IX Baltic Science Festival
On 27 May 2011, ATOMOWE Forum Foundation volunteers Maciej Zarzycki and Adrian Miller again presented nuclear power issues at the 9th Baltic Science Festival. Jacek Frost, also a Foundation volunteer, took care of the technical support. The Foundation was officially co-organiser of the stand, together with the Scientific Circle of Chemists and the Student Association of Polish Electrical Engineers at Gdansk University of Technology. The colleagues, together with Krzysztof Dąbrowski from the Chemists’ Research Group, prepared a stand divided into three thematic subcategories: ionising radiation, the fuel cycle and those dealing directly with nuclear power plants. Visitors were able to find out how substances and everyday things (salt, tomatoes) radiate, and had the unique opportunity to examine uranium ore and touch the mineral. They then learned how nuclear fuel is made from this ore and what needs to be done to enrich uranium so that it can be made into suitable material for nuclear power plants. The final stop for this year’s BFN participants was a site with a mock-up of a nuclear power plant where it was explained in detail how massive amounts of energy are obtained from the fission reaction and how it is used in functioning power plants.
“Our visitors were impressed by the materials and teaching aids we had prepared,” says Maciej Zarzycki, a volunteer at the ATOM Forum Foundation, “We tried to use them 100%. The superbly made model of a nuclear power plant that the Gdańsk Science and Technology Park lent us for the BFN was a magnet for young students of knowledge. It broke down any barriers between us lecturers and the participants, and they asked lots of questions which we tried to answer comprehensively, in a clear and understandable way”.
If last year’s stand was very popular, the one we prepared this year exceeded our wildest expectations. Right up to the end, we had a large number of visitors who really enjoyed the form of knowledge transfer that was on offer last year. Contact was quickly established by asking various questions about nuclear power or telling interesting facts about it. The visit to our stand culminated in a mini-quiz with prizes donated by PGE Energia Jądrowa SA, and those who did not catch the competition could solve an energy crossword puzzle. The crossword puzzle entries were, of course, related to nuclear energy. The prizes were small chemist’s kits, which were given to 4 people giving the correct main entry.
Above are some photos, and more on our Facebook profile.