While entering the MIT Nuclear Reactor I felt like I was going on an under cover mission. Signing in, putting my clothes away, no cell phone, no food, no drinks, and then going through air compressed doors, I was very curious as to what was going to happen. Created in 1958, the MIT Nuclear Reactor operates a high performance 6MW research reactor known as the MITR. It has supported educational training and research in the areas of nuclear fission engineering, radiation effects in biology and medicine, geochemistry, and environmental studies.

One room that fascinated me the most was the Medical Irradiation Rooms. The one we went to was located in the basement and uses a neutron beam from the reactor core. The “epithermal beam” from the fission converter is the highest intensity beam available in the world. This was crazy to find out because I leave down the street from the MIT NR and I had no idea the potential of what some buildings have inside. The basement facility’s beam can be thermal, or epithermal depending on the filters that are used. Both facilities are available to support research in the medical uses of neutrons in cancer therapy.

In the United States, it is the second largest university research reactor in the U.S. and the only one located on the campus of a major research university. I thought it was very cool that students are allowed to work there and fascinating that there has to be someone working and supervising the system at all times.

After the past two years living in Cambridge, I finally know what the white oval building represents while passing MIT to go to Central Square. Now when walking with friends I am able to tell them a thing or two about whats inside.