Title: Test Research and Training Reactors Meeting Education, Outreach and Training: NE
1Test Research and Training Reactors
MeetingEducation, Outreach and TrainingNEs
Changing RoleLincoln City, Oregon
John Gutteridge Office of Nuclear EnergyU.S.
Department of Energy September 17-20, 2007
2Items for Discussion
- Current/Future Status of NE University Program
- Program Development
- Enrollments
- Congressional actions/calendars
- Recent University Awards
- NERI-C
- GNEP Readiness
- Fuel Program
- Plans for 2007-2009
- Conversions 2006 ?
- Outreach
- Harnessed Atom
- Recruitment Video
- Summary
3Where Weve Been 1997-2006
- The Road to the University Program
- Support for research, reactors, students,
faculty, outreach, fuel, minority institutions,
etc. - Politically Popular Program
- Many Initiatives Along the Way
- INIE
- Radiochemistry
- Harnessed Atom
- Junior Faculty
4The Current Situation
- University Program zeroed for FY 2007 and FY
2008 - Fuel support continues (3.0M in FY 2008)
- Mortgages fully funded with FY 2007 funds
- Worked with university community to develop a new
basis for supporting university nuclear
engineering research and infrastructure
5University Program (UP) Early Developments
- Pre-UP (before 1992)
- Fuel for university reactors NE
- International Student Exchange Program (ISEP)
- Fellowships/Scholarships NE, others
- Support for reactor maintenance Office of
Science
61992 ? TodayUniversity Program Activities Take
Hold
1992 Matching Grants Commonwealth Edison (Exelon)
Mid 1990s Reactor Sharing, Reactor Upgrades, Formal NEHP Program, Splitting Atoms video (middle schools)
Late 1990s Nuclear Engineering and Education Research (NEER) Program, Morgan State Bridge, Program, Radiochemistry
Early 2000s University (Minority) Partnerships, Summer Lab Internships, Innovations in Nuclear Infrastructure and Education (INIE), ANS Outreach (teacher workshops), HP Fellows becomes stand-alone program, Harnessed Atom Teaching Module (high school)
2006 Junior Faculty Awards Video Nuclear Engineering A Fulfilling Career (high school)
7University Program Timeline (Approximations)
Fuel Purchased
Radiochemistry
Junior Faculty
NEER
Pre 1990 1992 1997 1998 1999 2001 2002/03 2
005 2006
Video Recruitment
Matching Grants
- Reactor Sharing
- Reactor Upgrades
- Fellows and Scholars
- Splitting Atoms video
- University Partnerships
- Summer Internships
- HP Fellows(separate program)
- Harnessed AtomModule
International Student Exchange Program (ISEP)
Note Several of these programs had been funded
in the Office of Energy Research (now Office of
Science), but were dropped due to lack of
interest/funding.
8University Program Budget HistoryFY 2003 FY
2007 Budgets
3M was a one-time earmark for Idaho
universities 2.5M was a one-time appropriation
for spent fuel shipments
9Enrollments Grew at a Rapid Rate
10Nuclear Engineering Enrollments Academic Year
2006-2007
11States With Participating Universities
Program Participants
Clark/Atlanta Clemson University Colorado State
University Georgia Institute of Technology Idaho
State University Kansas State University Livingsto
ne College Linn State Technical
College Massachusetts Institute of
Technology Morgan State University New Mexico
State University North Carolina State
University Ohio State University Oregon State
University Pennsylvania State University Polytechn
ic University of Puerto Rico Prairie View AM
University
Purdue University Reed College Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute Rhode Island Nuclear
Science Center South Carolina State
University Texas AM University Texas AM
Kingsville Three Rivers Community
College Tuskegee Institute Virginia Commonwealth
University Virginia Tech University of
Arizona University of California-Berkeley Universi
ty of California-Davis University of
California-Irvine University of
Cincinnati University of Florida
University of Illinois University of
Maryland University of Massachusetts-Lowell Univer
sity of Michigan University of Missouri-Columbia U
niversity of Missouri-RollaUniversity of Nevada
Las Vegas University of New Mexico University
of South Carolina University of
Tennessee University of Texas University of
Utah University of Wisconsin Washington State
University West Point Military Academy Wilberforce
University Worcester Polytechnic Institute
U.S. Historically Black Colleges and
Universities Hispanic Serving Institution
12FY 2006/07 New Approach
- OMB PARTS University Program
- OMB evaluated the University Program and
determined that enrollment levels of the program
have increased and students no longer needed
encouragement to enter the nuclear field.
