From a book discovered at a young age to nuclear power documentaries, senior David Hsu’s passion for nuclear sciences sparked the creation of the Randolph Project: A Nuclear Club this year. The Nuclear Club was created to allow students and faculty to learn more about nuclear physics and nuclear explosive devices.

Hsu said, “The Randolph Project was named after the Manhattan Project. The only change was switching Manhattan with Randolph. Adding a semicolon and ‘A Nuclear Club’ at the end served to help the community know what the Randolph Project is about.”

As the club’s leader, Hsu presents Google slideshow lessons, materials and demonstrations from experiments at home during club meetings in room 4130.

“Basically, it [the club] is like an engaging classroom as we explore nuclear physics and the essential concepts needed in designing nuclear explosive devices. By semester two, where we explore and design nuclear explosive devices, it might become a hybrid science club-dynamic classroom. Either way, though, it’s going to be very fun,” said Hsu.

Hsu was inspired to start the Nuclear Club last year after polling the class of 2024 on their thoughts of a school club that focused on nuclear sciences. With many people saying they found the idea interesting, Nuclear Club was brought into existence this fall.

“I would say that finding a book titled ‘Explosives’ introduced me to nuclear power when I was in my single-digit years. However, it wasn’t until I watched a documentary on nuclear weapons in 2017 that I started my multi-year hobby research into nuclear energy, which made me confident enough to create the Randolph Project: A Nuclear Club this year,” Hsu said.

One of the club’s main missions is to shed light on the misconceptions surrounding nuclear physics and nuclear explosive devices. “My goals are to clarify the mysteries surrounding nuclear energy and physics by educating the community on the various aspects of that discipline that the mass media failed to portray,” explained Hsu.

To achieve that goal, the club will look at various subjects in nuclear physics and nuclear fission in the first semester, and study more about composite cores and the basics of thermonuclear explosive devices in semester two.

After learning more about nuclear sciences, Hsu also plans on engaging the club in creating a project related to nuclear energy later in the year.

“The first half of the second semester would have us dive into applying nuclear physics and fission to designing viable ‘nuclear explosive devices,’” Hsu elaborated.

Currently, the club has seven official members and four cumulative observers during meetings, and the club is looking forward to a year full of learning about nuclear sciences.