High school students to discover nuclear science at GRU

AUGUSTA, GA. – Nearly 80 high school students from Richmond and Aiken counties will be introduced to the benefits of nuclear technology and career opportunities in the field at a Nuclear Science Week event Oct. 20 at Georgia Regents University.

Regional experts in nuclear science and medicine will be on hand during GRU Education Day from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Jaguar Student Activities Center on the Summerville campus, 2500 Walton Way.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for young people to understand the importance of nuclear technology in our everyday lives and to learn more about the outstanding high-tech career options that are available locally,” said Mindy Mets, program manager for the Savannah River Site Community Reuse Organization Nuclear Workforce Initiative. “We are excited to again partner with GRU to show these students, our future workforce, advanced opportunities available in their own backyard.”

Representatives from CB&I AREVA MOX Services, a design and construction contractor of mixed oxide fuel fabrication facilities in Aiken, S.C., will present a program on the fundamentals of nuclear fuel and the benefits of nuclear medicine. Volunteers from the Citizens for Nuclear Technology Awareness Education Committee will present “Journey to the Center of the Atom,” a program that allows students to explore atomic structure in a series of hands-on activities using an Isotope Discovery Kit. These kits are available year-round to area teachers through the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center Traveling Science program at the University of South Carolina Aiken.

The day will conclude with a nuclear science discussion panel hosted by practicing nuclear technology professionals and GRU faculty, staff and students.

The event, now in its third year, is a joint effort of the College of Allied Health Sciences and the College of Science and Mathematics.

About Nuclear Science Week

Nuclear Science Week is a national week-long celebration to focus local, regional and national interest on all aspects of nuclear science, exploring its contributions, innovations and opportunities. It is a partnership between the host organizations, the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History in Albuquerque, N.M., and nuclear industry partners, including the SRS Community Reuse Organization; Nuclear Energy Institute; Entergy; the U.S. Department of Energy; the American Nuclear Society; and the Society of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging.