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The American Nuclear Society officially approved the establishment of a student section at Abilene Christian University. ACU is one of 54 U.S. colleges and universities to have an ANS student chapter.
The organization’s purpose is to communicate to the student body about current developments relative to ACU’s Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing Laboratory (NEXT Lab) and other nuclear research on campus.
One of the club’s primary goals is to grow – specifically to double in size – to reach a larger audience and teach people about the significant benefits and applications of nuclear technology.
“We know the potential of nuclear energy and the importance of having a world-class nuclear energy research lab on campus, but many students are not aware of this,” said Drew Reiley, senior mechanical engineering major and club president. “ANS is different from other clubs in that while we are an educational and STEM-based club that is officially a student section under the American Nuclear Society, there are so many opportunities and resources for all other majors to learn about by being a part of ANS.”
Reiley and the other current members are planning activities to get students involved. The first is a series of guest speakers featuring panel discussions with experts in the nuclear industry and academia. They are also collaborating with NEXT Lab to organize research tours of their facility and learn more about the benefits of molten salt reactors. Events like barbecues and movie nights with other campus organizations will help create a sense of community.
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“With the involvement of professors and occasional talks from industry experts, members of ANS have plenty of opportunities to network with leading professionals and academics in the field of nuclear energy. Also, the proximity of the Molten Salt Research Reactor being built by the NEXT Lab here on campus provides unique hands-on research through internships over the summer as well as throughout the school year,” Reiley said.
Carson Noack, a May 2024 mechanical engineering graduate, began seeking approval to establish the organization on campus in 2023. The process included articulating the club’s purpose, enrolling at least 10 active members, having a full-time ACU faculty member as an advisor, and creating a constitution or set of by-laws.
“Once I became familiar with ANS, I realized it was something I wanted to be a part of starting; it provides students with the opportunity to learn more about nuclear energy, network with professionals and promote the nuclear industries. I believe establishing this student chapter will enable students to engage with industry advancements and provide a platform to learn about and advocate for nuclear energy,” Noack said.
The work of ACU’s NEXT Lab is sponsored by Natura Resources LLC. ACU is part of the Natura Resources Research Alliance – along with the Georgia Institute of Technology, Texas A&M University and The University of Texas at Austin – which is working to license and deploy the Natura MSR-1, a 1 megawatt thermal Molten Salt Reactor, on the ACU campus.
Learn more about NEXT Lab, Natura Resources and ACU’s Department of Engineering and Physics.
— Vivian Banegas
July 23, 2024