Graduation!

 

Comments by Alistair Miller to the 2010 Graduation of the Deep River Science Academy

 

Good morning.

It occurred to me that this summer marks the 50-year anniversary of my research career: my first real research job was as a undergraduate summer student in a research centre in Edinburgh in 1960.  Since then, the World population has gone up by factor of almost 2.5 from under 3 billion to 7 billion next year.  Energy consumption and World GDP have tripled.  Neither statistic is not quite what they seem since the added population was mostly at the impoverished end and so individual consumption everywhere was rising quite strongly.

In 1960, the British were still building steam locomotives; I used a slide rule and much graph paper and a totally mechanical typewriter.   In the wider scientific world, plate tectonics was just emerging; it was three years since the launch of the first (Russian) satellite; and quantum physics theory was just a really strange, abstract theory. 

Since then, I have lived within an extraordinary half-century of knowledge explosion.  Indeed, population growth was driven by an explosion in knowledge particularly in health sciences and agricultural revolutions.  In those 50 years, computers went from nowhere to dominating our understanding of almost every field of knowledge; not to mention the web and the internet; nuclear power was harnessed and now supplies nearly 20% of all electricity; smallpox was eradicated; polio almost so – perhaps would have been if advice from Chalk River to stabilize the vaccine using heavy water had been heeded; so many health conditions have been addressed successfully that the cost of implementing them threatens to undo us; even the workings of the brain itself are beginning to be unraveled.  Oh, and quantum effects remain as strange as ever except now we have unequivocal evidence that they are real.

All of this and much more was driven by science and all sustained by technology

But the challenges today are enormous: oceans are under severe stress; food production is on a treadmill – facing water shortages, salinification, the need for more food from less land; atmospheric CO2 has gone from 314 ppm to 347 in 1987 (when the Science Academy was launched) to 390 earlier this year.  Global warming and ocean acidification are not a nice legacies to leave you.  Our generation has been drawing down your future.

Despite – indeed because of – the low importance effectively attached to R&D by our governments and the general population, those of us involved with the DRSA believe that R&D is precious and that attracting people like you DRSA graduates to careers in R&D, in technology, health sciences and teaching is crucial to global society’s survival.

So spread your enthusiasm among your peers: talk about it, Twitter it, post it on Facebook: because we place our hope for the future of global society and the wellbeing of the planet in the great aptitude of you personally and of all the fellow researchers that will join you.

With great confidence, I wish you lives and careers that are as stimulated by R&D as mine has been.

Dr Alistair Miller is a co-founder of the DRSA and currently Vice-Chair of the DRSA’s Board of Directors.  Retired from AECL, he remains a Researcher Emeritus at AECL’s Chalk River Laboratories where his work focuses on global energy issues as well as his technical specialty of heavy water production processes.

CNS-DRSA Lecture #4 Bill Diamond, July 29

 My Years as a Physicist at Chalk River Laboratories

Dr. William Diamond, recently retired from AECL will give a presentation on his remarkable 45-year career working around the world as an accelerator physicist.

Dr. Diamond, a mentor to the young scientists, engineers and technicians at AECL, will provide a very engaging presentation highlighting the “fascinating projects that he has worked on over his career and share some stories of some of the interesting scientists that he met along the way.” DRSA CNS Poster Bill Diamond (PDF)

The presentation will be held this Thursday at the J.L. Gray Centre in the Mackenzie Room at 6:30 p.m. The event is open to the public. The presentation is a part of an on-going lecture series presented by the CNS and the DRSA.

My Years as a Physicist at Chalk River Laboratories

by Dr. William Diamond

J.L. Grey Centre, Mackenzie Room - Deep River

6:30 p.m.

Dr. William Diamond

CNS-DRSA Lecture #3 – The Role of Radiation Chemistry in Maintaining Reactor Integrity

Thursday, July 22 is the date of the next CNS-DRSA Lecture – The Role of Radiation Chemistry in Maintaining Reactor Integrity.

The core of a nuclear reactor is unique in subjecting large volumes of water and gas to an intense radiation field. The deposition of radiation energy in- core initiates significant chemistry changes which can result in undesirable chemistry conditions including the production of flammable hydrogen and corrosive conditions. Fortunately, the science of radiation chemistry relevant to reactor systems is well understood and careful manipulation of chemistry conditions prior to entering the radiation field can not only result in the avoidance of undesirable conditions, but can be used to take advantage of the radiation field in improving chemistry conditions.

This presentation will briefly cover the fundamental principles of radiation chemistry and its applications beyond reactor chemistry and will focus upon the importance of understanding the effects of radiation chemistry in maintaining the integrity of reactor systems. The role of radiation chemistry in the recent corrosion degradation observed in NRU will be described. Questions will be welcome.

The speaker is Dr. Craig Stuart, a Senior Scientist in the Reactor Chemistry and Corrosion Branch at AECL Chalk River. Dr. Stuart has been with AECL since 1995, performing radiation chemistry research and providing chemistry solutions for nuclear reactor systems.

More Information…

CNS-DRSA Lecture #2 – Biological Effects of Exposure to Low Levels of Radioactivity

The second in the CNS-DRSA Lecture Series  was presented by Marilyne Stuart.

Dr. Stuart spoke on the biological effects of exposure to low levels of radioactivity (including adaptive responses) were assessed in different types of lifeforms using biological indicators developed and tested at Chalk River Laboratories.

