Collaboration

South Carolina State University (SCSU) in conjunction with Clemson and SRNL was awarded a grant from the National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Program to start a radiochemistry program. The program will utilizes the resources and talents of SCSU with the existing graduate radiochemistry program at Clemson and the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River National Laboratory(SRNL).  The overall intent of this project is to assist the DOE in increasing the pool of radiochemists that are US citizens and to augment the nation’s security by developing an educational and research program in radiochemistry for the education and training of radiochemists.  To accomplish this, SCSU is setting up a radiochemistry career tract in its chemistry and nuclear engineering programs, and expand its new Applied Radiation Sciences Laboratory (ARSL) capability to include additional instrumentation necessary for radiochemistry instruction and research. SCSU will coordinate the radiochemistry program and the summer intern and faculty research programs in radiochemistry in conjunction with Clemson University and SRNL.

 

 

Clemson EE&S Department

The Clemson EE&S Department provides two courses for the Radiochemistry Program: Ionizing Detection and Radiation Measurements Laboratory (EE&S 411/611), and Specific Topics in Radiochemistry (EE&S 491). As the EE&S department focuses on the graduate school education, our students are exposed to an atmosphere of academic studying as well as scientific investigations when they take the courses during sophomore and junior summers.

 

Dr. R. A. Fjeld and Dr. T. A. DeVol at Clemson EE&S Department are responsible for the collaboration with the SCSU Radiochemistry Program. They are experienced college professors and project investigators. Their suggestions and ideas are very helpful in building up the academic strength of the program.

 

· Summary of the 2006 Summer Course for the SCSU Radiochemistry Students

 

 

Savannah River National Laboratory

The SRNL point of contact Dr. M. Bronikowski is to provide technical consultation to SCSU in setting up its radiochemistry minor while keeping in mind NNSA future needs and utilize the unique SRNL environment for student training.

 

Last year, the Radiochemistry students spent one week at SRNL for instruction and touring of the Savannah River Site’s various radiochemical operations and processes with a direct emphasis on those dealing with the NNSA. In future years, the time at SRNL would be extended to two weeks or co-op’s and summer work in radiochemistry at the site would be looked into for the students.

 

· Report on the Instruction and Touring SRNL for the SCSU Radiochemistry Students in 2006