Federal assistance no longer necessary - For FY 2007 Congressional add back (27M) is used
by DOE to pay off existing mortgages and begin
new research program for universities (NERI-C) - DOE/NE attempts to embed infrastructure support
(fellowships, reactor support, faculty support,
etc.) into research initiative (NERI-C)
13NE Supports Universities
- The transition from a university program budget
line item to - embedding university research and support within
our mission - related NE RD programs will provide
- Greater research opportunities for universities
while incorporating infrastructure activities - Increased funding corresponds to increases in
NEs research program areas
14Why Change?
- DOE/NE RD-related university-based research will
be beneficial to DOE and university community - The Office of Nuclear Energy wants to support
nuclear engineering education (Stewardship) - Research-based approach could help develop a
better education network among universities,
laboratories, the nuclear industry and government
152007 NERI-Consortia Funding Opportunity
Announcement
- RD focused program (NERI)
- University Program elements embedded
- Total award value 30 Million
- Maximum individual award ceiling 1M/yr for 3
years (3M total) - Provides an opportunity for U.S. universities to
become directly involved in an integrated teaming
relationship with DOE/NE
162007 GNEP University Readiness Funding
Opportunity Announcement
- Provide an opportunity for nuclear schools to
prepare themselves to support GNEP RD programs - Open to all universities with nuclear programs
- Total award value 4 Million
- Maximum individual award ceiling 100K over one
year - One time award
17NE supports Universities
- Total support for university activities in FY
2006 was approximately 50M - A funding level of 54M will continue in FY 2007
- Based on our FY 2008 budget request we expect
growth in our university funding commensurate
with the growth in GNEP
18FY 2006-08 University Funding
These actuals and estimates do not include
National Laboratory directed funding for
universities. Funding within individual programs
may vary depending upon the performance of
individual program activities. Total funding for
Universities is expected to be as shown.
19FY 2007 NERI-C Awards
Lead University Collaborating Institutions Project Title
Georgia Institute of Technology Abilene Christian University California Polytechnic State University Colorado School of Mines Los Alamos National Laboratory Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Idaho National Laboratory Ohio University Oregon State University An Innovative Approach to Precision Fission Measurements Using a Time Projection Chamber
University of Tennessee North Carolina State University Pennsylvania State University South Carolina State University Westinghouse Advanced Instrumentation and Control Methods for Small and Medium Export Reactors with IRIS Demonstration
Washington State University Hunter College (CUNY) Idaho National Laboratory Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Tennessee Technological University University of New Mexico University of North Carolina, Wilmington Advanced Aqueous Separation Systems for Actinide Partitioning
University of Michigan Alabama AM University Pennsylvania State University University of California, Berkeley University of California, Santa Barbara University of Wisconsin, Madison Cladding and Structural Materials for Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems
University of California, Davis California Institute of Technology Northwestern University University of California, Los Angeles Radiation Damage in Nuclear Fuel for Advanced Burner Reactors Modeling and Experimental Validation
Pennsylvania State University Argonne National Laboratory Tulane University University of South Carolina Advanced Electrochemical Technologies for Hydrogen Production by Alternative Thermochemical Cycles
20FY 2007 NERI-C Awards (cont.)
