Five nuclear scientists and three English language faculty members from Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) in Tomsk, Russia, are taking part in the English Language and Nonproliferation Program (ELAN) for Nuclear Security this summer at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies. The scientific faculty for nuclear physics and nuclear materials protection, control, and accounting (MPC&A) are in Monterey to develop English language proficiency in order to enhance communication with their U.S. partners and counterparts in international organizations, including the U.S. Department of Energy and the International Atomic Energy Agency. In August they were joined by their English language colleagues in team-teaching training of content-based instruction for nuclear security.

The project grew out of a proposal developed about two years ago by ELAN project manager Lisa Donohoe and Graduate School of Translation, Interpretation, and Language Education (GSTILE) Professor Peter Shaw.  The Tomsk Polytechnic University graduates go on to work in the control and accounting of fissile materials and physical protection of nuclear facilities in Russia, as well as in international organizations in nuclear energy and require English language skills to be able to follow international regulations, participate in scientific forums, and communicate with colleagues from other countries. After the Monterey proposal was approved by the U.S. Department of Energy, the ELAN project manager conducted a needs assessment at TPU (November 2009) and diagnostic testing (April 2010) which served as the basis and baseline, respectively, for the summer 2010 program, now under way.

During July, the TPU scientists in Monterey not only focused on language proficiency in the area of nuclear science and security, but also heightened their awareness of nuclear safeguards issues and potential threats to nuclear facilities. The August program, with both scientists and English language faculty, is a unique cross-disciplinary effort between CNS and the Graduate School of Translation, Interpretation, and Language Education. In that program, led by Professor Peter Shaw, teams of CNS content experts and GSTILE language faculty and instructors will collaborate on the development and delivery of several nonproliferation-targeted content-based instruction lessons for nuclear nonproliferation. During the team-teaching training, the TPU teams of scientific and language faculty will develop curricular goals, lesson plans, and assessment tools for use in English language courses for nuclear security at TPU. The team-teaching training is also intended to provide a train-the-trainers strategy for further content-based English language instruction initiatives at TPU.