The first class of nuclear engineering students at Flinders University are getting hands-on practical skills at a working nuclear reactor as part of a 15-week exchange at the Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center.
The seven students, who will become the first group of ‘home-grown’ South Australian engineers with nuclear major qualifications when they graduate mid next year, are also taking part in a range of projects at the University of Rhode Island with US submarine and defence industry companies and agencies.
“It is an exceptional opportunity to learn from leading nuclear engineering experts and gain exposure as they build nuclear capability and skill for Australia,” says Professor Giselle Rampersad, the Dean of Education at the College of Science and Engineering at Flinders University.
The inaugural group commenced the new nuclear engineering major in January last year as part of their mechanical and electrical and electronic engineering degrees.
“Since its commencement, there has been 35 participants in the nuclear engineering program at Flinders University, half from undergraduate engineering and science students and the other half from defence and defence industry,” says Professor Rampersad.
“This group of students are courageous, talented and driven young people and are Australia’s future leaders.
“They are capable, empowered and diverse and are gaining skills to support numerous industries from the AUKUS program and defence to the fields of nuclear medicine, construction of nuclear facilities and shipyards and also energy or manufacturing in the supply chain linked to the tri-nation partnership.”
On top of their main degree, the students have completed subjects on Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Performance, Nuclear Reactor Engineering, Radiation Damage in Nuclear Materials and will move on to as well as Nuclear Safety Design and Analysis and Nuclear Power and Propulsion after learning about Nuclear Reactor Operations in the US.
Among the first cohort to major in nuclear engineering are country students Clayton Peel from Mt Benson and Nicholas Scott from Millicent in the state’s South East, and Madeline Macalister, the first person in her family to attend university.
Madeline says the US exchange is inspiring and invigorating.
“The collaboration between Flinders University and The University of Rhode Island is not only an incredible academic exchange for us students, but also provides an immersion into university life and culture in America,” she says.
“I could not be more thankful, grateful and invigorated for this experience and everything more we have to learn.
“The future looks bright for aspiring Australian nuclear engineers”.
Over the summer holidays, Dr Cameron Goodwin, the director of the University of Rhode Island Nuclear Research Science Center, gave an intensive workshop at Flinders University’s Tonsley campus.
The engineering students’ US visit coincides with another Flinders University exchange program run by the Jeff Bleich Centre for law and other students in Washington DC.