Thousands of people lined up to tour MSU's facility for rare isotope beams on Saturday afternoon.
"It's very exciting for us to be a part of it," says Derif Womboldt, "and it's exciting for them too," he says gesturing towards his two sons.
Some families, like the Womboldt's are thrilled to have a first of its kind facility right in their home town.
"We have a world leading structure here and it is very exciting," Womboldt explains, "to be able to pass that kind of torch onto the next generation."
Construction started two years ago, and director Bradley Sherrill says the facility will be one of the most advanced and sophisticated in the world.
"The new facility, FRIB, will be the very best in the world in producing the rarest and most unusual and most in demand isotopes," claims Sherill, the director of NSCL.
Those rare isotopes can be used in medicine, security, and industry.
"We can make isotopes that can be metabolized in the body," explains Thomas Glasmacher, "and then for example treat some cancer or do some imaging."
The facility will also draw in the world's greatest scientists to MSU.
"What it means for MSU is that this will be the place where everybody in the world will come to study the rarest and most important of the isotopes," says Sherrill.
The Womboldt's are hoping some day their son will be one of them.
"Our older son loves science," proudly says Womboldt, "that is his big thing too and now he's going to come and lead the way for Michigan State in science."
In addition to the tour of the underground facility, there were also demonstrations and activities for kids as well as presentations by nuclear scientists.
Construction is slated to be completed by 2022.
