Plant consists of two Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) designed by Westinghouse.  Tom maintained a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Senior Reactor Operator active license for 17 years, led one of the six operating crews at the plant, and was very involved with design and modifications to improve and maintain the nuclear power generation site.  He is currently splitting his time between Cape Canaveral, Florida and Two Rivers, Wisconsin.  He enjoys biking, pickleball, travel, golf and time with his grandchildren. 

Håkan Lane

Håkan Lane is a post-doc working at the Data Mining group at the Department of Computer Science in Mainz, Germany. His origins are Swedish with a Ph.D. from Chalmers in Structural Mechanics. He has been member of local and national Ph.D. council and research funding boards and was a volunteer in the Greenpeace Nordic movement and Nuklearia Germany before joining FoF.

Håkan Lane

Håkan Lane is a Post Doc working at the Data Mining group at the Department of Computer Science in Mainz, Germany. The origins are Swedish with a Ph.D. from Chalmers in Structural Mechanics, and has been member of local and national Ph.D. council and research funding boards. Was a volunteer in the Greenpeace Nordic movement and Nuklearia Germany before joining FoF. 

Louis Harnisch

Lou Harnisch is a retired educator from the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), working 27 years in Educational Programs there. Argonne is involved in multi-disciplinary research in such areas as Materials Science, Nanotechnology, and Energy Storage. It is especially known for its development of nuclear plant designs including the Experimental Breeder Reactor I & II, at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Argonne is also known for its fission fuel cycle technologies and used-fuel reprocessing systems.

Lou facilitated numerous seminars, regional competitions, multi-day workshops, multi-week summer programs for grades 6-12 teachers and students. All involved unique learning experiences, often involving interactions with Argonne scientists and/or on-going Lab research. A crowning achievement was establishing a high school student teams research program that offered Xray beamtime and guidance at Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source (APS). This program became an organizing framework for many independent research projects. This experience was an authentic immersion in scientific research for about 800 students.

Lou is an electric vehicle & a draft beer enthusiast. Current activities include pickleball, home/yard projects, travel trailer camping, and hanging-out at two dog parks.

Louis Harnisch

Lou Harnisch is a retired educator from the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) after working 27 years in Educational Programs there. Argonne is involved in multi-disciplinary research in such areas as Materials Science, Nanotechnology, and Energy Storage. It is especially known for its development of nuclear plant designs including the Experimental Breeder Reactor I & II, at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Argonne is also known for its fission fuel cycle technologies and used-fuel reprocessing systems.

He facilitated numerous seminars, regional competitions, multi-day workshops, multi-week summer programs for grades 6-12 teachers and students. All involved unique learning experiences, often involving interactions with Argonne scientists and/or on-going Lab research.  A crowning achievement was establishing a high school student teams research program that offered Xray beamtime and guidance at Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source (APS). This program became an organizing framework for many independent research projects. This experience was an authentic immersion in scientific research for about 800 students.

Lou is an electric vehicle & a draft beer enthusiast.  Current activities include pickleball, home/yard projects, travel trailer camping, and hanging-out at two dog parks.

Dorothy E. Boatman

Dorothy E. Boatman, aka, Dottie, is a retired Scientist from the University of Wisconsin specializing in assisted reproduction technology. During retirement, she decided to focus on problems that have major impacts on the planet and all its flora and fauna, and their potential solutions.

Dorothy discovered that she had never questioned her beliefs that nuclear energy was dangerous and prone to releasing harmful radioactivity. After reading a book by a fellow biologist, Mark Lynas, Nuclear 2.0, which dispelled and debunked many of the untruths about nuclear energy, she became convinced that Nuclear Energy is currently the major source of safe, affordable, carbon-free energy, now and into the foreseeable future.

Dorothy joined Friends of Fission Midwest as a forum for promoting this position.

Dorothy E. Boatman

I, Dorothy E. Boatman, aka, Dottie, am a retired Scientist from the University of Wisconsin specializing in assisted reproduction technology. During retirement, I decided to focus on problems that have major impacts on the planet and all its flora and fauna, and their potential solutions. This required me to educate myself on Climate Change and the need for carbon free energy sources. I discovered that I had never questioned my beliefs that nuclear energy is dangerous and prone to release harmful radioactivity.  A friend encouraged me to read the book by a fellow biologist, Mark Lynas, Nuclear 2.0, that dispelled and debunked many of the untruths about nuclear energy.  I became convinced that Nuclear Energy is currently the major source of safe, affordable, carbon free energy, now and into the foreseeable future.  I joined Friends of Fission Midwest as a forum for promoting this position.

Steven A. Schellin

Steven A. Schellin (BSNE, MSNE, PE Nuclear) is an Educator and Registered Professional Nuclear Engineer with over 50 years of teaching and working in the nuclear industry. After joining Westinghouse Electric Power Company, he worked as a Core Design and Safety Analysis Engineer and gave courses on math, computer programming, and nuclear engineering at the University of Wisconsin, University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Penn State University, and Milwaukee School of Engineering.

