Success Stories

ORAU Intern Grows Use of GPS in Radiological Surveys

Professional job experience has long been heralded as a way for college students to jump-start a successful career path. Seizing the opportunity to gain such practical experience was University of Tennessee senior James Viars, a geography major who lent his expertise in geographic information systems (GIS) and global positioning systems (GPS) to help strengthen Oak Ridge Associated Universities’ (ORAU) radiological survey capabilities.

ORAU uses GPS to pinpoint locations of radioactive contamination by pairing geographic coordinates with gamma radiation levels at close intervals. The advantage of GPS allows survey technicians to gather more accurate data, which Viars then downloads to a software program to produce a color-coded, thematic map identifying concentrated amounts of radioactive contamination.

The process allows ORAU to provide maps featuring more precise locations of contamination to crews tasked with the cleanup of radioactive materials.

The goals of Viars’ research are to facilitate faster collection of on-site radiological surveys and to create a geo-database for each survey location that will permit project managers to more thoroughly assess possible areas of contamination.

The experience has been an eye-opener for Viars, who admitted that he previously held many misconceptions about the nuclear industry. "The ORAU staff was very helpful in answering questions about health physics and the nuclear industry," he said. "I feel I have a better understanding of nuclear issues and radiation and of what is dangerous and what is simply naturally occurring in the environment."

"The ORAU summer internship program continues to be a win-win for both the student and our program," according to Eric Abelquist, ORAU director of Independent Environmental Assessment and Verification programs. "Our interns gain valuable job experience and we have a great opportunity to evaluate the individual’s abilities—not just technical, but also their motivation, work ethic, and interpersonal skills," he said.