In April, the Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives (NSSPI) at Texas A&M University organized the Domestic Nuclear Facilities Experience at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for seven Texas A&M nuclear engineering students and one postdoctoral researcher, accompanied by NSSPI Interim Director Dr. Craig Marianno. The four-day event focused on nuclear safeguards and included lectures, practical exercises, and facilities tours.
“The ORNL facility and the knowledgeable staff there provide an excellent opportunity for our students to complement their education at TAMU by providing experiences that cannot be duplicated at the university,” explained Dr. Marianno.
Staff in the ORNL Safeguards lab conducted a hands-on workshop in which they introduced students to the fundamentals of Non-Destructive Assay techniques and equipment used in international safeguards through demonstrations and hands-on activities. Students were able to use equipment and materials in these exercises that are not available at Texas A&M. As part of the trip, participants were able to tour the Uranium Science & Technology Center (USTC), the supercomputer, the Y-12 Response Center, the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, the High Flux Isotope Reactor, and the Radiochemical Engineering Development Center.
Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow and NSSPI postdoctoral researcher Dr. Simon Adu expressed his “heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the workshop at Oak Ridge National Lab. The trip was truly enjoyable, and witnessing cutting-edge technology was fantastic.”
The Nuclear Facilities Experience program is sponsored by the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of International Nuclear Safeguards to augment the education of U.S. students and young professionals interested in nuclear nonproliferation and safeguards.