INSTN is Qualiopi certified
Looking into defining international standards for Small Modular Reactors (SMR) is the theme of the award-winning project by this graduate student from Nuclear Engineering.
In January 2019, Alban Martinez-Delcayrou, aged 24, won second prize at the Nugenia-Enen Awards, offered by the two associations. The objective of the candidates: to propose an innovative solution for safe and efficient low-carbon nuclear energy production, within an international context. "I chose to work on Small Modular Reactors, which are more adaptable to the needs of developing countries. Through series production it is possible to achieve economies of scale," says the graduate from INSTN’s Nuclear Engineering Degree for specialist engineers.
The award is a good opportunity for him to be spotted by recruiters, who are keen on this type of competition. "These awards are quite popular at the moment as the industry wants to make itself known to the best graduates and then recruit them," says Constance Coston, Director of Training at INSTN. The Masters degree in Nuclear Engineering allows students to acquire technical competences that are very useful when confronted with this type of jury. "We train them in reactor physics and the design, operation and safety issues of pressurised water reactors. From there, they can focus on any technology and apply these concepts to different types of reactors," says Constance Coston.
Alban came second at the Nugenia-Enen Awards, rewarding an excellent performance given that his competitors were all PhD students, and all older than him. He won €3,000 to complete his project: "What I proposed is quite ambitious. The idea is to think about the international standards to be defined for Small Modular Reactors. We must therefore put several producing countries around the table, to see what standards can be agreed upon," explains Alban, who is preparing to travel to Brussels, then China and the United States, in order to exchange with representatives from the sector."