Exploring Background Radiation: K-12 Classroom Investigations

Nuclear science experiments don’t need exotic equipment. You can create an engaging background radiation lab exploration with a vacuum cleaner and a coffee filter. Candace Davison, former Assistant Director for Education and Outreach and Coordinator of the Gamma Irradiation facility at Penn State, shows how to collect and detect radon in your classroom.

In the lab with nuclear scientists: Critical and Sub-critical Assemblies

Imagine a reactor that doesn't produce power. These "critical assemblies" are essential in conducting experiments using fissionable materials. Learn how they are used by scientists at Los Alamos, Lawrence Livermore, and Sandia national laboratories.

Build a Nucleus:
K-12 Classroom Investigations

Learn about Build a Nucleus, a new simulation from the University of Colorado Boulder’s PhET Interactive Simulations. The simulation's creator, Luisa Vargas Suarez of PhET, demonstrates Build a Nucleus’s capabilities and the classroom investigations and learning goals it supports.

Microreactors:
Nuclear Power in a Small, Modular Package

Microreactors are big news in clean energy technology. Learn what they are, how they work, and their benefits from Piyush Sabharwall, senior staff nuclear research scientist and technical lead for the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy's Microreactor R&D Program at Idaho National Laboratory.

Radioisotopes:
Nuclear Applications Beyond Energy

Julie Ezold, Californium-252 Program Manager at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, TN, presents background on radioisotopes, how they are made, and their uses for applications beyond nuclear energy.

Decoding Radioactive Decay:
Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and More

Whether you're new to teaching radioactive decay or looking for a refresher, Dr. Mary Lou Dunzik-Gougar makes this complex topic easier to understand.

Integrating Energy Systems for a Greener Future

Shannon Bragg-Sitton, Director of the Integrated Energy and Storage Systems Division at Idaho National Laboratory, presented Department of Energy research about optimizing energy sources through integrated systems.

Measuring Radiation:
K-12 Classroom Investigations

Amber Johnson, director of the University of Maryland Radiation Facilities and Senior Reactor Operator, demonstrates inquiry-based activities for measuring radiation.

Visualizing Radiation:
Making Radiation Real with Cloud Chambers

Candace Davison, former Assistant Director for Education and Outreach and Coordinator of the Gamma Irradiation facility at the Penn State Radiation Science and Engineering Center, shows how to set up and use cloud chambers successfully.

What About the Waste?
Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle

Mary Lou Dunzik-Gougar, a professor at Idaho State University and former ANS president, explains the nuclear fuel cycle.

Nuclear Energy: Fission, Fusion and the Future

Learn the basics and the latest in nuclear energy from Eric Loewen, chief consulting engineer for GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy and ANS President 2011-2012.