The IEEE-NPSS School on Nuclear and Plasma Opportunities for Energy and Society was a comprehensive three-day event jointly organized by NPSS EduCom and the Department of Physics, from Marwadi University, with support from IEEE Gujarat section and the iExplore Foundation. Marwadi is a private university located in Rajkot, Gujarat, in the Northwest of India. Held from 27^th – 29^th March 2025, it brought together 50 students (21 female, 29 male) from various institutes in Rajkot and elsewhere in Gujarat. Among the participants was a significant number of foreign students, mainly from Africa and Southeast Asia, studying in India. The aim of the school was to provide participants with an in-depth understanding of nuclear and plasma physics, their applications in energy solutions, medical technologies, and climate change mitigation.

From NPSS, Cinzia Da Via, Masaharu Nomachi and Martin Grossmann participated on site. Remote presentations were given by Patrick Le Du, Andrea Gonzalez Montoro and Trang Hoang.

The inaugural session marked the official opening of the school and was an important event that welcomed the participants and set the tone for the following days. The event began with the lighting of the lamp and the opening ceremony, attended by key dignitaries and faculty members from Marwadi University. Dr. Sanjeet Singh, Pro Vice Chancellor of Marwadi University, addressed the audience, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. Prakash Kanjariya, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Physics, Marwadi University, introduced the university, outlining its mission, vision, and commitment to fostering academic excellence. Masaharu Nomachi, Cinzia da Via and Martin Grossmann introduced IEEE NPSS and gave an overview of the school program.

Cinzia Da Via began the technical sessions with a talk on “Effects of Climate Change on Underrepresented Groups and Harnessing Energy (Including Nuclear).” She delved into the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations, emphasizing the need for immediate action to mitigate environmental damage. She also introduced the concept of green and sustainable energy solutions, focusing on nuclear energy as a potential tool for addressing both the energy crisis and climate change.

In a remote presentation Patrick Le Du focused on the history of radiation detection and its advancements over the years. He provided a detailed examination of the various types of radiation, including natural and artificial sources, and how they impact both the environment and human health. He also discussed the ongoing challenges in radiation detection and the technological innovations that continue to improve detection accuracy.

The second day started with a presentation by Cinzia da Via about Radiation Detectors. After that the students had the opportunity to work with detectors themselves: using portable Radiacode devices (see https://www.radiacode.com/ ) that connect to smartphone apps for data acquisition and analysis. With a total of 15 devices available they worked in small groups to measure radiation dose rates and analyze the gamma spectrum of natural radioactive sources.

Laboratory exercise with natural radioactive sources and the Radiacode detector

The afternoon session featured two remote presentations: Andrea Gonzalez-Montoro focused on Positron Emission Tomography (PET), a molecular imaging technique widely used in both clinical and preclinical settings. She began by explaining the principles behind PET and its application in imaging small animal models for research purposes, as well as in humans for clinical diagnostics. Then Trang Hoang provided an in-depth exploration of Monte Carlo simulation techniques and their application in medical imaging.

The third and final day started with Martin Grossmann giving an in-depth overview of proton therapy, discussing its development and its clinical applications in cancer treatment. He explained the advantages of proton therapy over traditional radiotherapy, such as its precision in targeting tumors while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues. Then Masaharu Nomachi spoke on photodetection, light detection mechanisms, and the statistical fluctuations that occur in radiation detection systems. He explained how energy excitation is used to detect light and how statistical fluctuations affect the precision of measurements. In his next talk he covered the Fukushima nuclear disaster, discussing the release of radioactive materials and the long-term environmental effects. Dr. Masaharu presented data on how Osaka University and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) contributed to decontamination efforts and the long-term monitoring of radiation levels in the affected areas. The morning session ended with a talk by Martin Grossmann on the role of technological innovation in physics applications for medicine, highlighting examples from particle therapy and medical imaging.

The school ended with an all afternoon session on Women in Engineering in the context of climate change mitigation. Ramalatha Marimuthu and Cinzia Da Via initiated discussions on the role of women in achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), emphasizing the importance of gender diversity in scientific and technological fields. The panel discussion, moderated by Ramalatha Marimuthu, featured Cinzia Da Via, Kantha Devi Arunachalam, and Nitin Singh, who shared their perspectives on how women in STEM can contribute to climate resilience and sustainability. They also discussed the importance of incorporating a gender perspective in climate change policies and solutions.

The 3-day school provided participants with comprehensive insights into nuclear and plasma physics, radiation detection, medical imaging, and their applications in energy and climate solutions. A big THANK YOU to the many members of the local organizing team from Marwadi University lead by Kanthadevi Arunachalam (Dean, Faculty of Science), Prakash Kanjariya (Head, Department of Physics) and Foram Chandarana (Information and Communication Technology).

Prakash Kanjariya, Head of Physics Department, Marwadi University, can be reached by E-mail at [email protected]

Martin Grossmann, NPSS EduCom Chair, can be reached by E-mail at [email protected]