NANO Nuclear Energy Appoints Former Y-12 Leader and Nuclear Fuel Cycle Expert Jennifer Charlton, Ph.D., as Vice President of Fuel Technology to Accelerate Vertical Integration Strategy
New York, N.Y., Oct. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) ("NANO Nuclear" or “the Company"), a leading advanced nuclear micro modular reactor and technology company focused on developing clean energy solutions, nuclear fuel cycle capabilities and nuclear transportation solutions, today announced that it has hired Jennifer Charlton, Ph.D., as its Vice President of Fuel Technology.
Dr. Charlton brings nearly two decades of experience in nuclear materials, uranium processing, fuel-cycle technology, and advanced manufacturing to NANO Nuclear. Prior to joining NANO Nuclear, Dr. Charlton held several senior technical and leadership positions at the Y-12 National Security Complex. Notably, she served as Chief Scientist and U.S. Lead for Nuclear Material Verification, leading technical initiatives and providing comprehensive technical expertise across the nuclear fuel cycle, from uranium mining and milling through conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication, and finished fuel and weapons component operations.
“NANO Nuclear’s strategic focus on building capabilities across key areas of the nuclear fuel cycle is an important part of supporting its long-term microreactor deployment strategy,” said Jennifer Charlton, Ph.D., Vice President of Fuel Technology of NANO Nuclear Energy. “I’m excited to join the team at this important stage of its growth and leverage my experience leading complex technical initiatives to help advance this strategy and strengthen NANO Nuclear’s capabilities across the fuel cycle.”
Figure 1 - NANO Nuclear Energy Hires Former Y-12 Leader and Nuclear Fuel Cycle Expert, Jennifer Charlton Ph.D. as its Vice President of Fuel Technology.
Dr. Charlton earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Tennessee, a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of North Florida, and an Associate of Arts from Florida State College. Her graduate research encompassed automated radiochemical separations, nanofabrication, surface-enhanced spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, instrumentation development, nuclear forensics, trace-level materials analysis, and materials characterization.
“It is a pleasure to welcome Dr. Charlton to the NANO Nuclear team,” said Jay Yu, Founder and Chairman of NANO Nuclear Energy. “Her addition marks another step towards ensuring that we have the right personnel to oversee NANO Nuclear’s long-term strategic focus on vertical integration. Her experience within the Y-12 National Security Complex will be invaluable as we look to expand our capabilities across the nuclear fuel cycle.”
Dr. Charlton joins a growing list of former senior nuclear leaders and builds on NANO Nuclear’s recently announced addition of Marylin Diaz to support the Company’s expansion across the nuclear fuel cycle. In her role as Vice President of Fuel Technology, Dr. Charlton will be responsible for evaluating opportunities to expand NANO Nuclear’s capabilities across the nuclear fuel cycle and leading the design, engineering, and development of related technologies, with a focus on the uranium conversion, deconversion, and fuel fabrication processes. She will also provide technical expertise to inform strategic decisions regarding NANO Nuclear’s broader vertical integration strategy in support of future advanced reactor deployments and nuclear logistics activities.
“As our core, proprietary technology, the KRONOS MMR™ Energy System, continues along its development pathway, we are working to expand across the nuclear fuel cycle to help de-risk the marketplace as well as support the energy sovereignty of the United States,” said James Walker, Chief Executive Officer of NANO Nuclear Energy. “Dr. Charlton’s appointment is a key step in that effort, and I am delighted to welcome her to the Company. I believe that Dr. Charlton’s addition, as well as her experience and knowledge of the inner workings of the fuel cycle will prove to be incredibly important as we continue to put together the building blocks for our next stages of growth.”
About NANO Nuclear Energy, Inc.
NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) is a North American advanced technology-driven nuclear energy company seeking to become a commercially focused, diversified, and vertically integrated company across five business lines: (i) cutting edge portable and other microreactor technologies, (ii) nuclear fuel supply chain, (iii) nuclear fuel transportation, (iv) nuclear applications for space and (v) nuclear industry consulting services.
Led by a world-class nuclear engineering team, NANO Nuclear’s reactor products in development include the proprietary KRONOS MMR™ Energy System, a stationary high-temperature gas-cooled reactor that is in construction permit pre-application engagement U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in collaboration with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the ZEUS™ system, a portable solid core battery reactor, and the space focused, portable LOKI MMR™ system, each representing advanced developments in clean energy solutions that are portable, on-demand capable, advanced nuclear microreactors.
Advanced Fuel Transportation Inc. (AFT), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, bolstered by the May 2026 acquisition of Secured Transportation Services (STS), is led by former executives from the largest transportation company in the world and provides nuclear engineering and materials transport services in the U.S. and globally. Through NANO Nuclear, AFT is the exclusive licensee of a patented high-capacity HALEU fuel transportation basket developed by three major U.S. national nuclear laboratories and funded by the Department of Energy.
HALEU Energy Fuel Inc. (HEF), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is focusing on the future development of a domestic source for a High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel fabrication pipeline for NANO Nuclear’s own microreactors as well as the broader advanced nuclear reactor industry.
NANO Nuclear Space Inc. (NNS), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is exploring the potential commercial applications of NANO Nuclear’s developing micronuclear reactor technology in space. NNS is focusing on applications such as the LOKI MMR™ system and other power systems for extraterrestrial projects and human sustaining environments, and potentially propulsion technology for long haul space missions. NNS’ initial focus will be on cis-lunar applications, referring to uses in the space region extending from Earth to the area surrounding the Moon's surface.
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Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This news release and statements of NANO Nuclear’s management and collaborators in connection with this news release contain or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “explore,” “plans”, “aim,” “goal,” “believes”, “potential”, “future,” “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” or derivations of these words and other words of similar meaning about the future, although forward-looking statements could be denoted by other terms as well. In this press release, forward-looking statements relate to the anticipated benefits of Dr. Charlton joining the Company, as well as the Company’s vertical integration and other operational plans and goals. These and other forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management's current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For NANO Nuclear, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to, risks associated with conditions to closing the asset purchase agreement, which may not be satisfied, including for reasons beyond NANO Nuclear’s control, as well as the following: (i) risks related to our U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”), U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (“NRC”), Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (“CNSC”) or related state or other U.S. or non-U.S nuclear licensing submissions, (ii) risks related the development of new or advanced technology and the acquisition of complementary technology or businesses, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, regulatory delays, integration issues and the development of competitive technology, (iii) risks related to our ability to obtain key vendor, technology and customer contracts and the significant funding necessary to execute on our business plan, (iv) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to technologically develop and commercially deploy a competitive advanced nuclear reactor or other technology in the timelines we anticipate, if ever, (v) risks related to the impact of U.S. and non-U.S. government regulation, policies and licensing requirements, including by the U.S. Department of Energy, and the NRC, including those associated with the recently enacted ADVANCE Act and the May 23, 2025 Executive Orders seeking to streamline nuclear regulation, and (vi) similar risks and uncertainties associated with the operating a developing business a highly regulated, competitive and rapidly evolving industry, including that our plans may change and we may use our cash on hand faster or in different ways than anticipated as our business requires. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement, and NANO Nuclear therefore encourages investors to review other factors that may affect future results in its filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov and at https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/financial-information/sec-filings. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.
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