During the first two weeks of July, NSSPI hosted two students, Mr. Manit Shah and Mr. Vijay Mehta, from the M. Tech. program in Nuclear Energy at the Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University (PDPU), along with Profesor Shriram Paranjape, Chair of the Nuclear Energy department at PDPU. The objective of their visit was to receive hands-on laboratory experience in measurement techniques to support the security of nuclear materials.
During their visit to NSSPI, the PDPU delegation attended lectures and participated in lab experiences on various nuclear security topics led by NSSPI instructors. Their experience was further enhanced through tours of several facilities on the TAMU campus, including, among others, the Nuclear Science Center of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station, the Fuel Cycle Laboratory in the TAMU Department of Nuclear Engineering, and the Elemental Analysis Laboratory of the TAMU Center for Chemical Characterization, where they attended a demonstration of the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. They also enjoyed an introduction to American culture through downtime at the Independence Day celebration hosted by the George H. W. Bush Library and a Texas Collegiate League baseball game. The visit was arranged by NSSPI Associate Director for International Programs Dr. Paul Nelson and NSSPI staff member Claudio Gariazzo served as the coordinating instructor for the hands-on lab training.
PDPU is located in Gandhinagar, the capital of the Indian State of Gujarat. According to press reports, a US reactor vendor has agreed in principle with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited to construct six 1000 Megawatt-electric nuclear power plants at a site in the Bhavnagar District of Gujarat.
After their time at TAMU, the PDPU delegation continued on to Orlando, Florida, where they participated in the annual meeting of the Institute for Nuclear Materials Management.
Mr. Vijay Mehta at the control panel of the AGN reactor during the approach to criticality, under the supervision of Mr. Zak Kulage (TAMU, Reactor Operator, second from left) and Mr. Chris Crouch (TAMU Senior Reactor Operator, far right), during approach to criticality. Mrs. Julia Eigenbrodt (TAMU guide) is shown partially obscured behind Professor Paranjape (third from right).