In today's Times Union, Alan Wechsler interviews Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson on the subjects of U.S. nuclear power plant safety and terrorist threats. Prior to assuming the RPI presidency, Dr. Jackson served as Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, so her opinion on these matters is sought after.

The article summarizes a telephone interview which Wechsler conducted with Dr. Jackson. She is said to have called our commercial nuclear plants "...are as secure as they possibly could be." Regarding the possibility of terrorists posessing the components necessary to make a "dirty bomb", Jackson is quoted as saying, "If you have people who manage to get their hands on nuclear material, not necessarily weapons grade, it would be a concern, even with a conventional bomb."