Your place in the nuclear age

1969 film, with transcript

Catalog description: Gives the student a picture of the professional environment in which he would be working if he chose a career in nuclear science or engineering The three major employment areas covered are ERDA's laboratories commercial nuclear industries and colleges and universities. Each has a need for trained manpower in nuclear science and technology. The need for creative ideas is essential to the development of nuclear energy whether it be in basic or applied research. In a fast moving field such as nuclear technology the professional person is expected to prepare reports for scientific and technical journals, attend national or international meetings, and maintain contact with other specialists in his field to stay abreast of the latest developments. For those more interested in the production and development side of the nuclear business there are numerous opportunities in the growing nuclear power industry. The advantages of and the opportunities for continuing education are again emphasized. One of three films in nuclear science and nuclear engineering produced with the assistance of the American Nuclear Society. The basic purpose of these three films is to motivate students in their formative years to consider careers in the field of nuclear science and engineering. Use with HORIZONS UNLIMITED and PREPARING FOR TOMORROW'S WORLD"

This is film 1157942 in our catalog.

Show transcript
00:00 Let's assume that the transverse leakage
00:29 in one spatial direction can be approximated by a point-wise...
00:31 Liquid metal loops coupled to reactors.
00:33 We can get additional protection with an interlocking screen system.
00:36 The reactor coolant pump has a capacity of 90,000 gallons per minute.
00:38 Radiation polymerization of ethylene gas...
00:41 The multi-detector position scanner in conjunction with radioactive...
00:44 Our requirements are 10 to the 15th ions per cc temperature of 10 to the 9th degrees Kelvin.
00:48 A reduction of the delayed neutron precursors will make the control problem a little bit...
00:51 Even with the highest worth wrought out, the reactor should be shut down by at least two dollars.
00:55 can be used to create a chimney to stimulate the flow of gas.
01:00 This is the vocabulary of the nuclear age.
01:03 It's a new language or a new way of life.
01:05 A way of life that is rapidly changing under the impact of a growing nuclear industry.
01:11 Some of you working in that industry will have a part in the formation of its future.
01:17 It takes time and effort to prepare yourself to work in the fields of nuclear science and engineering.
01:22 Since it is your time that's involved, you'll have many questions, such as,
01:27 How well do these professions pay?
01:29 Will I be making contributions to man's knowledge, to his life?
01:39 Can a girl succeed in these fields?
01:42 Where do nuclear scientists and engineers live and work?
01:45 work? This film seeks to answer these questions for those of you who wish to take your place
01:55 in the nuclear age. Let's begin by surveying the three main areas in which nuclear scientists
02:04 and engineers work, primarily laboratories of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.
02:15 colleges and universities, and private nuclear industries.
02:26 The Atomic Energy Commission, or AEC, was established by Congress as an independent government agency
02:32 to develop atomic energy for the defense of our country and for peaceful purposes.
02:44 It is the job of the AEC to control and administer these programs, as well as approving construction and reactor safety standards.
02:57 In performing its mission, the AEC works through others, sponsoring many different programs and supporting various nuclear facilities.
03:08 Educational and research institutions and private industrial firms operate the laboratories.
03:14 They are always in need of the professional talent required to make the various facilities
03:21 and programs function.
03:24 Included in the program areas are the chemical processing of uranium ore, the fabrication
03:36 of special nuclear products and materials, the design, construction, and operation of
03:44 reactors, experiments designed to use nuclear energy for space exploration, for the generation
03:56 of electric power, the desalting of sea water, ship propulsion, preservation of food by irradiation,
04:13 the development of nuclear devices for the peaceful use of nuclear explosives for large
04:18 excavations, carbon dating various items of antiquity, the application of radioisotopes
04:41 to medicine, agriculture, industry, meteorology, crime detection, oceanography, and a host
05:05 of other activities.
05:12 This national laboratory is only one of the many operated by industrial or university
05:17 contractors in cooperation with the AEC.
05:24 Here nuclear scientists and engineers are involved in both basic and applied research.
05:35 from America and all parts of the world come here to learn and exchange information.
05:44 Our national laboratory facilities are among the finest in the world
05:47 and have an international reputation for accomplishing exciting things
05:51 at the frontiers of nuclear research.
05:54 Because creative ideas are so necessary to the development of nuclear energy, there is
06:08 endless opportunity to use all the know-how and ingenuity you possess.
06:19 For example, the atom can be used to produce electricity at sea or on land, and it can
06:24 be used to power space vehicles.
06:31 But nuclear scientists and engineers have not yet developed the best reactors for these
06:36 projects.
06:41 If you like mysteries and problem solving, then basic nuclear research is your thing.
06:50 Then again, if you like to see the end result, applied research might claim your enthusiasm.
