Members of the Oregon House and Senate received a tour from Reactor Director Jerry Newhouse.
By Bennett Campbell Ferguson
August 31, 2026
On August 31, Oregon lawmakers got up close and personal with the Reed Research Reactor, joining Reactor Director Jerry Newhouse for a tour of the only reactor of its kind to be owned and operated by a liberal arts college.
The visitors included State Senator Lew Frederick; State Representatives Matt Bunch, Zach Hudson, and Thuy Tran; and, from the Oregon Department of Energy, Assistant Director for Nuclear Safety and Emergency Preparedness Maxwell Woods and Government Relations Coordinator Christy Splitt.
"Today’s visit is an opportunity to see the role that institutions like Reed play in Oregon’s broader research and innovation ecosystem," said President Audrey Bilger. "We educate future scientists and professionals, contribute to workforce development, and help build the scientific literacy our communities and our economy increasingly depend upon."
One of just 27 research reactors in the United States, the Reed Research Reactor has been an iconic fixture of campus since 1968. Approximately 40–50 undergraduate students serve as trainees, operators, senior operators, technicians, and supervisors, guided by the reactor's professional staff.
"I hope you’ll see a place where students learn to ask difficult questions, follow the evidence, and think independently," Bilger told the lawmakers. "Those values are at the heart of Reed’s mission—and they are essential to a healthy society."
After meeting with Bilger, the lawmakers adjourned to the reactor control room and were given the opportunity to observe the reactor itself—and, not least of all, its groovy ice-blue glow.