During the May mini-term, I participated in the Nuclear Research Reactor Laboratory Abroad program in the Czech Republic that was hosted by the Czech Technical University in Prague at the VR-1 training reactor. The first week was used to apply reactor physics principles that we had previously only studied in the classroom. This gave a unique hands-on experience to give a real-world context to the theories learned in the classroom portion. Each experiment not only reinforced our theoretical understanding but also challenged us to effectively collaborate in a professional research setting.
The second week of the course extended our experience to the wider nuclear industry through technical plant visits to the Czech Republic and Austria. We visited the Czech Nuclear Research Institute and were shown around the historic research facilities. The next day, we visited Škoda Nuclear Machinery plants specializing in the manufacture of large-scale nuclear reactor components. The most interesting experience was the tour of the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant, where we observed the integration of older Russian technology with newer nuclear control systems. Our technical experiences concluded in Vienna, at the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), where we learned about international nuclear security and policy initiatives.
In addition to technical visits, we also got exposed to the local culture on the tour. We saw historic landmarks like Prague Castle and Charles Bridge, sampled some of the local food, and toured the iconic Budweiser Budvar brewery. Our final few days were in Vienna, where we saw Belvedere Palace and the Schönbrunn Zoo, the oldest zoo in the world. These provided a rich context to our learning and added to the study abroad experience even more.
Overall, this study abroad experience allowed me to learn theory in nuclear engineering and apply it to real systems. Further, this experience exposed us to a broader international perspective of how nuclear technologies are designed, implemented, and controlled. I return to UT with a greater sense of confidence in the technical field and a greater sense of the worldwide nuclear community, something that I will be able to carry with me for the duration of my career as an engineer.
