Fifty McCracken County High School students toured the U.S. Department of Energy Paducah Site on Sept. 29 as part of a Murray State University research partnership, according to the university’s Oct. 30 announcement.
The university said the visit supports student research funded by a five-year, $1.5 million Department of Energy grant awarded to Murray State. The project involves students using federal environmental data to help prepare a student summary of the site’s annual environmental report, a technical document covering topics including air quality, groundwater remediation, radiological safety and restoration, according to the announcement.
During the tour, hosted by Department of Energy personnel, students observed environmental monitoring stations, groundwater treatment systems and facility decontamination operations, the university said. Murray State faculty are supporting the work, with research topics including environmental monitoring, treatment systems and engineering, according to the announcement.
The university said students will develop research posters on subjects including site history, environmental restoration, groundwater plumes, radiological monitoring and careers at the Paducah Site. The posters are planned for a public exhibition in the spring at Murray State’s Paducah Regional Campus, the university said. Visual summaries are also expected to be published on the grant’s public portal, murraystate.edu/doegrant, according to the announcement.
