Canada’s energy industries require high-performance materials to generate, transport and store energy. University of Saskatchewan researcher Jerzy Szpunar is finding safer and more environmentally friendly processes to meet these needs. As Canada is the world’s leading uranium producer and nuclear power provides much of our country’s energy, it is important to continue improving these technologies. Szpunar studies novel materials that better resist radiation damage and handle the high temperatures, corrosion and stress found in nuclear power reactors. He also investigates better ways to extract, purify and safely monitor hydrogen. Hydrogen holds promise as a future fuel source, but it also has the potential to be explosive if it leaks. As a result, the hydrogen industry needs to find improved ways to store the gas. Szpunar is building nanostructure sensors to detect hydrogen leaks and developing membranes to coat fuel cells and prevent these dangerous leaks. Szpunar is also exploring industrial materials such as new steels that can safely transport gas and oil through pipelines in northern Canada’s demanding climate.