Lead University Collaborating Institutions Project Title
University of Missouri, Columbia North Carolina State University Washington University, St. Louis A Research Program on Very High-Temperature Reactors (VHTRs)
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Georgia Tech South Carolina State University University of Michigan Performance of Actinide-Containing Fuel Matrices under Extreme Radiation and Temperature Environments
Texas AM University Argonne National Laboratory Purdue University University of Illinois, Chicago Real-Time Detection of Actinide Compositions in the UREX Process
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Brookhaven National Laboratory Columbia University State University of NY, Stony Brook Deployment of a Suite of High-Performance Computational Tools for Multi-scale Multi-physics Simulation of Generation IV Reactors
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Idaho State University Ohio State University Risk-Informed Balancing of Safety, Non-proliferation, and Economics for the Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor (SFR)
21GNEP Readiness Projects FY 2007
22GNEP Readiness Projects FY 2007 (cont.)
23GNEP Readiness Projects FY 2007 (cont.)
24FY 2008 and Beyond
- Future Plans
- Have two types of Funding Opportunity
Announcements per year - NERI for Individual Principal Investigators
- NERI for Consortia
- Both funded by NE RD Programs
- NERI funding levels are dependent upon level of
GNEP funding approved by Congress
25Research Reactors and Fuel
- Provide fuel to any of the 26 reactors that
require it - Work with NNSA to convert university reactors
from HEU to LEU - Texas AM 2006
- Florida 2006
- Purdue 2007
- Oregon State 2008
- Washington State 2008
- Wisconsin 2009
- Working with NNSA to meet Secretary of Energys
mandate to convert all research reactors to LEU
by 2014
26Research Reactors and Fuel (cont.)
- NNSAs Role
- Provide all necessary funding for designing,
constructing and starting up the new fuel
fabrication capability required for manufacturing
the new, low-enriched uranium fuel - Provide funding for the initial low-enriched
uranium lead test assemblies for the converted
reactors necessary to obtain regulatory approval
for regular operation and for LEU fuel for the
reactors to replace any HEU fuel removed prior to
the end of its normal service lifetime and that
was also removed to facilitate conversion to LEU
fund
27Research Reactors and Fuel (cont.)
- NEs Role
- Provide all necessary funding for the operation
and maintenance of the new fuel fabrication
capability - Provide all necessary funding for the shipment of
HEU fuel to the proper disposal sites, the
fabrication and shipment of all subsequent new
fuel and the subsequent shipment of spent fuel
from the operation of these reactors
28Research Reactors and Fuel (cont.)
- Future Conversions Post 2009
- MIT, MURR, NRAD, HFIR, ATR, NIST
- NNSA is responsible for development of the new
U-Moly dispersion fuel for these reactors - Fuel development work is expected to be completed
in 2010 to allow for fuel fabrication in support
of core conversions
29The New Harnessed Atom and Outreach
- Harnessed Atom module introduced in
- Pittsburgh Cambridge, Massachusetts Columbia
and Rolla, Missouri Idaho North Carolina
Virginia - Want to offer it to everyone once pilot program
is completed - Searching for funding mechanism to ensure
Harnessed Atom is available for those who desire
to use it - Updating to include GNEP concepts during FY
2007/08 - Video Nuclear Engineering A Fulfilling
Career - Many copies distributed
- More available
- Web streaming coming soon
30Teaching/Outreach Success The Harnessed Atom
- The Original Harnessed Atom
- Science educational curriculum developed 20 years
ago by DOE Office of Nuclear Energy for junior
high classrooms - Includes a Teachers Guide, Student Reader,
experiments and activities, and a video in
mini-CD format (originally a filmstrip) - Though designed for junior-high age students, it
tested successfully on non-science major
students through Junior College level - 10,000 classroom sets produced by DOE
31The Harnessed Atom
- The Harnessed Atoms Success
- Used by over 1.5 million students and translated
into at least 4 foreign languages - Recommended or promoted by leading teacher
associations NSTA, ASCD, NEA - Called the gold standard in nuclear educational
material by ANS PA staff - Widely reprinted by utilities, school systems,
private sector, and other countries
32The Harnessed Atom
- What teachers told us
- Students are being short-changed on essential
information about nuclear science, health
physics, and engineering - In major textbooks, still presented inaccurately
or in biased language - Often skimmed over or not taught at all in high
school physics classes - Many teachers feel ill-prepared to teach topic,
and do not have good classroom materials - Need a high school version
- Typical high school physics does not include
nuclear science - One Dimensional Motion
- Projectile Motion
- Forces
- Momentum
- Work-Energy
- Planetary Motion
- Electricity
- Magnetism
- Waves (water, sound, light)
- Optics
- Relativity
33The Harnessed Atom High School Honors Edition
- Now, a Re-designed High School Curriculum . . .
