Dr. Rita Baranwal Joins Radiant as First Chief Nuclear Officer Ahead of Historic Reactor Test

Former Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy brings decades of nuclear energy leadership experience to the team.

June 3, 2025

June 3, 2025 — Radiant, the company pioneering the world’s first mass-produced portable nuclear microreactor, today announced the appointment of Dr. Rita Baranwal as its first-ever Chief Nuclear Officer. The former Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy brings decades of nuclear energy leadership experience to Radiant, just as the company accelerates toward testing the first entirely new U.S. reactor design in more than 50 years.

Most recently, Dr. Baranwal served as Senior Vice President of Westinghouse’s AP300 Small Modular Reactor program. Prior to that, she was Chief Technology Officer for Westinghouse, where she led innovation and R&D across the company’s global nuclear portfolio. Before rejoining Westinghouse, Dr. Baranwal served from 2019 to 2021 as Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy, where she oversaw nuclear technology research, development, and deployment efforts for the nation.

Dr. Baranwal holds a Bachelor of Science in Materials Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and earned her Ph.D. in Materials Engineering from the University of Michigan.

“I’ve always appreciated Dr. Rita Baranwal as someone poised to be a changemaker in the industry,” said Doug Bernauer, Radiant CEO and Founder. “Rita’s experience and leadership will be key to achieve our milestone of turning on the first new reactor design in the U.S. in more than five decades, and success in our mission.”

Radiant’s Kaleidos 1MW microreactor is designed to replace diesel generators and can be rapidly deployed to provide resilient power for remote locations, emergency response, and military installations.

“I joined Radiant because of its singular focus and the unmatched clarity of mission,” said Dr. Baranwal. “Turning on Kaleidos will make history, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”

This announcement follows a series of major milestones for Radiant, including its recent close of a $165 million Series C funding round and its selection by the U.S. Department of Energy to receive fuel for Kaleidos' first test.

For more information about Radiant and Kaleidos, visit www.radiantnuclear.com.