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UKENEWS

Inside This Issue 1 Boy Scouts Workshop 2 Pandora’s Promise Social 3 NRC Hearing 4 ANS Winter Conference X Upcoming Events & Announcements X About ANS @ UF

Volume 3 Issue 3 November 2013

Boy Scouts Nuclear Science Badge

Workshop by Jitesh Kuntawala

On October 26, 2013 the American Nuclear Society student section at UF hosted a daylong workshop for local boy scouts to earn their Nuclear Science badge. Scouts spent the day learning about radiation, nuclear energy, nuclear science and more from UF nuclear engineering students. In addition, scouts participated in candy isotope building, electroscope building, a radiation detection experiment, and were able to take a tour of the University of Florida Training Reactor.

science, and more from UF nuclear engineering students. In addition, scouts participated in candy isotope building, electroscope building, a radiation detection experiment, and were able to take a tour of the University of Florida Training Reactor.

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“Pandora's Promise” Screening Generates Approval from American Nuclear Society Members at the

University of Florida by Olin W. Calvin

For decades, nuclear reactors have provided clean energy for nations around the world and promoted peace by preventing the need for nations to struggle with one another over dwindling supplies of fossil fuels. Despite the numerous successes of nuclear energy in the civil sector, the mention of the word “nuclear” still conjures images of bombs and the apocalypse in the mind of the general public. Pandora's Promise highlights this misinformation with testimonies from people who spent years protesting the advancement of nuclear energy in the United States. However, these same activists attest that when they took the time to conduct genuine research in the subject of nuclear energy, they came to the realization that their beliefs, intrinsic to their “environmentalist” mindset, were based on lies and myths and not science. Indeed, perhaps the most important aspect of Pandora's Promise is the fact that it provides a general overview of the nuclear industry without delving into the more technical and scientific aspects of the field. Kathleen Smith, a Pre-Social Worker at the University of South Florida, states that, “[The film] was easy to understand. The general concepts of the film were clear and the film provides scientific evidence without getting too technical.” She also states that, with regards to a scene in the film, “I really liked the graph comparing the death tolls of different energy sources,” which stated that coal power plants are responsible for thousands of deaths every year, with nuclear energy being responsible for less than 100 deaths in the past decade. Students with a more in-depth interest and study in the nuclear field also support the film as a way to better bridge the current gap between the knowledge of nuclear scientists and the public's conceptions of nuclear science. Chelsea Collins, President of the American Nuclear Society at the University of Florida and a graduate student in nuclear engineering, raves, “The film adds a dimension of drama to make an informative film engaging. I would definitely show the film to all of my friends and family, 4/4 stars.” She also qualifies that, “Having a background in nuclear science helps you understand the film better, but the point of the film in dispelling preconceived notions can be understood regardless of your background.” Support for the film even came from the various professors in attendance. Dr. Sedat Goluoglu, PhD in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Tennessee, comments on how, “I was expecting more of a documentary, but was surprised at how they interviewed mainly ex-anti-nuclear environmentalists in the movie in order to make their point.” Pandora's Promise also addressed the “elephant in the room” when it comes to dealing with anything nuclear: radiation. Dr. Goluoglu reflected on how, “The part with the counter showing varying levels of background radiation made a good point in showing how high levels of radiation people are exposed to in nature everyday.” Indeed the makers of the film demonstrated that even quarantined zones in Chernobyl don't match levels of radiation found in certain beaches and cities. Perhaps the overall sentiment of the film is best summarized by Hernan Godoy, a sophomore in nuclear engineering at the University of Florida, who said, “I would definitely recommend this film as it’s important for my friends and family to see.” Pandora's Promise succeeds in taking an otherwise bleak scenario and crafting a beacon of hope for the nuclear industry and the future of humanity as a whole. Indeed the film outlines that the greatest enemy of nuclear energy is misinformation, and that, as with so many problems in this world, the best way to combat it is education, and Pandora's Promise is a great step towards educating the public.

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Jitesh Kuntawala testifies in front of the NRC Waste Confidence hearing !!

NRC Waste Confidence Generic Environmental Impact Statement Public Hearing

by Jitesh Kuntawala ! On November 6, 2013 the Nuclear Regulatory Commission held a hearing for public comment on the latest draft of the Waste Confidence Generic Environmental Impact Statement in Orlando, Florida. The student section of the American Nuclear Society at UF joined experts in the field to provide the commission with Florida-based testimony in support of the pending generic EIS. In attendance were Jitesh Kuntawala, Devin Kelley, Chelsea Collins, Allan Martin, and James Totten. Below is an excerpt of the testimony that was given by Jitesh Kuntawala:

“As students in the state of Florida, we believe that the current and continued use of zero emission nuclear energy is vital to the state, both environmentally and economically. For the many decades which nuclear energy has been used, spent nuclear fuel has been stored safely and securely on site at Florida's nuclear power plants. With their environmental assessments the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has shown that the environmental impact of the storage of spent nuclear fuel is small. In addition, research by major Universities around the nation has shown the safety of the storage of spent nuclear fuel. It is our belief that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission should move promptly to finalize the Waste Confidence Generic Environmental Impact Statement. A delay in this process is detrimental to the future of our state's long-term energy portfolio. To finalize, the continued storage of spent nuclear fuel on site is not a limiting factor of the operation of Florida's zero emission nuclear power plants nor is it an environmental or public safety issue. We as nuclear engineering students are studying everyday so that we can be a part of our nation's clean energy, zero emission future.”

L-R: Chelsea Collins, Devin Kelley, James Totten, Jitesh Kuntawala, and Allan Martin !!

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What is ANS @ UF? The American Nuclear Society Student Chapter at the University of Florida is an organization of Nuclear and Radiological engineering students dedicated to the promotion of nuclear science and technology for the benefit of humanity. This chapter is instrumental in informing the public of everyday radiological applications.

American Nuclear Society 202 Nuclear Sciences Building Gainesville, FL 32611 If you would like to join ANS or have potential news for the next issue, please contact the Secretary, Nicholas Yap, at ufl.ans.secretary@gmail.com.

Upcoming Events General Body Meeting Jan. 8

General Body Meeting Jan. 22

COE Flag Football Tournament Jan. 25

General Body Meeting Feb. 5

General Body Meeting Feb. 19

COE Camping Trip Feb. 22

ANS Student Conference Apr. 2-6 (Penn State)

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ANS Winter Conference 2013 by Chelsea Collins

! ANS at UF members traveled to Washington, D.C., from November 10 to 14, to attend the ANS National Winter Conference held at the Omni Shoreham. The conference started out with a program for students participating in the Student Assistant Program Sunday night, followed by the President’s Reception, which featured a student poster session and a nuclear technology expo with companies including AREVA, INL, PNNL, and many more. On Monday, students participated in a Student Sections Committee meeting and attended a Student Social Monday night. Tuesday, students assisted at sessions and attended the Southeastern Reception Tuesday night hosted by UF, Texas A&M, NC State, and the University of Tennessee, and met Gwyneth Cravens, from the film “Pandora’s Promise”. The conference also included time for site-seeing around the DC area, and students were able to tour the Capitol building, the Library of Congress, and the Smithsonian museums, among other sites.

ANS at UF students at the Southeastern Reception with Gwyneth Cravens from the pro-nuclear film “Pandora’s Promise”!