Nuclear systems involve technologies designed to make use of properties of atomic nuclei to carry out work in a range of domains, including agriculture, environmental monitoring, medicine, security, mining, power generation, and beyond. While the beneficial uses of such systems are significant – providing societies with access to medical imaging, cancer treatment, security screening, efficient mineral processing, and more – there are considerable safety and security considerations involved in designing, creating, operating, maintaining, and decommissioning such systems.
This minor is designed to help engineering students become aware of some of the key safety and security considerations involved in working on nuclear systems, and develop the nuclear science competencies needed to contribute to collaborative work in this space. This awareness will be achieved through coursework providing foundational knowledge in nuclear science, systems sciences, and the nuclear fuel cycle. Students will gain experience in both hands-on and computational work of relevance to nuclear systems through laboratory and project work and will benefit from the expertise and facilities available through the ANU Heavy Ion Accelerator Facility – one of Australia’s premier nuclear accelerator facilities – and the ANU Department of Nuclear Physics and Accelerator Applications as well as collaborations and guest lectures from experts with a range of expertise working on all stages of the lifecycles of nuclear systems.
Learning Outcomes
- Apply systematic design-oriented science and engineering principles, including those aided by mathematical modelling and computer simulation, to inform nuclear science considerations relevant to the safe and secure design, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of nuclear systems.
- Evaluate solutions to engineering problems in?nuclear systems, by selecting and applying theoretical principles and methods from relevant fields such as the nuclear science, computational sciences, and systems theory.
- Demonstrate proficiency with advanced knowledge and tools for the safe and responsible design, operations, maintenance and decommissioning of?nuclear systems, with a focus on nuclear physics, radiation detection, and health physics.
- Identify, compare, and assess the nuclear science-related safety and security considerations of current developments and emerging trends?in contemporary and prospective nuclear systems, such as the potential integration of small modular reactors in energy grids, autonomous control and monitoring systems in nuclear facilities and applications of artificial intelligence in nuclear facilities.
- Use?disciplinary knowledge?and effective communication skills?to work effectively in teams, in ways that foster a sustainable culture of safe and responsible practice appropriate for nuclear systems work.?
Relevant Degrees
Requirements
This minor requires the completion of 24 units, which must come from the completion of the following compulsory courses:
ENGN4549 Engineering Nuclear Systems (6 units)
ENGN4204 Fundamentals of Nuclear Radiation (6 units)
ENGN4205 Nuclear Fuel Cycle (6 units)
ENGN4222 Advanced Nuclear Reactors (6 units)
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