- For advanced students grades 11-12
- Updated content and format
- Worked with public schools to review and validate
through Pilot Test of the curriculum - 07-08 Field Testing a revised edition in
regions across the U.S. - Next Distribute curriculum nationally in
partnership with Labs, academic institutions,
public and private sector
34The Harnessed Atom High School Honors Edition
- The Curriculum . . .
- Increases awareness at the pre-college level for
students interested in sciences and
engineering, nuclear engineering, and health
physics - Helps high school students make informed choices
about college majors and career options - ? Supports Department of Energy mission to
foster education and understanding of
energy technologies and options
35The Harnessed Atom High School Honors Edition
- This partnership is important
- Connects public school educators, professional
societies, DOE, research facilities, and private
sector to strengthen the teaching of nuclear
science - Helps students to become informed decision-makers
on energy issues and policy as they become adult
citizens - Perhaps most importantly expands students
awareness of choices for college majors that they
might overlook, including exciting career options
in the health physics, nuclear energy, nuclear
medicine, research, and engineering
36CHAPTERS
3) Atoms and Isotopes 4) Radiation 5) Nuclear
Reactions 6) Nuclear power 7) Nuclear By-products
and Waste 8) Assessing Risk
Cloud Chamber trails Seeing is believing
- Experiments with radioactive material
- Geiger counters
- Background radiation
- Sources--gas light mantles, uranium ore
MOST IMPORTANT LESSON These materials can be
handled safely
37Walking around Penn State after the tour of the
reactor
Ben was extremely excited and said Mr. Iasella,
youve messed everything up! I was planning to
travel, take off from school, but this stuff is
really cool. I want to know how it all works! I
never would have though I would have liked
physics in the beginning of school.
Teachers dont know what topics would light a
fire for individual students
These 2 students are going into the nuclear field
Without this unit, they would never have
considered it
2 out of 70 at Schenley High School Seems small?
Typically only 2-5 would even consider
engineering or science.
38Non-Program Factors That Contributed to Broader
Support of Nuclear Engineering Education
- Formalized Organization of NE Department Chairs
(NEDHO) - Formalized Organization of University Reactor
Directors (TRTR) - Employing Professional Organization
Infrastructure to help communicate message
(American Nuclear Society) - Hiring full-time representative with strong
Congressional resume to carry the message forward - Engage international community and organizations
(IAEA, NEA) in bringing issues (workforce
development/ manpower shortages) to world stage - Intangibles
- Having the head of the Office of Nuclear Energy
thoroughly engaged in university nuclear
engineering support - Champion within the sponsoring agency
39Summary
- University Nuclear Engineering Support Program,
built steadily, achieved success and is now
evolving - Administrations desire to support universities
via NE mission-related research is a current
political reality that could change in a year or
two - Much skepticism in NE community many prefer NE
education programs of the past decade since the
perception is that infrastructure, not research,
is at risk with revised approach - FY 2008 will be a pivotal year as Congress
debates the best way to support nuclear
engineering at universities - House has funding for NRC (15M)
- Senate has funding for DOE (15M)
- Outcome? No one can predict
40Summary
- Within NE, fuel support continues unhindered with
additional funds being considered over the next
few years to enable NE to continue to support
HEU to LEU conversions and rebuild fuel inventory
for university research reactors - MOU between NE and NNSA has now been agreed to
outlining responsibilities for future conversions
and fuel fabrication efforts - GNEP Readiness (3.8M) and NERI-C (10.3M)
funding will be made available to universities by
the close of FY 2007 (September 30th)