CHEM-163-krista_nishida-2026-09-25-11-44-24

CHEM 163

Reactor Operations Lab

6-week Summer Sessions Only

Number of Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites: CHEM 162 with a C or better, or instructor override.

Course Details

Lecture: Mondays – Thursdays 8:10am – 9:00 am at the Dodgen Research Facility, Room 150

Lab: Section 1: Mondays 9:10 am – 12:00 pm & 1:10 – 4:00 pm

Section 2: Tuesdays 9:10 am – 12:00 pm & 1:10 – 4:00 pm

Section 3: Wednesdays 9:10 am – 12:00 pm & 1:10 – 4:00 pm

Section 4: Thursdays 9:10 am – 12:00 pm & 1:10 – 4:00 pm

Instructor Contact Information

Instructor: Corey Hines, Director – Nuclear Science Center

Email: cchines@wsu.edu

Office: Dodgen Research Facility, Room 220

Phone: 509-335-8317

Teaching Assistants: Cody Ingraham, Reactor Manager – Nuclear Science Center

Email: cody.ingraham@wsu.edu

Office: Dodgen Research Facility, Room 250B

Phone: 509-335-7669

Office Hours: These are methods by which we can meet and address questions and concerns. Office hours are by appointment - in person, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams by email request. Email appointment requests will be addressed in a timely manner, usually within 24 hours. Students are encouraged to use Outlook calendar invitations in order to schedule meetings with the instructor.

Course Description

Chem 163 : Reactor Operations Lab 3 Course Prerequisite: Chem 161 and 162 with a C or better or instructor permission. Focuses on preparing students to demonstrate the knowledge and skills to obtain a nuclear reactor license for the WSU 1 MW TRIGA nuclear reactor from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Nuclear theory, nuclear physics, nuclear structure, radiation safety, nuclear reactions, reactor operations, and nuclear fuel cycle. Offered Summer. Cooperative: Open to UI degree-seeking students.

Course Materials

Books:

All of the required manuals will be provided free of charge in PDF format. You may choose to print the documents for ease of use. It is highly recommended that you download and save the program documents in a folder on your personal computer. In addition to the materials listed in the NRO1 course, the students will need the following materials to successfully navigate the Reactor Operations Laboratory course.

Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 19, 20, 50, & 55, (2024). Available for viewing and printing at www.ecfr.gov/current/title-10.
Standard Operating Procedures for the Washington State University Reactor, WSU Nuclear Science Center, Revision 0.7 (2023). Available for download at www.nsc.wsu.edu/studentRO.
Emergency Preparedness Plan, WSU Nuclear Science Center, (April 2020). Available for download at www.nsc.wsu.edu/studentRO.
Emergency Plan Implementing Procedures, WSU Nuclear Science Center, (March 2021). Available for download at www.nsc.wsu.edu/studentRO.
Administrative Procedures for the Washington State University Reactor, Dodgen Research Facility Nuclear Science Center, Rev. 0.1. Available for download at www.nsc.wsu.edu/studentRO.
Facility Operating License R-76, Washington State University Docket No. 50-027, Amendment 21 (April 8, 2020). Available for download at www.nsc.wsu.edu/studentRO.
Technical Specifications and Bases for the Washington State University Modified TRIGA Reactor, Washington State University, Amendment 21 (April 8, 2020). Available for download at www.nsc.wsu.edu/studentRO.
Safety Analysis Report for the Washington State University Modified TRIGA Reactor (Combined), WSU Nuclear Science Center (2023). Available for download at www.nsc.wsu.edu/studentRO.

Other Materials: None

Fees: None

Learning Goals,Course Objectives

The primary objective of this course is to provide hands on training for the student to successfully complete the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing exam and obtain a U.S. NRC reactor operator license at the WSU 1.0 MW TRIGA reactor operated by the NSC after successful completion of the two course series (CHEM 161 and CHEM 162) with a C or better. Specifically, Reactor Operations Lab (CHEM 163) is applying knowledge developed from the previous two courses and introducing hands on operations and design topics.

Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes:

Students will receive in-facility training on workplace safety and radioactive material laboratory safety. This experience provides undergraduates with exposure to applied radioactive materials research as students assist in sample preparation, irradiations, and hazardous material shipping. Center-wide research projects have a wide scope and include national security, applied and fundamental nuclear science research, industrial clients, materials testing, and isotope production. These experiences are desirable to employers looking for entry-level nuclear scientists, engineers, and technical writers.

**Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) [add more lines if necessary]**
Course Learning Outcomes (students will be able to:)	Activities Supporting the Learning Outcomes	Assessment of the Learning Outcomes
Applying license, technical specifications, and bases for operation of the reactor	Week 3: Technical Specification, Emergency Plan, Implementing Procedures	Lab Reports – Reactor Theory, Procedures, and Systems Oral Exam 2– Reactor Core, Core Structure, and Administrative Topics
Performing proper action in keeping with established Emergency plans and procedures	Week 3: Technical Specification, Emergency Plan, Implementing Procedures	Lab Reports – Reactor Theory, Procedures, and Systems Oral Exam 2– Reactor Core, Core Structure, and Administrative Topics
Understanding safety analysis methodologies employed for licensing of the reactor	Week 5: SAR + Requalification Plan + Administrative Procedures	Lab Reports – Reactor Theory, Procedures, and Systems Oral Exam 2– Reactor Core, Core Structure, and Administrative Topics
Applying Federal and State regulations	Week 5: SAR + Requalification Plan + Administrative Procedures	Lab Reports – Reactor Theory, Procedures, and Systems Oral Exam 2– Reactor Core, Core Structure, and Administrative Topics
Connecting physical design with regulatory requirements.	Week 2: Cooling, Purification, Ventilation Week 4: Reactor Core, Core Characteristics, Administrative Topics	Oral Exam 1 – Cooling, Purification, and Ventilation systems Oral Exam 2– Reactor Core, Core Structure, and Administrative Topics
Nuclear reactor operation and manipulation	Week 6: Reactor Operation Controls	Operating Test – Simulated U.S. NRC Operating Test

