Indonesian UGM Student Travels to Canada to Study Nuclear Energy Program Development

Marcchelino Chrisrichy Cosmo Hutama, a nuclear engineering student at Gadjah Mada University (UGM), has been selected for the 2026 Nuclear Innovation Bootcamp (NIB 2026). Organized by the Nuclear Innovation Alliance, the bootcamp will be held from July 26 to August 8, 2026, at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Marcchelino is the only Indonesian participant among the 26 trainees from 13 countries in this year's cohort.

This year's bootcamp, themed "Nuclear Renaissance in Canada and Beyond," focuses on training in nuclear energy system development, technological innovation, and industrial applications. The participants include 8 undergraduate students, 12 graduate students, and 6 young professionals. The program encompasses classroom learning, project design, expert mentorship, and field visits to nuclear facilities.

Marcchelino stated that the bootcamp gave him the opportunity to gain firsthand insight into the practical applications of nuclear engineering technology. He visited the McMaster University research reactor facility and the energy harvesting laboratory, learning about campus research reactor applications, energy management systems, nuclear material cycles, the history of nuclear energy development, and the use of Canada's CANDU reactors in power generation.

He explained that CANDU reactors use natural uranium as fuel and heavy water as a moderator, with a design that does not rely on uranium enrichment processes. Canada has accumulated substantial expertise in the research and development of related reactor technologies, which was also one of the key learning topics of this bootcamp.

During his time in Canada, Marcchelino also visited the construction site of the Darlington Small Modular Reactor (SMR) project. This project is the first SMR construction initiative currently underway in Canada and is scheduled to begin operation by the end of 2030. He also visited the used nuclear fuel management demonstration center of the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) to learn about deep geological repository design and management systems.

In addition, he toured a facility of Westinghouse Electric Canada, which is used for testing components related to remote applications of the eVinci advanced nuclear microreactor. Marcchelino noted that through on-site observation, he gained a deeper understanding of the components and instrumentation used in nuclear reactor assembly.

During the bootcamp, Marcchelino, together with Mubin Hossain Omiyo from Bangladesh and Maxwell Patterson from the United States, designed the nuclear innovation project "RADIAVIS." The project is a compact, cost-effective, and user-friendly radiation detection platform that integrates radiation detection systems with software and incorporates AR/VR technology to present real-time three-dimensional radiation visualization information on user devices.

The team began developing the project in the first week of the bootcamp and presented it during the final-day participant showcase. RADIAVIS attracted attention for its clear design logic, feasibility, and market potential. Joe Zic, Chief Nuclear Officer at McMaster University, commented that this innovation holds significant application potential for radiation source safety monitoring at nuclear facilities and can support nuclear non-proliferation efforts.

Marcchelino stated that participating in the bootcamp was a significant experience. Compared to theoretical classroom learning, the field visits and hands-on project work gave him a more intuitive understanding of the real-world applications of nuclear energy systems. He hopes this experience will inspire more Indonesian students to engage in nuclear technology innovation and contribute to the development of nuclear technology in Indonesia and globally.