The Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP) invites graduate and post-graduate students in the fields of IT and engineering to apply for an intensive introductory course on the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

The course will take place from 23 to 25 February 2022 in Vienna, Austria.

The VCDNP will follow the Austrian government regulations regarding in-person events, and all participants should be prepared to show the necessary documentation confirming a low epidemiological risk.

The course is open to students currently enrolled in a European university, pursuing a graduate or post-graduate degree in the field of IT or engineering.

The language of instruction is English; therefore, good English language skills are essential for successful completion of the course.

There is no tuition fee, and the VCDNP will cover accommodation and economy class roundtrip airfare for students travelling from outside Vienna, but within Europe, upon request.

The deadline for applications is 16 January 2022. As space is limited, we recommend that applications be submitted as early as possible. Applications from qualified women are encouraged.

More details on the course and how to apply can be found on the VCDNP website (https://vcdnp.org/the-spread-of-nuclear-weapons-history-threats-and-solutions/) and in the FLYER.

On April 29-30, 2021, the first Russian-Hungarian nuclear hackathon, HackAtom Hungary, was held, dedicated to finding solutions for forecasting energy efficiency at NPPs and analysing equipment control system parameters. Twenty-four teams from the University of Debrecen, the University of Dunaújváros and the University of Pecs took part in the event.

On the first day of the event, professors from five Russian universities (NRNU MEPhI, SPbPU, MPEI, TPU, and UrFU) gave lectures on atomic physics, reactor technologies, and other related topics. Then the participants were given two tasks, for which they had 24 hours. The tasks included questions at the intersection of nuclear technology and IT.

The next day, the work presentation was held, which took place in the format of “science slam” when the participants had only 5 minutes to explain their solution to the task, so the jury evaluated not only the solution itself, but also the communication skills of the participants.

The jury was composed of teachers from Russian and Hungarian universities.

As a result of the competition, first place was taken by the team “Stronɣtium”, second place – the team “Zeus”, third place -– the team “OR”, all teams from the University of Debrecen.

“HackAtom” is a unique event that combines challenges in information technology, nuclear physics, and nuclear engineering to be resolved. In the course of such an intellectual competition, new ideas and projects can be born and, importantly, a nuclear student community can be formed. This format is a great way to improve your knowledge in nuclear technology and learn something new, said Valery Karezin, director of educational projects and international cooperation service at Rosatom State Corporation.

“The Paks NPP supported the competition because the nuclear power plant needs highly qualified specialists. The Paks NPP maintains close relations with technical universities,” said Antal Kovacs, Director of Communications at Paks NPP.

The event was organized with the organizational support of the Rosatom Central Europe Regional Center in partnership with the Paks NPP and the Paks-2 company, which created together with these universities the educational program “Paks-2 Academy”.