In October 2024, the American Nuclear Society’s student section at Boise State University provided 28 Idaho K-12 educators with a unique opportunity to explore cutting-edge nuclear research facilities at the Idaho National Laboratory.
This initiative aimed to foster nuclear science literacy among Idaho’s youth by equipping teachers with the knowledge and resources to incorporate nuclear science into their classrooms. The teacher’s field trip, the culmination of months-long planning and collaboration between the Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering, INL STEM Outreach, and the student section, included tours of the Energy Sciences Laboratory, the Experimental Breeder Reactor I and the Advanced Test Reactor.
“Boise State students are incredibly passionate about nuclear energy,” student section President Sarah Cole said. “We wanted to show local educators the nation’s leading nuclear research and development center in our home state.”
This initiative was supported by a $4,000 strategic fund grant from the American Nuclear Society and additional sponsorships from the Southwest Idaho STEM Hub and the North and Northwest Idaho EcoSTEM.
The diverse group of teachers and participants, representing various subjects and regions of Idaho, gained a deeper understanding of the history and advancements in nuclear energy. Idaho National Lab experts emphasized potential career pathways for students within the nuclear science field, inspiring teachers to share these opportunities with their students.
“Getting to spend the day inside of a nuclear reactor was a dream-come-true for this nerdy science teacher,” said one teacher from Caldwell in a post-trip survey. “Add in the Idaho history lessons and the information about the future of nuclear energy as a power source for the planet and this was an incredible teacher field trip.”
“All the innovation I saw and learned about gives me hope for the future,” another teacher added.