Exploring Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering Camp
Camp is FULL for Summer 2026.
Application is OPEN for Summer 2026. Register Now.
Application is CLOSED for Summer 2026.
This is an INVITE-ONLY camp.
Application is TBA for Summer 2026. Check back soon.
Cost
- June 21 - June 27
Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering (NPRE) is a branch of engineering with broad and diverse but complimentary applications–among them: continued safe and reliable energy production, plasma science and engineering, development of fusion reactors, use of radiation for biomedical research and healthcare, and nuclear safeguards and radiation detection for homeland security.
NPRE is for those who:
- Are passionate about impacting climate change and exploring clean, renewable energy sources
- Want to innovate the plasma technologies of the future
- Are interested in harnessing the power of nuclear fusion
- Want to apply radiological science to advancing medicine, human health, and national security
- Enjoy experimental hands-on and/or computational research using math, physics, and computer skills
Campers will explore NPRE through interactive presentations and discussions, hands-on activities, computer programming and simulations, demonstrations, lab tours, and field trips.
Explore and Learn
- What is the miraculous atom?
- How do fission and fusion reactions produce energy?
- Does radiation really surround us in our everyday lives?
- How does a nuclear reactor work?
- What are some different reactor design types?
- What are thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer and what do they have to do with nuclear engineering?
- What are issues regarding nuclear reactor safety?
- What is a day in the life of a nuclear engineer at a commercial nuclear power plant?
- Where does material science intersect nuclear engineering?
- How do risk and reliability factor into design considerations?
- How do we manage spent nuclear fuel?
- How can we use AI and machine learning to improve safety in nuclear reactor operations?
- How does computer and data science contribute to nuclear science and engineering?
- What is plasma and what are its uses?
- How do plasmas contribute to the fields of medicine and materials processing?
- What is the role of plasmas in semiconductor design and fabrication?
- What are current developments in fusion reactors?
- How does a radiation detector work?
- What are some medical applications of radiation?
Demonstrations:
- See how we can detect and visualize radiation
- Learn about radiation dosages, half-life and decay, and shielding
- Observe vacuum and atmospheric plasmas
- See how medical imaging is used to diagnose disease
- Discover how radiation detection helps maintain human health and national security
Possible Tours:
- Radiation measurements laboratory
- Multiphase thermo-fluid dynamics laboratory
- Center for researching plasma-material interactions relevant to fusion, semiconductors, and plasma manufacturing
- HIDRA, the Hybrid Illinois Device for Research and Applications, a toroidal magnetic fusion device
- Radiation detection and imaging laboratory
- Constellation Clinton Power Station