We had 13 students in the Tri-Cities last week for a tour of Hanford and meetings with professionals who work in Richland on nuclear issues. The tour was hosted by the Department of Energy and was so much fun. I've been 3 times now and learn so much every time I go.
For many of the students, the highlights were Reactor B (soon to be a National Park) and the pump and treat system (where they pump contaminated groundwater out of the ground, treat it and pump it back into the ground). All of this was a direct application of what the students have been learning in class (!).
The second day was, in some ways, even more interesting. Dr. James Conca was gracious enough to meet us for breakfast and an early morning lecture. We learned about nuclear waste and what the options are for disposing of it. This included discussions of the Vitrification plant being built at Hanford, Yucca Mountain (no longer an option) and WIPP. We also met with Anna King (NPR!). She gave great advice to students on how journalists and scientists can best interact with each other.
We are fortunate to have so many people willing to help with the learning experience. Thanks!
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