**Course Schedule**

**[Please note that a WSU semester is 15 weeks + Thanksgiving/Spring Break. The schedule below does not include the break.]**
Dates	Lesson Topic	Assignment	Assessment
Week 1 [dates]	Course Introduction and Reactor/Detector Theory	Applied Reactor and Detector Theory
Week 2 [dates]	Cooling, Purification, Ventilation	Auxiliary Reactor Systems	Oral Exam 1
Week 3 [dates]	Technical Specification + Emergency Plan + Implementing Procedures	Application of Technical Specifications, Emergency Plan, and Implementing Procedures
Week 4 [dates]	Reactor Core + Core Characteristics + Administrative Topics	Reactor Core Design and Regulation	Oral Exam 2
Week 5 [dates]	SAR + Requalification Plan + Administrative Procedures	Application of SAR, Requalification Plan, Administrative Procedures
Week 6 [dates]	Reactor Operation Controls		Simulated US NRC Operating Test

Method of Instruction

The class sessions will involve PowerPoint presentations, labs, and oral exams. Lab reports will be submitted on a weekly basis and will cover content from facility documentation. Lab report outlines will be given at the start of class on the first day of the week and completed prior to the start of the next class week. Students are encouraged to bring questions about topics covered in the lab to class and ask them once the lecture has been concluded.

If a reactor operating license is desired, students will be expected to come out to the facility during business hours to receive hands-on training. Once cleared to come to the facility, it is strongly recommended that these students schedule as much time as their schedule allows. The facility is available for training hours from 8 am - 5 pm M – F. During their time at the facility, students are expected to maintain a professional environment and use the time as productively as possible; any students that are not conducive to a working environment will have to leave the premises and repeated incidents will result in removal from the training program.

Students sitting for the licensing examination in August are required to have documented at least 30 hours of reactor operation time, 5 reactor startup checkouts, 5 startups, and 5 shutdowns. Students are responsible for keeping track of their own operation requirements and scheduling checkouts, startups & shutdowns with the NSC Reactor Manager.

Expectations for Student Effort

It is suggested that students spend six hours per week preparing for lectures, studying, and review material for exams in order to be successful in this class. Students are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner. This includes showing up on time, with a positive attitude, and participating in all program activities. Questions are encouraged during lectures so long as they pertain to the lecture topic and are asked in a respectful manner. While at the nuclear reactor facility, it is imperative that students follow the directives given by full-time staff members and licensed students at all times. The dress code is safety based and requires laboratory wear including long pants and close-toed shoes. Students not meeting this dress code will not be allowed to enter any laboratory areas.

Additional information will be distributed through email and it is expected that students will respond to queries from full-time staff within a timely manner (<24hrs). It is university policy to use official WSU email addresses for all communication.

If a U.S. NRC Reactor Operator License is desired, by the end of the class the student should also have at least 85 operational hours at the reactor console (cumulative) and be able to perform 75% of the maintenance items unaided.

Grading

Reading assignments will be given weekly, and the reading assignment will inform the discussions during class. The assignments and exams are a tool to encourage students to keep up with the material and learn it, as opposed to just memorizing certain topics.

Lab reports are meant to be completed during the week they are scheduled. Students may redo each laboratory assignment once for a passing grade.

There will be three exams that are graded as knowledge milestones in the training program. Exams are scheduled strictly during the normal lab time to prevent time conflicts. If a student receives below a 70% they will schedule a retake with the instructor within two weeks of the original exam. In addition to the retake, the student is responsible for exam corrections. Each wrong answer needs to be addressed and cited with references from the training materials. Secondary retakes are given on a case-by-case basis.

Exam retakes are considered a mandatory part of the program for those who receive below 70% on their initial exam score, and students can fully replace their previous grade with their new exam grade.

Assignment Breakdown
Type of Assignment (tests, papers, etc)	Points	Percent of Overall Grade
LAB REPORTS		40
ORAL EXAMS		40
OPERATING TEST		20

Grading Schema
Grade	Percent	Grade	Percent
A	93	C	73
A-	90	C-	70
B+	87	D+	67
B	83	D	60
B-	80	F	below 60
C+	77

Attendance and Make-Up Policy

Students are expected to attend the full duration of all class and laboratory periods; the first instance of non-compliance will result in an email warning from the instructor, and the second will result in expulsion from the program. Conflicts with other academic coursework may be considered excused absences on a case-by-case basis if arranged with the instructor prior to occurring. Late work is not accepted; lab reports will be given out with clear due dates and exams will be given during scheduled times. Retake and make-up policies for each of the above listed assignment types are given in the grading section.

Academic Integrity Statement

All members of the university community share responsibility for maintaining and promoting the principles of integrity in all activities, including academic integrity and honest scholarship. Students are responsible for understanding the full Academic Integrity Statement.

You are responsible for reading WSU’s Academic Integrity Policy, which is based on Washington State law. If you cheat in your work in this class you will:

Fail the assignment without the option for a retake.
Be reported to the Center for Community Standards.
Have the right to appeal my decision.
Not be able to drop the course or withdraw from the course until the appeals process is finished.

If you have any questions about what you can and cannot do in this course, ask me.

If you want to ask for a change in my decision about academic integrity, use the form at the Center for Community Standards website. You must submit this request within 21 calendar days of the decision.”