06:56 You'll find there are always new ideas to challenge you.
06:59 For example, you might be involved with the diffusion process, which has become the keystone
07:04 of the nuclear business.
07:09 The gaseous diffusion plant is designed to separate fissionable U-235 atoms from the
07:15 more abundant U-238.
07:17 A steady supply of fissionable uranium is vital to nearly all nuclear activities.
07:23 It could then be your job to look for new ways to improve the diffusion process.
07:39 Or you could have the responsibility of improving plant operations
07:48 where uranium is cast, rolled, formed, and machined
07:53 into different shapes for reactive fuels, the most vital ingredient in our nation's nuclear energy program.
07:59 National laboratories generally have various types of reactors for basic research.
08:12 This high flux isotope reactor is used to create manmade elements heavier than plutonium.
08:23 These elements are isotopes which, so far, have not been found in nature.
08:35 Using knowledge gained from these isotopes, scientists hope to penetrate such still unexplained
08:40 phenomena as the formation of stars and the universe.
08:48 Basic to the operations of all reactors and the handling of radioactive materials is the
08:52 monitoring and control of radioactivity. This profession of health physics is a relatively
08:58 new field requiring a good understanding of the physical, chemical and biological principles
09:04 of radiation.
09:05 If your interests center on this field, you might be responsible for a plant's radiation
09:20 protection and training program or doing research on the nature and effects of various types
09:25 of nuclear radiation.
09:39 In addition, health physicists contribute to the development of guidelines on radiation
09:44 exposure levels for industry and the general public.
09:54 Suppose your interest in basic research was focused on gaining
09:58 a better understanding of the tremendous forces that bind the atom together.
10:08 You might use a complex accelerating device such as the cyclotron as a key tool in your research.
10:14 By shooting high-speed particles approaching the speed of light into selected targets,
10:24 these devices can change one element into another.
10:35 Cyclotrons can produce stable as well as radioactive isotopes.
10:43 As a staff member of a national laboratory, you might prefer designing and developing
10:47 experimental equipment for controlling the tremendous energy that is released when hydrogen
10:53 atoms are forced to combine with one another.
10:58 This energy, similar to that responsible for the sun's heat and light, is called thermonuclear
11:04 energy and the process is called nuclear fusion.
11:09 release of this energy has great implications for all mankind since the
11:13 supply of all other existing fuels including uranium is limited. Once
11:19 harnessed the energy available from the hydrogen and sea water is estimated as
11:24 being enough to supply the world's power needs for untold centuries. Among the
11:34 many significant contributions of nuclear science and engineering are the
11:38 fascinating substances called radioisotopes.
11:46 These are extremely valuable to researchers in many scientific disciplines when used as
11:50 sources of radiation or as tracers.
12:01 Most AEC laboratories have a biomedical research program directed, for one thing, toward understanding
12:07 the changes that occur when living tissues are exposed to radiation.
12:20 Such experiments have contributed valuable information to the field of radiation genetics.
12:29 Living cells, organs, and organisms are carefully analyzed in the hope of learning more about
12:34 of the fundamental life processes, including the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment
12:40 of the many malfunctions and diseases which continue to afflict mankind.
12:50 Many complex problems arise in nuclear research
12:53 and development, requiring numerous calculations
12:56 and the creation of mathematical models to test a new concept or idea.
13:00 High speed computers and data processors are handy tools in solving these problems.
13:15 Constant progress is being made in nuclear science and engineering, which makes it imperative
13:20 for those in the field to keep up with advancements.
13:24 For this reason, all scientific installations collect and catalog published materials related
13:34 to the many fields.
13:37 In this way, staff members can keep abreast of the progress made in any field which interests
13:42 them.
13:48 Wherever you work as a nuclear scientist or engineer, you'll be encouraged to write reports
13:53 about your research for scientific journals and other publications which are generally
13:57 distributed worldwide.
14:04 Informative seminars are held to help keep the staff up to date on the latest developments.
14:15 Staff members may attend national and international meetings.
14:18 These usually attract specialists from all over the world.
14:22 As a nuclear scientist or engineer, you'll find that except for information which affects
14:26 their nation's security, there's a free exchange of knowledge.
14:38 In private industry, there are unlimited opportunities for nuclear scientists and engineers.
14:43 Many such companies have extensive research and development programs, as well as production
14:48 activities.
14:54 This installation is an example of a firm whose staff is engaged in applying the energy
14:58 of the atom to a wide variety of peaceful uses.
15:11 In a company such as this, you could be involved in the design, development, and the improvement
15:16 power reactors manufactured by the company to generate electricity for
15:20 public consumption. The business of producing mass quantities of electricity
15:24 by means of the atom is relatively new.
15:35 Companies engaged in the manufacture of nuclear power plants and their customers
15:40 the electric utilities are constantly searching for ways to increase the
15:45 capacity and efficiency of their products.
