Rizal Alfariji, a student from the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Physics, UGM Faculty of Engineering, recently seized a remarkable opportunity to participate in the “Core Modelling for Core Design” course, generously sponsored by ENEN2+ Mobility.
This course was organized by the Graduate Education Alliance for Teaching the Physics and Safety of Nuclear Reactors (GRE@T-PIONEeR) under the patronage of the European Nuclear Education Network (ENEN).
GRE@T-PIONEeR, a Euratom initiative initiated in November 2020, has spent three years uniting partners across Europe to establish a formidable alliance in nuclear education, spearheaded by Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden).
“The primary objective of this course is to develop educational and training resources for students and professionals specializing in reactor physics and nuclear reactor safety,” elucidated Alfariji on Friday (Feb. 2).
Spanning five enlightening days from Nov. 27 to Dec. 1, 2023, in Valencia, Spain, the course drew 38 attendees from diverse corners of the globe, including Italy, Spain, England, Switzerland, Denmark, Germany, Poland, and South Korea.
Among this cohort, 14 participants attended in person, while 24 others engaged remotely. Throughout this intensive period, Rizal and his peers, comprising master’s students, doctoral candidates, and seasoned practitioners in the nuclear safety domain, immersed themselves in dynamic interactive learning sessions.
They delved into the fundamental theories underpinning Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) and Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) core reactor modeling while also honing their skills in reactor core modeling utilizing industry-standard computer programs like OpenMC and PARCS.
“Of course, I am grateful for this opportunity, as it fostered invaluable exchanges of experiences and insights into nuclear reactor safety cultures from the diverse backgrounds of the participants’ respective countries,” he articulated.
Alfariji elucidated that the GRE@T-PIONEeR course unfolded in two distinct segments: asynchronous and synchronous sessions. In the asynchronous phase, participants were allotted a month to navigate through modules, instructional videos, quizzes, and assignments, accumulating a total effective learning duration of 40 hours.
The synchronous phase, conducted in a hybrid format across five days, prioritized dynamic interactive learning sessions employing diverse computer program platforms. This segment unfolded at the Universitat Politècnica de València, catering to attendees who could partake in person.
Renowned professors from various esteemed universities across the European Union, including Nuria García-Herranz, Christophe Demazière, Máté Szieberth, Rafa Miró, Gergely Klujber, and Emilio Castro, guided the participants.
“The culmination of the GRE@T-PIONEeR course involved a series of exams, collaborative assignments, and the issuance of certificates to the participants,“ he disclosed.
For Alfariji, this transformative course has broadened his insights, deepened his understanding of nuclear reactor core modeling and safety, and expanded his professional network, connecting him with esteemed professionals and academics from diverse nations.
Armed with the newfound knowledge and experiences from this course, Alfariji and his fellow participants stand poised to make meaningful contributions to the research and development endeavors driving safe and sustainable nuclear technology forward.
He envisions this course as the inaugural step toward a promising and sustainable future in nuclear technology.
Author: Agung Nugroho