At first, I was very hesitant about this trip due to the fact that I did not know much about how a nuclear reactor works or what it is good for. Although the information was a bit overwhelming at first with all of the scientific terms, once we began to observe different parts of the reactor, it was much easier for me to learn about it.

I was very impressed with how careful and aware everyone was (obviously they have to be because they are working with very dangerous material). I also found it interesting that there is a constant record of each person entering and exiting the reactor.

I was extremely interested in some of the medical research that took place at the MIT reactor. It was interesting to hear about the cancer patients who volunteered for several of their radiation experiments. I also found it comforting to know that although the Fukushima disaster was devastating, other establishments with reactors are learning from their mistakes in order to make a stronger system. I also found it interesting that most of the reactors that are currently running in our country were only built to withstand a thirty year period and most have run far over their time. It us both unfortunate and unsettling that there are no plans that have been put into effect thus far as far as rebuilding is concerned.

Overall, the trip to the MIT reactor was very informative and I enjoyed learning about it.