Online training and education from the VR-1 reactor—Lessons learned

Abstract

Hands-on education and training is a key part of fixing and developing technology knowledge and is an inherent part of many engineering and scientific curricula. However, access to large complex training facilities, such as nuclear reactor, could be limited by various factors, such as unavailability of those facilities in the region, high traveling costs or harmonization of the schedules of hands-on E&T with theoretical lectures and with the operational schedule of the facility. To handle the issue, several success stories have been reached with the introduction of the Internet Reactor Labs (IRL). The Internet Reactor Labs can strongly contribute to accessibility of training at research reactors and can contribute to improvements in their utilization. The paper describes the development of the Internet Reactor Lab at the VR-1 reactor of the Czech Technical University in Prague. Contrary to single-purpose IRLs, it presents various modalities of online teaching and training in experimental reactor physics and reactor operation in general as well as outreach activities that have been developed in recent years.