Intro to Nuclear Tech - Medicine, Power, Weapons, & Waste

What comes to your mind when you hear "nuclear". The finale of World War II. Toxic waste that lasts for generations.

Perhaps its something more positive - such as life saving medicine, or reliable carbon-free power that could be a major asset to fighting climate change. I've been working in the nuclear industry for over 3 years now, and I get questions all the time from friends and family who want to know what my work is about. Not just my job as a Nuclear Engineer, but about my career - why do we use nuclear technology and why is there so much conflicting information about it.

These questions are what led to the creation of this course - a simple and easy to understand introduction to the exciting world of nuclear technology. In this self paced reading course, you'll discover:Why radiation exists and how we can control it to our benefitWhat causes nuclear fission and nuclear fission, and why splitting and fusing atoms both produce energyHow nuclear power fights climate change without generating carbon emissionsHow doctors and cancer patients fight tumors with brachytherapy radiation treatmentsHow nuclear propulsion powers the US Navy's submarines and aircraft carriersWho manages nuclear waste in the United States and how they plan to dispose of it in the long termWho prevents nuclear weapons from falling into the wrong handsEach section also has a simple assignment for you to complete to see how nuclear technology impacts your community - interview a patient who received radiation therapy, check out a research reactor at a university near you, or look up historical records about how the press responded to a nuclear weapon test done in your country. A new world will open up to you once you see how radiation is everywhere and that society is using nuclear technology to help improve everyone's lives.

By the end of this course, you'll become familiar enough with nuclear technology and vocabulary that you'll no longer be afraid when you see "nuclear" or "radiation" in the news or in your favorite video games - you'll know exactly what is going on and can proceed with confidence in what you know. "I'm not good with science, there's no way I could understand something as crazy advanced as nuclear technology. "Worry not.