Sarah Lemonick is a U.S. Navy veteran and now a product manager at Atomic Canyon, where she’s helping shape the future of nuclear energy with AI. In this episode, she joins Jonathan Bush to talk about what Maine — and the country — can learn from her experience operating nuclear reactors aboard U.S. Navy aircraft carriers.

Together, they explore:

– What small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) actually are

– How nuclear stacks up against solar, wind, coal, and natural gas

– The safety lessons we’ve learned since Three Mile Island and Fukushima

– Why nuclear waste is more compact (and less terrifying) than people think

– How AI can help cut costs and regulatory bloat across the nuclear sector

– The surprising role tech giants like Microsoft and Google are playing in nuclear’s comeback

– What it would really take to bring small-scale nuclear to Maine—and why it’s worth considering

Sarah also shares how a background in literature led to a career in nuclear ops, how the Navy shaped her leadership style, and why she believes the biggest energy opportunity for Maine isn’t wind or solar — but fission.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone curious about energy independence, climate policy, and the real future of clean power.