Twelve McMaster students spent the summer immersed in nuclear research as part of the CNL Nuclear Undergraduate Research Experience program. 

Now in its third year, the program enables students enrolled in Level II or above in the Faculties of Engineering and Science to develop valuable research and technical skills in the nuclear field.  

Students spent fourteen weeks at McMaster and two weeks at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories’ (CNL) Chalk River campus, where they worked alongside nuclear experts in state-of-the-art research facilities to advance discoveries in nuclear materials, reactor technologies, medical isotopes and more.  

The students shared their research projects at the Faculty of Engineering’s annual Summer Research Showcase and Ice Cream Social this month.  

The next generation of nuclear leaders  

Students were paired with a CNL scientist and a McMaster researcher for the summer, providing them with mentorship and research support. 

Engineering Physics student Willow Paraskevas worked alongside Pat Clancy, Assistant Professor of Physics & Astronomy, on a project titled MAD MAX, in reference to the two facilities at McMaster that enabled her research: the McMaster Alignment Diffractometer (MAD) and the McMaster Analytical X-Ray Diffraction Facility (MAX). 

She used neutron and x-ray diffraction to study zirconium alloys – a key material used in CANDU reactors – to better understand how this material behaves in operating conditions, with the goal of extending the lifespan of reactor components. 

Paraskevas says connecting with the other students in the program was a highlight of her summer.  

“We spent a lot of time in our individual labs at McMaster and had the chance to meet during our time at CNL. It was great to tour the CNL campus together and find out about the different kinds of projects everyone was working on,” she says.  

Materials Engineering & Society student, Arianna Santos, studied TRISO particles, a type of fuel used in small modular reactors (SMRs). With support from her supervisor Markus Piro, Associate Professor of Engineering Physics, Santos tested the production, irradiation and characterization of surrogate TRISO fuel compacts. 

Her research spanned a suite of facilities at McMaster, including the McMaster Nuclear Reactor and the Centre for Advanced Nuclear Systems (CANS), where she got to work with radioactive materials remotely using CANS’ hot cells.  

“I was fortunate to have research opportunities so many undergrads dream about. Not many universities in Canada have the kind of nuclear research equipment that McMaster does, like hot cells and scanning electron microscopes. It was a super rewarding experience getting to access these facilities to advance research that supports next generation reactors,” she says. 

A powerful partnership 

CNL and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) recently announced they are extending their partnership with McMaster for five years as part of their Academic Partnership Program (APP).  

The extension will ensure McMaster students have continued access to unique nuclear education programs, says John Preston, McMaster’s Acting Associate Vice-President, Research (Nuclear). 

“The Nuclear Undergraduate Research Experience program has provided key learning, research and mentorship opportunities for some of McMaster’s brightest and most passionate students in nuclear science and engineering. We’re so impressed with their accomplishments and proud of the example they’ve set as future leaders in the field. We’re thrilled to continue working alongside our partners at CNL and AECL to offer more experiential learning opportunities to students seeking hands-on training in nuclear,” he says.