Funding boost for nuclear science and subatomic physics

Innovation Saskatchewan invests $580,000 in U of R projects advancing nuclear science and subatomic physics.

Innovation Saskatchewan recently announced more than $580,000 in funding for three University of Regina research projects focused on nuclear energy, subatomic physics, and high-performance computing in nuclear science through their Innovation and Science fund.

Many of the world's most significant advancements in renewable energy, medicine, and technology have stemmed from research in subatomic physics and nuclear energy. The Government of Saskatchewan's support helps position the following three U of R researchers as leaders in these fields:

Dr. Garth Huber is a subatomic physicist. His project, SoLID, builds on the strong reputation of the University of Regina's physics department for developing detectors for fundamental physics experiments. SoLID, which stands for Solenoidal Large Intensity Device, is a next-generation tracking detector for future physics experiments at the Jefferson Lab in the United States.

This will enable investigations into the inner workings of one of the most important constituents of nuclear matter: the proton.

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A key component of SoLID, the Heavy Gas Cherenkov detector (HGC), is responsible for providing excellent pion identification for SoLID experiments.

Huber likens SoLID to a broad view of constellations in the night sky, while existing detectors allow a single star to be examined with great precision. Both types of studies are necessary for a comprehensive understanding of nuclear matter at the quantum scale.

Huber’s work shows the value of discovery, and how better understanding our world lays a foundation for future applications.

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Dr. Arthur Situm is a Canada Research Chair in Small Modular Reactor Safety and Licensing.

Nuclear power is a critical tool in the fight against climate change due to its ability to generate power without greenhouse gas emissions.

There are plans to deploy several new small modular reactor designs in Canada, which have lower upfront capital costs than traditional nuclear power plants and can be deployed to smaller grids, such as Saskatchewan’s.

Many of these advanced designs propose using novel fuels, but these fuels introduce new corrosion problems that must be resolved before the reactors can be licensed.

This provincial funding will help Situm develop strategies to mitigate the corrosion of metals when using these fuels, enhance the safety of standard nuclear fuel, and address how to best dispose of these fuels.

His research will provide valuable insights to both government and private industry as they build and deploy SMRs, while also helping students develop the skills and knowledge necessary to work in this emerging industry.

Dr. Gojko Vujanovic is a Canada Research Chair in Subatomic Physics Phenomenology.

Vujanovic studies the fundamental building blocks of matter by exploring a new state of matter beyond solids, liquids, and gases. This new state exists at extremely high temperatures – trillions of degrees – and is recreated in the lab using high-energy nuclear collisions. Such temperatures were present one microsecond after the Big Bang when the universe was a millionth of a second old.

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In high-energy nuclear collisions, these states are extremely short-lived and require extensive physics-based numerical simulations to be understood. Using high-performance computing, big data analysis, and artificial intelligence, Vujanovic's research pushes the boundaries of computational algorithms and technology. This funding will help accelerate Canadian nuclear science leadership while developing computational technologies to benefit all Canadians.

Photo at the Innovation Saskatchewan announcement at the U of R. (l to r) Kari Harvey, CEO of Innovation Saskatchewan; Dr. Garth Huber; the Honourable Colleen Young, Minister of Advanced Education; Dr. Gojko Vujanovic; Dr. Jeff Keshen, President and Vice-Chancellor of the U of R; Dr. Arthur Situm (Photo courtesy of Innovation Saskatchewan)
Photo at the Innovation Saskatchewan announcement at the U of R. (l to r) Kari Harvey, CEO of Innovation Saskatchewan; Dr. Garth Huber; the Honourable Colleen Young, Minister of Advanced Education; Dr. Gojko Vujanovic; Dr. Jeff Keshen, President and Vice-Chancellor of the U of R; Dr. Arthur Situm (Photo courtesy of Innovation Saskatchewan)

Following the funding announcement, Situm provided a tour of his Small Modular Reactors Fuel Corrosion Laboratory.

Dr. Arthur Situm explaining the molten salt glove box in his Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) Fuel Corrosion Laboratory. (Photo courtesy of Innovation Saskatchewan)
Dr. Arthur Situm explaining the molten salt glove box in his Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) Fuel Corrosion Laboratory. (Photo courtesy of Innovation Saskatchewan)
Kari Harvey and Minister Young in the lab using the the molten salt glove box. (Photo courtesy of Innovation Saskatchewan)
Kari Harvey and Minister Young in the lab using the the molten salt glove box. (Photo courtesy of Innovation Saskatchewan)
Dr. Arthur Situm with Kari Harvey, Minister Young, and President Keshen in Situm's lab at the U of R. (Photo Courtesy of Innovation Saskatchewan)
Dr. Arthur Situm with Kari Harvey, Minister Young, and President Keshen in Situm's lab at the U of R. (Photo Courtesy of Innovation Saskatchewan)

Congratulations to these University of Regina researchers! Your groundbreaking work is enhancing our quality of life and paving the way for a strong, sustainable future for Saskatchewan and beyond.