Matthew Bernards is establishing a research program focused on thorium as an alternative nuclear fuel to supplant uranium. This work has been fully funded by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) through a Faculty Development Grant. The focus of his research is to develop a portable power generation system for use in emergency situations. This system will utilize thorium as a fuel source and will operate as an accelerator driven system. This technology is inherently safer than standard nuclear reactors because it operates at a subcritical level. Furthermore, thorium is considered to be a non-proliferative fuel source, which is an essential safety feature if this system is to be transportable. This project includes both theoretical work and experimental work and is being conducted with collaboration from colleagues at the MU research reactor (MURR). Dr. Bernards has co-authored 17 publications and has three more manuscripts currently under review or in preparation.