TPU and Rosatom launch second course for 6 countries nuclear engineers

TOMSK, Nov 18 – RIA Tomsk. Nuclear physicists from six countries gathered on Monday at Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU): 14 specialists from Nigeria, Zambia, Ghana, Egypt, Serbia and Bolivia will study and work at the unique TPU reactor over the next two weeks. Details – are in the material of RIA Tomsk.

It was previously reported that in 2018 TPU and the Rosatom Technical Academy launched a further education courses for employees from nuclear agencies and universities of other countries. The program involves exploring the capabilities of research reactors and cyclotrons, including for medical purposes and student learning.

TPU Research Reactor, which is the base location of the course, – is the only active university reactor in Russia with permission to train foreign citizens.

Lecture for the professor

Rosatom State Atomiс Energy Corporation operates in more than 40 countries. The main products among nuclear facilities – are nuclear power plants and centers of nuclear science and technology. The scientific centers of Rosatom are based on research reactors and allow solving a wide range of problems using nuclear technologies.

However, not all countries have specialists trained to work in such organizations. In the field of training of national personnel and the establishment of nuclear education, foreign countries are assisted by the Rosatom Technical Academy, which is a single center of competence in the field of nuclear technology and works in conjunction with the core universities of Rosatom.

A joint course with TPU is just part of this activity. Rosatom invites teachers from foreign partner countries to courses in Tomsk.

According to the organizers of the training, the teacher – is a convenient "cell": "If we teach a student, it is not a fact that he will remain in his country and the nuclear industry, but the teacher will definitely stay there, and besides, he will disseminate the knowledge gained in Russia. In addition, teachers often hold senior positions in atomic commissions and agencies".

Thus, the joint course of Tomsk Polytechnic and the Rosatom Technical Academy "builds up" human capital in those countries where there is a desire to develop nuclear programs, but not enough specialists.

As the head of the TPU course Vera Verkhoturova told RIA Tomsk, that last year’s experience showed that the advanced training program for foreigners is successful and allows for the "targeted" preparation of the necessary specialists.

"The head of the department of the capital’s university in Zambia, who was entrusted with developing nuclear educational programs, studied in this course. Following the results of the Tomsk course, he launched the educational process in his country – several courses with the same names and module that we read here", – she told.

After completing the first course, the organizers examined possible candidates for the 2019 program. And on Monday, November 18, 14 foreign experts selected by the state corporation gathered at TPU.

Learn, heal and research

According to Verkhoturova, the goal of the course – is to show the capabilities of a research reactor, cyclotron and betatron on the example of TPU:

"Show how these facilities can be used, in particular, for training personnel. Last year there was an interesting story with colleagues from Egypt. They said that we have a reactor, but we use it for science, and did not know how to start the educational process at the existing facility for the use of atomic energy".

Among other advantages of the presence of such facilities – is the possibility of their use for the diagnosis and treatment of oncology.

"This is obvious to us, but not at all obvious to the invited specialists. Thus, we tell and show that the reactor, figuratively speaking, is not only the production of electricity, but also medicine, the study of the properties of materials, alloying of silicon, without which modern nano- and microelectronics is impossible, and much, much more", – adds the agency’s interlocutor.

Unique format

If we compare the courses of 2018 and 2019, the organizers increased their duration. The first one started from nine working days, the new program is designed for two weeks.

In addition, the first course included only technical study tours to the cyclotron and nuclear reactor, as well as a tour to the Tomsk radiological canyon, and this year the program involves training at the reactor.

"The 2019 course – is unique in its configuration for Russian universities. Participants will spend three full working days at the reactor – to study. It is very difficult to get opportunities for foreigners to study here", – says Verkhoturova.

Participants of the course will be attached to various laboratories of the university reactor, where will be organized full-time classes for them: two days – training on the cyclotron and betatron, plus a whole day in the radiological canyon of the regional oncological clinic.

"From morning till night colleagues from the radiological canyon will train foreign specialists in the direction of "Nuclear Medicine", so that they can get an idea of ​​the possibilities of using these devices and technologies for medicine. There is no such configuration in Russia: for one course to spend several full days on the reactor, accelerator and still capture the cancer clinic", – emphasizes the interlocutor of the agency.

Russian – is not a problem

"One of the objectives of the course – is to show the advantages of Russian nuclear education, because each of these countries has a choice every year where to send students to study. Our education – is applied, universal in terms of competencies. And one of the objectives of the program – is to overcome the stereotype existing in the world, that to study in Russia it is necessary to learn the insanely difficult Russian language", – says Verkhoturova.

The advanced training course "Research Reactors and Cyclotrons: Application, Infrastructure, and Educational Programs" is conducted in English.

"All the course participants from our side – from the staff of the reactor laboratories to the doctors in the radiological canyon – are fluent in English. We show foreigners that if you want to study in Tomsk, you do not need to overcome the language barrier", – she summed up.

About the reactor

The reactor of Tomsk Polytechnic University was launched in 1967 and has since been repeatedly modernized. Over the past 10 years, more than 650 million rubles have been allocated for the modernization and updating of the park of scientific and technological equipment.

 As it specified on the website of the university, the TPU reactor – is a unique educational platform. Annually, 430 students undergo training at the reactor. They in practice gain knowledge on managing a nuclear power plant, providing physical protection for nuclear facilities, nuclear and radiation safety.

The reactor conducts promising research in the field of environmental management and materials science, nuclear medicine. TPU is one of the leading Russian centers for the development and production of radiopharmaceuticals – medicines containing radioisotopes.

Thus, on the basis of the reactor, scientists receive a diagnostic isotope technetium-99m. Here also operates the only in Russia production of scarce radioactive phosphorus-32.

As reported in October 2019, TPU will invest almost 90 million rubles in the modernization of the research university reactor. The works are financed by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation – the university won the competition for modernization and development of unique research facilities (URF), which are created to obtain new results.

The agreement between the Ministry of Education and Science and TPU provides for two stages: the first one – from the moment of conclusion to the end of 2019 (50 million rubles), the second one – until September 2020 (37.5 million rubles). In 2019 the university plans to purchase most of the equipment, and in 2020 to carry out installation and development of methods for working with it.

At the reactor will be created installations that will allow to obtain scientific results and create world-class technologies in the field of cryogenic materials science, neutron capture radiation therapy, synthesis of radiopharmaceuticals and technological isotopes, creation of a component electronic base for the digital economy, and so on.