(Florencia de los Angeles Renteria del Toro) Mexico, South Korea, China - Why study Nuclear Science

Why study Nuclear Science?

Florencia de los Angeles Renteria del Toro Mexico PhD student of Nuclear Science and Technology Harbin Engineering University, China May 20, 2020 My name is Florencia Renteria, I’m 27 years old, from Mexico and started to develop my career in Nuclear Industry in 2017.

I finished my Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering in Mexico (2016) at Instituto Tecnologico de la Laguna. I continued my Master’s studies in Nuclear Power Plant Engineering in South Korea (2017-2019) at KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School (KINGS). Currently, I’m studying my PhD in Nuclear Science and Technology in China (2019-2023) at Harbin Engineering University (HEU).

During the summer of 2019 I had the opportunity to join the Summer Institute Program from World Nuclear University Graduation Ceremony of Summer Institute Program 2019 (WNU); 82 people from 39 countries were united to develop leadership, communication and management skills for the development of the Nuclear Industry.

The trainings, conferences and programs in our industry help us to communicate and get connected with people around the world who work in the same field. One of the main challenges is working in an international environment because functioning as a team and combining different types of ideas is not easy but it enriches the work. For example, people have the opportunity to enhance their communication skills, develop several approaches for gaining knowledge such as Team Teaching and Team Learning, and create strategies for international cooperation partnerships.

In my journey in education, I have been participating in projects that help to develop and optimize technology in different countries. My area of expertise is Nuclear Reactor Design and, during my master’s program, I worked in the design of a new reactor in Korea which would implement a new nuclear fuel management strategy for the fuel utilization and optimization in the production of electricity. Currently, I am working with

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Nuclear Energy Systems developed in China on the application of Artificial Neural Networks to Loading Pattern determination.

Visit to Gรถsgen Nuclear Power Plant, Switzerland (2019)

Our origins and education made us who we are today and, in my short experience, I had the opportunity to travel and study outside of my country. It has helped me to understand the world and different cultures and discover new ways of working. Every country has a different system and in the beginning it can be hard to adjust to a new atmosphere, but we learn something from every culture that we will keep for our entire life. The Nuclear Industry is a field that offers new opportunities for those who want to learn new disciplines and contribute

their knowledge to create a sustainable world.

Science and Technology are some pillars upon which to develop society and educate future generations. I would encourage young people who are currently studying their undergraduate and graduate studies to select a career in Nuclear Engineering, Nuclear Medicine or any other choice in Nuclear Science because this industry is a combination of multidisciplinary fields and combines the knowledge of those within it to enrich the innovations in the field and for the benefit of society.

Matriculation Ceremony at KINGS 2017, South Korea

Graduation Ceremony at KINGS 2019, South Korea

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What I would entirely recommend to the new students and the current students in our industry is to enjoy your time and study as much as you can; knowledge leads to more creativity and invention and those are two things that we need in our working lives.

Whatever opportunity that comes into our lives, like an internship, training, new job or graduate studies, please do not hesitate to take it; you will enjoy and learn from each place.

What makes the difference is keeping a good attitude and a positive mind and we should never lose our hopes and dreams as those are what keep us striving towards our goals.

In organizations, companies and research institutions around the world, information about the nuclear field is shared to the public; in that way students, parents, teachers and professionals in the field could be updated about the projects, current trends and new opportunities for younger generations. Specifically, to know the benefits and applications of the nuclear industry, organizations like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), World Nuclear Association (WNA), and Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) seek out peaceful uses of nuclear energy and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and help to develop nuclear programs around the world.

Nuclear technology is one of the best options to mitigate climate change and it is a source of Carbon Dioxide Free Emissions to power our lives. It is part of the energy matrix distribution plan in several countries and it achieves sustainable development goals. The main target of the nuclear industry is to expand and create more nuclear energy programs to replace fossil fuel facilities with low carbon emission sources and play a leading role around the world. Nowadays, the industry is making new investments in more Visit to Institute of Physics and Technology of Heilongjiang sustainable technology, for instance, many Academy of Science 2019, China emerging and industrial nations believe that increased use of nuclear energy will be needed to secure clean energy supplies.

That's why they have teamed up for a Generation IV research and development program to meet this challenge. Generation IV covers the entire system of nuclear energy, from extraction to disposal, including nuclear reactors and the nuclear fuel cycle.

Generation IV International Forum (GIF) is seeking to develop more economical, sustainable and safe nuclear reactors, from their fuel cycles to decommissioning and waste treatment, and thus meet the world’s energy needs. Research on the fourthgeneration reactors is therefore needed for the realization of this program. GIF proposed six reactor types as the future nuclear technology which have clear advantages and technological advancements compared to the current technology in the market, along 3

with meeting the sustainable development goals. There are breakthrough possibilities in the development of new generation nuclear reactors, where the life-time of the nuclear waste can be reduced to some hundreds of years instead of the present time-scales of hundred thousands of years.

If someone asked what my plan was after my bachelor’s, I would say it was completely different from the things I’m doing now, but I have to say my desires and goals evolved over time and I took advantage of the opportunities in front of me. When we are studying and preparing for something, we have to understand our mission as humans and what could be our contribution to this world. For me, the nuclear industry opened the doors for great opportunities, and I am very happy to develop myself in this field.

Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) experiment at Harbin Engineering University 2019, China

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