MSc module in Environmental Decision Making for Nuclear Technology Education Consortium
In May, 15 students studying an MSc module in Environmental Decision Making run by Westlakes Research Institute, visited Cumbria Waste Management's Landfill site at Distington.
This module, which is currently validated by the University of Lancaster, has been run for over 10 years by Westlakes Research Institute. It has attracted over one hundred students from a range of academic partner institutions from all over the UK.
During this field trip, students visited two locations. Firstly, a landfill site near Distington where they met the the site operator and discussed issues of public perception. Secondly, we will visit Derwentwater near Keswick, to take in a number of views including one described by Ruskin as one of the the finest in Europe, another painted by JMW Turner.
The purpose of this trip was to allow students to recap and reflect on issues and concepts raised in lectures on Public Opinion, Perceived Risk, The Natural Environment, and Environmentally Sensitive Industries.
Some of these sudents were studying for the Nuclear Technology Education Consortium (NTEC) MSc degree programme out of the University of Manchester. Others were registered on an MSc in Nuclear Decommissioning at the University of Lancaster.
The NTEC consortium comprises the Universities of Birmingham, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield, City University, London, HMS Sultan, Imperial College London, UHI Millennium Institute & Westlakes Research Institute. Together these institutions represent more than 90% of the nuclear postgraduate teaching expertise residing in the UK's universities and research institutes. NTEC thus provides a one-stop shop for a range of postgraduate training in Nuclear Science & Technology which is unparalleled in the UK.
The structure and content of the programme is designed to meet the UK's projected nuclear skills requirements in decommissioning and clean up, reactor technology, fusion and nuclear medicine leads to qualifications up to Master's level in Nuclear Science & Technology. The programme was established following extensive consultations with the UK nuclear sector, including industry, regulators, MoD, NDA, Government Departments and the Cogent Sector Skills Council.
This photograph, supplied by Daniel Barker, shows the students being given a tour and talk by George Lafferty, the Area Manager for Cumbria Waste Management, at the landfill.
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