Nuclearelectrica SA and “Nuclear Energy’s” 2011 Seminar Programme: by popular demand

The success of these educational projects in previous years convinced the management of SN Nuclearelectrica SA and the Romanian Association “Nuclear Energy” to resume, during the 2011 academic year, its programme of seminars dedicated to providing the public with appropriate and accurate information on nuclear energy - beginning with schools and high school students in Bucharest. An agreement was reached with the School Inspectorate of Bucharest with a view to launching several joint initiatives under the “Programme for information for the young generation information relating to nuclear power.”

The project started in March and consisted of the organisation of thematic seminars for both high school and elementary schools students in Bucharest. For high schools a series of four seminars was designed, each dealing with a specific theme. The seminars for the younger students revolved around a single theme. The seminars are adapted to the level of the knowledge the students’ have accumulated in school and the information communicated is adapted to their overall level of understanding.

The first seminar of the series of four opened with a debate on the role of nuclear energy in the context of sustainable development and its contribution to fighting climate change. This was then followed by topics such as the Cernavoda NPP and “Three Miles Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima: three accidents that had a fundamental impact on the destiny of nuclear power.” Finally, the seminar finished with a presentation on radiation and radioactive waste.

Originally intended for a total of around 100 students, the seminar later developed into four modules attended by more than 400 students and teachers. Numerous requests were received from teachers and the headmasters of elementary schools, and this resulted in an increase in the number of seminars - with a special emphasis on secondary school final year students. This gave an opportunity to as many schools as possible in Bucharest to take part. The lack of clear, concise and expert information during normal classes increased students’ and teachers’ interest to find out new information from the invited specialists.

The seminars for general school students followed a more general theme, from the discovery and the importance of the atom, radiation and radioactivity, to different energy sources, highlighting nuclear power importance. The organisers and lecturers that gave presentations are members of the AREN Young Generation.  They joined in the project enthusiastically in order to promote improved and more accurate knowledge of nuclear energy as a whole.

At the end of the seminar programme participants are awarded diplomas, confirming their participation and emphasising their active participation in the programme’s workshops. The most important thing of all was that the participants learned how and where nuclear power is produced. They had an opportunity to see and touch a fuel bundle and, from now on, they are aware of the benefits and drawbacks of various kinds of energy sources.