Excelsior University nuclear technology student organization receives grant to promote community education
Pictured: Excelsior University American Nuclear Society Student Section faculty advisor Anveeksh Koneru, Ph.D.
ALBANY, N.Y. — The Excelsior University American Nuclear Society (ANS) Student Section was awarded $5,000 in funding from the ANS Student Section Strategic Fund initiative to promote nuclear technology education within the community.
The project, titled “Empowering Tomorrow’s Nuclear Innovators: A Collaborative Approach to Nuclear Technology Education and Awareness,” facilitates access to nuclear technology education for K–12 students and Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops. The goal of the project is to inspire the next generation of nuclear engineers, thereby contributing to the long-term vitality of the nuclear industry. Such initiatives play a crucial role in dispelling misconceptions and highlighting the positive contributions of nuclear technology, including its role in clean energy production. Moreover, this project engages the ANS Student Section by having Excelsior University students and faculty present on nuclear energy topics that support public education and awareness about the benefits of nuclear technology.
Excelsior will host interactive workshops with Scout troops and students to illustrate the concepts of nuclear energy, such as climate change, nuclear reactions, nuclear power plant operations, and safety. Held in partnership with Constellation Energy Corporation in Oswego, New York, the workshops are planned for May 18–20, 2024. Additionally, the groups will visit the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Plant and tour the nuclear plant simulators. Excelsior students will gain leadership skills necessary to engage with community stakeholders. This approach to promoting nuclear energy can serve as proof for a scalable model of collaboration between academia, industry, K–12 educators, and community organizations.
“The ANS Student Section Strategic Fund presents an exciting chance to enrich K–12 student learning in nuclear education, while also serving as a platform for fostering collaborations with the nuclear industry,” said Anveeksh Koneru, Ph.D., Excelsior University’s full-time faculty lead for the program. “This partnership creates a pathway for additional resources to serve and expand opportunities in this crucial field.”
Excelsior’s ANS Student Section is a student-led organization that promotes the advancement of science and engineering relating to nuclear and allied sciences and arts through affiliation with an international organization of nuclear scientists and engineers. Excelsior is the only distance learning institution to host an ANS Student Section and conduct workshops and other professional development, networking, and learning activities.
For more information on American Nuclear Society at Excelsior University, see the link below.
https://www.excelsior.edu/programs/technology/american-nuclear-society/
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Media Contact Excelsior University:
Jason Bonafide, jbonafide@excelsior.edu, 518-608-8446
ABOUT EXCELSIOR UNIVERSITY
Excelsior University is an accredited, not-for-profit online institution focused on helping adults complete their degrees and advance their careers. Excelsior contributes to the development of a diverse, educated, and career-ready society by valuing lifelong learning with an emphasis on serving individuals historically underrepresented in higher education. Founded in 1971, Excelsior meets students where they are — academically and geographically — removing obstacles to the educational goals of adults pursuing continuing education and degree completion. Our pillars include innovation, flexibility, academic excellence, and integrity.
