Scottish University Developed Innovative Radiation Detector Module

Staff and students at the University of the West of Scotland have developed an innovative radiation detector module. Due to improvements in radiation detection, portability and adaptability, the detector has a wide range of applications. In particular, it can be used in laboratory conditions, clean energy, environmental radiation and medical research.

The detector will also be used at advanced scientific laboratories such as CERN in advanced nuclear astrophysics setup, nuclear reaction and structure experiments. It enables measurements of elemental abundance puzzles, fundamental symmetries in physics and rare features observed in nuclei that were previously not possible.

The detector is a result of a worldwide collaboration funded by the Science & Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) UK Nuclear Data Network, the Royal Society of Edinburg and a STFC consolidated grant. A prototype of the detector was constructed in 2021 and was further developed recently in collaboration with the University of York.

The undergraduates of the University of the West of Scotland now work with the detector in the newly launched Detectors and Nuclear Lab Skills module, gaining practical experience that supports careers in nuclear science and energy.