Now semi-retired, he has an engineering consulting business providing plant life extension & safety analysis for Nuclear Plant License Renewal Applications. He actively promotes clean, safe nuclear power online via Linked-in and Facebook, through meetings, contact with elected officials, local presentations, and Friends of Fission.

Steven A Schellin

Steven A Schellin (BSNE, MSNE, PE Nuclear) is an Educator and Registered Professional Nuclear Engineer with over 50 years of teaching and working in the nuclear industry. Joining Westinghouse Electric Power Company, he worked as a Core Design and Safety Analysis Engineer and gave courses on math, computer programming, and nuclear engineering at the University of Wisconsin, U of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Penn State University, and MSOE.

Now semi-retired, he has an engineering consulting business providing: plant life extension & safety analysis for Nuclear Plant License Renewal Applications. He actively promotes clean, safe nuclear power online via Linked-in and Facebook, through meetings, contact with elected officials, local presentations and Friends of Fission, computer programming, and nuclear engineering at: University of Wisconsin, U of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Penn State University, and MSOE.

operating licenses (+20 years) for all seven plants.

Richard Steeves

Dr. Richard Steeves is an Emeritus Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine with interest in reducing carbon dioxide emissions and the severity of future climate change.

Since 2010 he has been leading a discussion group, called “Pathways to a Sustainable Planet”, for the University’s Participatory Learning and Teaching Organization.

His experience in handling X-rays and radioactive isotopes, both in the USA and at the Curie Institute in Paris, prepared him for delving into the potential benefits of atomic energy for solving our impending climate crisis. Cleaning up our generation of electricity is a good way to start, for transportation as well as for home and industrial use.

Richard Steeves

Dr. Richard Steeves is an Emeritus Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine with interest in reducing carbon dioxide emissions and the severity of future climate change.

Since 2010 he has been leading a discussion group, called “Pathways to a Sustainable Planet”, for the University’s Participatory Learning and Teaching Organization.

His experience in handling X-rays and radioactive isotopes, both in the USA and at the Curie Institute in Paris, prepared him for delving into the potential benefits of atomic energy for solving our impending climate crisis. Cleaning up our generation of electricity is a good way to start, for transportation as well as for home and industrial use.

Dr. Steeves drives an electric car and flies an electric airplane.

Margi Kindig (Retired)

Margi Kindig is a retired attorney and life long environmentalist. She began to change her mind about nuclear power when she was a citizen representative on Wisconsin Governor Doyle’s Task Force on Global Warming, and later on the board of a statewide environmental organization. Over a period of several years she became convinced that nuclear power is absolutely essential to address climate change, and that objections from environmental organizations and many progressives were based on fear and misunderstanding.

Read The Promise of Nuclear Power
Read Nuclear Power Key to Combating Climate Change

Margi Kindig (Retired)

Margi Kindig is a retired attorney and life long environmentalist. She began to change her mind about nuclear power when she was a citizen representative on Wisconsin Governor Doyle’s Task Force on Global Warming, and later on the board of a statewide environmental organization. Over a period of several years she became convinced that nuclear power is absolutely essential to address climate change, and that objections from environmental organizations and many progressives were based on fear and misunderstanding.

Read more at The Promise of Nuclear Power.

Ed Fedosky

E. W. (Ed) Fedosky is Owner and President of WebWrights Digital Marketing & Web Design with main offices in the Madison, WI area. WebWrights provides a full array of digital marketing services to businesses and organizations locally and across the USA.

WebWrights offers discounted digital marketing services to select non-profit organizations, including Rethinking Nuclear, Inc.

Ed Fedosky

E. W. (Ed) Fedosky is Owner and President of WebWrights Digital Marketing & Web Design with main offices in the Madison, WI area. WebWrights provides a full array of digital marketing services to businesses and organizations locally and across the USA.

WebWrights offers discounted digital marketing services to select non-profit organizations, including Rethinking Nuclear, Inc.

Andrew Fedosky

Andrew Fedosky is an undergraduate student at UW-Madison studying computer engineering and the lead web developer for WebWrights Digital Marketing. His passion for using science and technology to solve global energy problems led him to see nuclear power as an exciting, dynamic field.

In addition to working and studying, he is an avid motorcyclist, reader, ballroom dancer, and enjoys a wide range of outdoor activities.

Andrew Fedosky

Andrew Fedosky is an undergraduate student at UW-Madison studying computer engineering and the lead web developer for WebWrights Digital Marketing. His passion for using science and technology to solve global energy problems led him to see nuclear power as an exciting, dynamic field.

In addition to working and studying, he is an avid motorcyclist, reader, ballroom dancer, and enjoys a wide range of outdoor activities.