ABU, IAEA sign pact to boost nuclear learning

The Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have signed an agreement on participating in the Internet Reactor Laboratory (IRL) project on use of research reactor for nuclear courses at the university level.

Specifically, IAEA’s IRL project is a cost-effective way to educate groups of students in reactor physics to assist Nigeria in developing the needed human capital for nuclear science and technology programmes.

The agreement was signed on September 26, 2022 at the ongoing 66th yearly Regular Session of the IAEA General Conference in Vienna, Austria.

In a statement by the Director of Public Affairs, ABU, Zaria, Awwalu Umar, yesterday, he said the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kabiru Bala, signed the pact on behalf of the centre and Nigeria, while Deputy Director-General, Nuclear Energy, IAEA, Mikhail Chudakov did for the global atomic body.

He said: “The project was facilitated by the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) and it presents a unique opportunity for research and teaching staff, as well as cooperating universities to participate in human capacity building in the field of nuclear reactor physics and engineering.

“IAEA’s IRL enables live immersion into reactor technology and operation to countries that otherwise have no installed facilities, but have groups of students ready to undertake experimental reactor physics courses.

“It works by giving access to reactor experiments in a remote location via an internet link. Using hardware and software installed in a research reactor in the host state, signals are sent over the internet to the guest institution, where a real-time display of the reactor’s control room is visible to students.”