Atoms at Work is the newest Purdue University West Lafayette residential camp with a 96% enjoyment rating and a 32% increase in knowledge of nuclear energy.

The camp was organized by Reactor Supervisor and Assistant Nuclear Engineering Radiation Laboratory (NERL) Director, True Miller together with Assistant Professor, Associate Reactor Director and Director of Nuclear Engineering Radiation Laboratory, Dr. Stylianos Chatzidakis; Electronics Technician, Brian Jowers; and Head of the School of Nuclear Engineering, Dr. Seungjin Kim. The camp was also supported by the Associate Administrative Assistant, Teresa Luse; Executive Assistant to the Head, Kellie Reece; and Associate Marketing and Communications Specialist, Jessica Johnson.

In collaboration with faculty guest lecturers, the summer camp was taught by Purdue nuclear engineering undergraduate and graduate leaders. Each day of the one-week course, the high-school students participated in a combination of interactive lectures and hands on experiments, where they watched and took part in demonstrations of concepts ranging from radiation detection to reactor physics. The experience culminated, at the end of the week, with a hands-on lab where students used the PUR-1 research reactor for their final experiment. Students also took a tour of a commercial nuclear power plant.

Everyday included two interactive lectures that allowed them to put their high school chemistry and physics knowledge to work. Lectures included learning activities, videos, and memes, showcasing where nuclear engineering is used in day-to-day life, where it is featured in pop-culture, and where many common myths can be debunked. Students asked thought provoking and challenging questions surrounding research, ethics, experimentation, and more.  

After having lunch in one of Purdue’s five dining halls, each day students toured the School of Nuclear Engineering Thermal Hydraulics Research Facility, PUR-1 Reactor, Multiphase and Fuel Cell Research Laboratory and Nuclear Engineering Radiation Laboratory, where they conducted experiments involving cloud chambers, laminar flow, subcritical multiplication and more. 

I really enjoyed all of the labs; they were my favorite part,” said one student. “I really liked the hands-on projects and learned a lot from them.” Another student said jokingly, “I wish we could take some of the experiments home!” 

The fun and jokes continued through the midweek barbecue at Happy Hollow Park. Students enjoyed hotdogs and hamburgers, played football, and mingled with the school staff, faculty, and summer camp leaders. 

The six nuclear engineering student leaders, Chloe Yoder, Riley Madden, Andres Gomez, Dylan Johnson, William Richardson, and Alex Baker, were camp favorites. They fostered fun and memorable activities that helped nurture student’s interest in nuclear energy. Leaders prepared presentations several months before the students arrived and did an excellent job at providing a glimpse of what nuclear engineering can look like as a college student. 

In an exit survey, one student mentioned, “Atoms at Work was very beneficial for my college career choices.” Another student said, “This definitely helped push me to go into nuclear.” 

On the last day of the five-day camp, students took a field trip to Clinton Nuclear Power Plant located in Clinton, IL, where students were able to experience first-hand the massive scale of engineering that commercial nuclear power encompasses. The final activity at the power plant allowed students to interact and play with a one-to-one interactive model of the plant’s control room, allowing students to see how all of the plant’s systems work together to ensure the safe and continuous production of clean electricity. 

To mark the completion of the camp, students were presented with certificates that signified the fulfillment of the 2-credit fun-size course requirements. “It was encouraging to see the level of excitement for nuclear technologies that this up-and-coming generation has,” said True. “With this course students can test the waters of what a career in nuclear may look like for them and learn about topics they might not be exposed to during their high school career.”

“I really enjoyed the camp,” said a student. “Thank you for putting in so much time and effort into this program. I learned so much about nuclear engineering, Purdue, and our world. Thank you!!!”

To learn more about the Atoms at Work Summer Camp, visit https://engineering.purdue.edu/NE/Summer-Camp/Atoms-At-Work.