Nuclear Science Trailer at Wyoming Schools, Public Reception to Accompany UW Nuclear Energy Emerging Issue Forum

The Nuclear Energy Emerging Issue Forum will feature a public reception with interactive exhibits about nuclear industries Monday, April 13, from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

The forum, co-convened by the University of Wyoming's Ruckelshaus Institute, the UW School of Energy Resources (SER) and the Wyoming Energy Authority, will take place at UW's Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center Monday-Tuesday, April 13-14.

The reception will feature the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Nuclear Science Trailer, a mobile education platform designed to engage learners of all ages through hands-on exhibits and interactive demonstrations. The trailer offers exhibits on topics such as atomic structure, nuclear fission and how a nuclear power plant works.

The reception also will feature exhibits from BWXT, Ur-Energy and SER. Participants will interact with uranium ore, multiple kinds of radiation sensors and a virtual reality experience where they can "walk through" real, operating nuclear reactors.

There also will be programming on recently developed community guides on how to engage with proposed large energy projects, and a demo of how to navigate the Agency Documents and Management System to access the public document database of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Registration is not required to attend the public reception.

Goals of the forum include:

-- Building a shared understanding of all parts of the nuclear energy fuel cycle, including the cultural and historical context, the potential risks and benefits, and the regulatory framework.

-- Equipping participants with the knowledge and tools to engage in informed decision-making regarding current and future development of nuclear energy industries in Wyoming.

-- Identifying policy, community engagement, research, planning and other needs or opportunities, and beginning to develop strategies to address them.

The forum website is available here.

Nuclear Science Trailer Visits

In addition to the public reception, the INL Nuclear Science Trailer will visit a number of schools in towns across Wyoming, reaching hundreds of students.

Monday, the trailer will visit schools in Laramie, in conjunction with the regional Environmental Protection Agency's science outreach team.

Tuesday, the trailer will visit schools in Rock Springs and Kemmerer on its way back to INL in Idaho Falls.

For questions, email Birch Malotky, emerging issues initiative coordinator for the Ruckelshaus Institute, at [email protected].