Ontario Tech Graduate Students Participate in Week-Long Program at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories

Sixteen graduate students from Ontario Tech University participated in the Graduate Immersive Experience Program at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) in Chalk River, Ontario for a week in August 2025, according to Ontario Tech. The group toured CNL research facilities, observed nuclear science activities, and met Ontario Tech alumni currently working at the site, Ontario Tech said.

Ontario Tech reports that a significant number of workers in Canada’s nuclear sector are nearing retirement, which is creating a need for new specialists. The university stated the participating students represented a range of academic programs, including health sciences, nuclear engineering, and engineering. According to Ontario Tech, students visited facilities such as the ZED-2 reactor and met Ontario Tech graduates working in various roles at CNL.

Sonia Mirza, a master’s student in health sciences, said she became more interested in nuclear reactors and clean energy as a result of her visit to CNL. Quinn Eng, a master of engineering candidate, said he learned about fusion research, nuclear waste transportation, and what life might be like in the Chalk River community. Viridiana Borjas Padilla, a doctoral candidate in nuclear engineering, said the program gave her an opportunity to meet CNL experts and tour facilities in person.

Saurabh Srivastava, an Ontario Tech graduate and Deputy Vice-President of Business Management at CNL, met with the students and discussed the connection between their academic backgrounds and work at CNL. Srivastava said, “I saw a lot of myself in the students who visited us this summer—their energy, curiosity, and drive to make a difference.”

Dr. Pejman Mirza-Babaei, Dean of the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at Ontario Tech, said the Immersive Experience Program offers graduate students exposure to nuclear fusion research and mentorship opportunities. Dr. Gina Strati, Director of the Academic Partnership Program at CNL, said, “CNL is committed to building the workforce needed,” and described the collaboration with Ontario Tech as providing learning experiences for students.

Ontario Tech stated the visit was part of CNL’s Graduate Immersive Experience Program, which aims to introduce graduate students to developments and careers in nuclear science, including research on nuclear fusion, according to CNL.