PITTSBURGH, PA – The Department of Energy (DOE), as part of its continuing effort to enhance science and math education opportunities for American students, will partner with the Pittsburgh Public School System to introduce a new curriculum in nuclear science and technology under a national pilot program. William D. Magwood, IV, DOE’s director of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology, represented the agency at today’s kick-off ceremony at Pittsburgh’s Langley High School.
Public high school students participating in this unique coursework will benefit from interactions from internationally recognized experts from industry and DOE’s national laboratories. Through hands-on experiments, interactive learning and focused reading, students will explore the fundamentals of energy physics, atomic structure, power plant design and operation, safety and environmental protection. The curriculum also emphasizes important social factors like economics and understanding risk.
“Our goal is to assure that young Americans become better acquainted with the wonders of science and to help them decide if they would like to pursue careers in science and technology,” Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham said.
Joining Mr. Magwood at today’s ceremony were Principal Linda Baehr and Richard Mathews, Pittsburgh Public School Science Coordinator. Other attendees included physics teacher Ed Henke, 15 advanced placement physics students, representatives from DOE’s Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory who will support the activities related to this education initiative, and Westinghouse Electric Company representatives.
The new nuclear science and technology curriculum will be taught over a two-week period this school year as part of the Pittsburgh Public Schools’ AP Physics course. The educational experience for the students will be enhanced by visits to facilities such as the Penn State Breazeale Research Reactor, a commercial nuclear power plant and a medical facility employing nuclear medicine.
“This collaboration will be the model for similar partnerships all over the country,” stated Magwood, a Pittsburgh native and Carnegie Mellon University graduate. “As the students will learn in this course, commercial nuclear power was born in Pittsburgh and it makes sense to start this education initiative where it all began.”
Part of the department’s focus on education includes Secretary Abraham’s recently announced STARS: Scientists Teaching and Reaching Students initiative. This program will expose young students, beginning in elementary school, to the exciting possibilities of science and technology challenges that our country will face in the 21st century.
The STARS program includes DOE laboratories designing and executing a new program aimed at bringing 1,000 fifth graders and 1,000 eight graders to their sites each year for math and science appreciation days, upgrading and promoting the successful “Ask a Scientist” web site now available only through DOE’s Argonne Laboratory home page, and having DOE scientists participate in mentoring programs for teachers so they will become role models within their own schools and school districts.
Additional information on the department’s science education initiative is available at www.energy.gov. Information on other DOE nuclear science and engineering educational initiatives that are sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology is available at www.nuclear.gov.
Media contact: Hope Williams, 202/586-5806