15:52 The purpose is to provide the power required by our ever-expanding population and industry
15:57 at the lowest possible cost.
16:05 This means the development of new concepts in reactor design and construction, as well
16:10 as improved materials.
16:18 As a nuclear engineer employed by private industry, your responsibility could involve
16:23 the designing of nuclear instrumentation for research, production, and training purposes.
16:37 Some firms are engaged in controlled fusion research in the belief that the energy released
16:42 from this type of nuclear reaction will ultimately replace coal and oil and even nuclear fission
16:48 as man's main source of energy.
16:57 Experiments here are concerned with containing the plasma formed from deuterium, an isotope
17:02 of hydrogen at super high temperatures so that the deuterium nuclei will unite or fuse.
17:09 In fusion, enormous amounts of energy are released which could be used to produce electric
17:14 power.
17:19 Not all nuclear scientists or engineers are interested in research and development.
17:23 There are those who derive more personal satisfaction from working on the production or construction
17:28 side of a private nuclear industry's activities.
17:38 If you're this type of person, you could be employed in developing and improving a company's
17:42 fuel production program or involved in the fabrication of other reactor components.
17:51 On the other hand, you might be a part of a company team, which supervises the installation
17:55 and initial operation of the power and research reactors it manufactures.
18:00 This type of work will take you to many parts of the United States
18:03 and to many countries around the world.
18:12 AEC Laboratories and Private Industry will offer you ample opportunity
18:16 to advance your knowledge and proficiency.
18:19 Courses may be given by various universities at AEC installations
18:23 to help you earn credits toward an advanced degree.
18:28 Otherwise, you can continue your education in a nearby college or university.
18:33 In many instances, your employer will assume all or most of the tuition costs.
18:43 Wherever you work, it will be to your benefit to further your education
18:47 because as your proficiency increases, so will your opportunities for job and financial advancement.
18:53 With the growing demand for nuclear scientists and engineers has come an increasing need
19:03 for teachers in these fields.
19:07 Should you become attracted to campus life, your association with faculty members in your
19:11 own or other fields can be a daily rewarding stimulation.
19:20 Teaching offers many rewards, but perhaps the greatest is the satisfaction that comes
19:25 from your ability to communicate what you know to others.
19:34 Teaching is deeply involved in the shaping of the characters, the ambitions, and the
19:38 goals of those who come to learn.
19:45 At the college and university level, research is an integral part of teaching.
19:52 Many significant discoveries are made where faculty members combine instruction with research.
20:04 Teaching allows considerably more freedom than is found in most professions.
20:08 Opportunities often exist for professors to pursue their research at a national laboratory
20:13 or at another university.
20:19 Many universities also have agreements with foreign universities, whereby faculty members are
20:24 exchanged on an annual basis.
20:35 Most universities also provide professors with sabbatical leaves, which can be a year off
20:40 with partial or full salary.
20:43 during which time they may pursue new studies or conduct scientific investigations at other
20:47 research centers.
20:56 Many professors supplement their income by serving as consultants to industrial concerns
21:01 and research organizations.
21:05 write newspaper and magazine articles, textbooks, novels, science fiction stories and the like.
21:18 Some appear on radio and television as science commentators or instructors.
21:25 But by far the greatest reward for those who teach springs from the deep feeling of personal
21:29 satisfaction that the work they are doing is contributing to the overall well-being
21:34 and progress of their fellow man.
21:46 Working as a nuclear scientist or engineer, you'll find your living, as a rule, better
21:51 than average.
21:55 Most areas offer modern, spacious homes and excellent schools.
22:03 find in your community cultural and recreational activities to satisfy practically every taste and
22:08 interest and if you're someone who likes to devote your leisure time to the great outdoors
22:26 you'll have almost unlimited opportunities anywhere you happen to be employed
22:33 It's, of course, impossible to show you every area in which nuclear scientists and engineers
22:41 are presently playing and will go on playing a vital role in man's progress to a better
22:47 life.
22:52 Research institutions, national and international organizations, such federal government agencies
22:57 as the AEC, NASA, the Department of Defense, and many others
23:02 will need more and more nuclear specialists as the nuclear fields continue to grow and expand.
23:19 And there's no question, women can and do succeed in these professions.
23:27 Many companies, colleges, and universities, research institutions, and government agencies
23:42 already have women on their staffs, and more would be employed if more were available and
23:47 qualified.
23:50 scientists and engineers find their work professionally and personally stimulating.
24:05 If you have the interest, the capabilities, and the required training, you can join in the high
24:11 adventure, the sense of achievement, and the many rewards that accrue to those exploring the
24:17 fascinating world of the atom. All you need to do is decide to take your place in the nuclear age.