Volume 7, Number 1
September 2009

Student Corner

At the 31st Annual ESARDA Meeting
Vilnius, Lithuania, 26 – 28 May, 2009

By Adrienne M. LaFleur
Texas A&M University

Throughout the course of my undergraduate and graduate education at Texas A&M University, I have eagerly pursued opportunities to attend conferences in order to improve my public speaking, learn about new safeguards technology developments, and network with professionals. In May of 2009, I was given the opportunity to attend the 31st Annual ESARDA Meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania. This experience was extremely valuable for a number of different reasons.

First and foremost, attending the ESARDA meeting gave me the opportunity to learn a great deal about safeguards technology being developed in countries throughout the world for various parts of the nuclear fuel cycle. There were numerous sessions that I found very interesting and informative. For instance, the session on environmental sampling consisted of a several noteworthy talks such as “Pu isotope ratios measurements of environmental samples using TIMS and filament carburization” and “Non-destructive characterizing of radioactive particles from safeguard samples.”

I also found it very interesting to learn what specific areas of safeguards technology development certain countries are focused on and why. STUK, the nuclear regulatory agency in Finland, gave two talks, “Spent fuel verification and continuity of knowledge through centuries” and “Integrated safeguards for geological repository in Finland,” which summarized their safeguards goals for verifying spent fuel prior to putting it into a geological repository.

Second, I was able to network with safeguards professionals from various countries throughout the international community. This networking opportunity was extremely valuable to my professional career development. In addition, several of the people that I met at ESARDA were also at the 50th Annual INMM Meeting in July 2009 which helped me further strengthen the networking contacts I made at ESARDA.

Last, I learned about Lithuanian culture. One interesting fact I learned was Lithuania was the first country to obtain its independence after the fall of the Soviet Union. I was also able to go on a tour of Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP), which consists of two RMBK 1500-MWe reactors, only one of which is operating in Lithuania. This was a very interesting tour. One interesting fact that is that the RMBK 1500-MWe is one of the largest nuclear power reactors in the world. I also learned is that Lithuania is in the process of decommissioning Unit 2 Ignalina as part of its agreement with the European Union (Unit 1 has already been decommissioned).

This picture was taken in front of the Trakai Island Castle in Lithuania. From the left is Mark Scott, Howard Menlove, Jean, Steve Tobin, and Adrienne LaFleur.
Phot by Mark Scott.

Entrance to the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant.
Photo by Mark Scott.

Mark Scott in front of Ignalina.