Andra participates in the 31st Science Festival

As part of the 31st edition of the Fête de la Science, which will take place from 7 to 17 October, Andra organizes and participates in events in the Île-de-France, in the Manche department and in the Grand Est region.

A new exhibition at the Center of the Meuse / Alta Marne in Andra

At the heart of the Meuse / Haute-Marne, which houses in particular the underground laboratory of Andra, a new one
The temporary exhibition entitled “Rocks … in our daily life” will start on Saturday 8 October for
the launch of the Science Festival 2022. It will be complemented by themed events on Sundays
October and All Saints’ School Holidays.

The exhibition created by the Maison de la Science in Sainte-Savine (10) is inspired by the book “Des Roches à tout faire”
by Patrick de Wever, professor emeritus at the National Museum of Natural History.
The rocks are often considered to be simple pebbles, not worthy of interest. However, the resources
minerals are various and widely used in our daily life to produce alloys, cement and gypsum,
tiles and bricks, glass, etc. They are also indispensable in all means of transport, IT
and again in the production of mobile phones.
Aimed at a family audience, the exhibition explains through information panels and experiences,
the omnipresence of rocks in our daily life. It also helps to understand their properties and theirs
possible evaluation.

For the Fête de la Science, Andra proposes further events related to its activities on the
following topics:

• the clays, Sunday 9 October. On the program: testimony on the profession of geologist and on the properties of shale studied by Andra, ceramic laboratory;
• building materials, Sunday 16 October. On the program: conference on quarries and the exploitation of aggregates, shaping workshop, demonstration of stone cutting;
• architecture, from 23 October to 6 November (from Wednesday to Sunday).

In addition, Patrick De Wever will give a lecture from his book “Des Roches à tout faire” on November 2nd
at 6:30 pm, public reception building of the Andra Underground Laboratory in Bure.

Registration and information by phone on 03 29 75 53 73 or by e-mail at [email protected]

Climatic fresco and educational activities in the Aube

Andra is organizing a “Climate Fresco” workshop on Wednesday 12 October 2022 at 2.30 pm, at the Maison de la Science1 in Sainte-Savine (10), to discuss the challenges of climate change. Led by Emmanuelle Rion, certified facilitator and Andra’s employee, this workshop is a unique experience to understand the challenges of climate change and discover ways to engage to act effectively as citizens. It is accessible to everyone from 10 years of age.

Limited places, free workshop registration, compulsory by phone on 03 25 92 33 04 or by email at
[email protected]

Andra will also present its radioactive waste management activities, through a serious educational game at the Science Village of the Technological University of Troyes (UTT):

• Friday 14 October, sessions reserved for high school and high school students of the department,
• Saturday 15 October 2022 sessions open to all. Families, students, seniors, curious, skeptical or science enthusiasts can come and learn while having fun from 10:00 to 16:00.

Discover the full program of the UTS Science Village

Cloud chamber demonstration at the Science Village of Cherbourg-en-Cotentin (Manche)

From 7 to 9 October, the teams from the Andra’s Manche repository will be present at the Village des Sciences de Cherbourg-en Cotentin2, managed by the Terminus des Sciences association. An opportunity to talk about the management, monitoring and transmission of the memory of radioactive waste storage centers.
But also to discover during the workshops a real cloud chamber: a particle detector thanks to which radioactive traces invisible to the naked eye become observable.

Demonstration in the fog chamber, Friday 7 October 2022 from 13:00 to 17:00 for middle and high school students,
Saturday 8 October and Sunday 9 October 2022 from 10:00 to 18:00 for everyone.

Discover the entire program of the Science Festival in Normandy

Mini-lectures at the Science Village of ENS Paris-Saclay

The ENS Paris-Saclay Science Village will offer the general public two 30-minute lectures on radioactive waste management in France, led by Virginie Wasselin (head of the sectoral strategy department of Andra) and the Cigéo project, moderated by Jean- Michel Hoorelbeke (head of the forecasting project at Andra).

These conferences will be held at the ENS3 headquarters, in the amphitheater 1 Z 56, at 15:00 and 15:30.