Measuring multiple end-points is important for assessing the health of organisms, as it makes it possible to get a larger picture of the range of biological responses and insights into the various mechanisms. Being able to make connections between the in vitro (test-tube) to in vivo (living organism) cellular biological responses and being able to assess if the observed in vitro responses are meaningful at the organism level, and at the level of a population, is also very important and work is still being conducted to fill in the gaps in our understanding here.

Dr. Stuart’s talk focused on areas where Deep River Science Academy tutors and students have made contributions to our knowledge in this field.

More Information…

CNS-DRSA Lecture #1 – Splitting Atoms – Canadian Style

July 8 marked the first official CNS-DRSA lecture – an engaging presentation by Jeremy Whitlock, “Splitting Atoms – Canadian Style”.

A monumental decision confronts many jurisdictions like Ontario, where demand for electricity will eventually outstrip available supply.  The plans to fill this gap must meet environmental, economic, and performance expectations that severely limit the number of realistic options.  Among these, nuclear power is one of the few options for large-scale baseload electricity production.  It is a mature Canadian technology that can underpin an aggressive campaign of conservation and renewable plant construction.

This presentation briefly covered the history of Canada’s nuclear program, its current status, and its promise for the future.  It included a survey of some of the benefits and challenges of the technology.

In other news…

The presentation by Bob McDonald on Monday evening was a wonderful success! The auditorium was filled almost to capacity. Bob engaged the audience for a full hour and a half. Carl Turner, Director of the Deep River Science Academy, was a childhood friend of Bob’s back in Orillia, and recounted a very funny childhood incident involving an apple, a rock, a new car and a lesson on parabolas.

Bob McDonald and Carl Turner. Courtosy of the North Renfew Times.

Bob McDonald spent time at AECL-CRL talking with the DRSA students about their projects. He was very impressed with their work and their dedication towards science.

Bob McDonald and 2010 DRSA students. Courtesy of the North Renfew Times.

And lastly…

Be sure to check out our new page with photographs of the DRSA students this week. Every week from now until the end of camp, new photographs will be posted, so check back often!

Follow link here.

Let the fun begin!

Registration Day

This past Sunday was registration, and all our students arrived safely. On Monday, the students went to AECL-Chalk River for their orientation, training and placement. It was a busy and exciting day! In the evening, everyone relaxed at camp, and enjoyed a fantastic bonfire.

Two new pages have been added to the DRSA site. There is now a calendar of events with a listing of all the DRSA events this summer. Some have links – just click on the event description and a new page will appear. This is a great way to keep track of the DRSA students and DRSA events this summer.

The other page is called “Getting to know you“, located under the Calendar of Events. Every week new photos will be added of the DRSA students and their activities. This week’s posting has photos from registration on Sunday.

Don’t forget: the DRSA is presenting a lecture by Bob McDonald on Monday, July 5 at 7:00 p.m. at Mackenzie High School. Arrive early, as seating is limited.

In the meantime check out: The science behind the slide from CBC’s Wonderstruck, hosted by Bob McDonald. This clip is from May 24, 1989. Enjoy!

Bob McDonald, Monday, July 5 @ 7:00 p.m.

What if Everything You Know…

is WRONG?!

There’s an easy way to find out!

The Deep River Science Academy is very excited to announce that Bob McDonald, of Quirks & Quarks fame will be in Deep River on Monday, July 5, 2010. He will be giving a lecture, “What if Everything You Know is Wrong“, at 7:00 p.m. at the Childs Auditorium at Mackenzie High School, 87 Brockhouse Way.

In order to find out if everything you know is wrong, we strongly suggest you arrive early, as seating is limited. The event is free and open to the public. Donations to the Deep River and Area Food Bank will be gratefully accepted.

Bob McDonald is a science journalist whose career has spanned more than 30 years. He is the host of CBC radio’s Quirks & Quarks and has written many articles and books, the latest being Measuring the Earth With a Stick. Bob McDonald has the unique ability to engage all ages and backgrounds in science’s more complex matters.  His full biography can be found here.

 

What if Everything You Know is Wrong?

Mackenzie High School, Deep River

87 Brockhouse Way

July 5, 2010

7:00 p.m.

 DRSA Poster Bob McDonald – 2010

2010 Research Projects now posted!

That’s right! Take a look at the research projects being offered this year.

The tutors are busy getting ready for the 2010 students. They took some time out, however, for a photo shoot.

2010 Deep River Science Academy Tutors!

Tutor Mug Shots

The 2010 tutor mug shots have been posted. Check out the link under students for the 2010 Tutors.

The project descriptions for this year are in, and will be posted tomorrow, so be sure to check back.

In other news… our team is in Peterborough for the next week. Be sure to drop by and say hello.

Thank you!

The Deep River Science Academy would like to thank everyone who applied to the academy this year. Please note, we are no longer accepting applications for 2010.

For those who sent in their applications, we are currently reviewing them, and you should hear from us very soon.

Didn’t get your application in on time for 2010? Don’t worry! You can always apply for 2011. All the information for  2011, including the application, will be on the website in October. It’s never too early to apply!

The Deep River Science Academy will be in Peterborough for the Canada Wide Science Fair, which runs from May 15 – 23rd (www.cwsf2010.ca). If you are in the Peterborough area during the CWSF, visit our table – we would love to chat with you!

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