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UNIVERSITY NUCLEAR ENGINEERING PROGRAMS and NUCLEAR ENERGY: Developing the Human Resource

Michael Corradini, Chair Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics University of Wisconsin, Madison WI. UNIVERSITY NUCLEAR ENGINEERING PROGRAMS and NUCLEAR ENERGY: Developing the Human Resource. Background.

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UNIVERSITY NUCLEAR ENGINEERING PROGRAMS and NUCLEAR ENERGY: Developing the Human Resource

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  1. Michael Corradini, Chair Nuclear Engineering and Engineering PhysicsUniversity of Wisconsin, Madison WI UNIVERSITY NUCLEAR ENGINEERING PROGRAMS and NUCLEAR ENERGY: Developing the Human Resource May 2006

  2. Background • Nuclear engineering programs were originally begun in late 1950’s with an emphasis in fission reactor engineering. • Rapid growth expanded programs and areas through early 1970’s, including university research & training reactors. • In the last two decades nuclear science & engineering has been through a depression and now has a resurgence May 2006

  3. Nuclear Engineering Programs May 2006

  4. Outlook for Nuclear Energy in the U.S. • Nuclear engr. community have endorsed some general goals: • Nuclear energy must be part of a balanced energy mix • Nuclear power should have similar incentives as other alternative energy sources such as wind or solar power • Yucca Mtn Project is doable & needs stable funding • Advanced nuclear energy products need consideration • Advanced fuel cycle R&D needs to be supported with a goal of sustainability to minimize high-level waste • To fulfill these goals requires: people, ideas, tools • Sustaining our human resource is key to our future (power, health, security) and leads to innovative ideas & tools May 2006

  5. Nuclear Engineering Enrollments Note: Other disciplines had constant enrollments in last decade May 2006

  6. Nuclear Engineering Graduates Other engineering graduation rates were about constant May 2006

  7. Observations on Nuclear Engr. Programs • Resurgence in BS-NE students is encouraging: • Possible reasons: visibility, support, status, salary! • Will there continue to be employment opportunities? • Masters students population remains depressed: • Crucial for interdisciplinary students entry into NE • Most flexible degree for a broad range of the industry • PhD students directly enhanced by nuclear energy R&D • Demographic changes: more women & domestic stud. • Resurgence of NE-Fission R&D since late 1990’s • Requirements for staffing of Health Physics also is key May 2006

  8. Human Resource Needs/Issues • ASEE study estimated that BS & MS employment needs will be 600-700 per yr. while BS & MS Graduates will be <300 per yr (this is still an issue!) • Nuclear power industry - utilities, vendors, services • Nuclear-related positions in armed forces (Navy) • Government and laboratory positions (M.S. primarily) • MS & PhD grads require stable long-term resources • Fellowships/Traineeships/RA funds & infrastructure • Gov./Univ./Ind. partners in future (e.g., ANL and INL) May 2006

  9. Trends in DoE Funding Total NERI Funds DOE Investment ($ in Millions) Univ. Prog. Funds May 2006

  10. University Programs Initiatives for NE DoE has leveraged industry support to students in late‘90’s: • Student Fellowships/Scholarships/Internships (~ 150 students) • Industry/DoE Matching Grants program to many of the NE depts. • University Partnership Programs at minority institutions (5 teams) DoE funding is a catalyst for R&D since the late ‘90’s: • University Reactor Fuel and Instrumentation Grants • Innovations in Nuclear Infrastructure & Education Consortia (INIE) • Nuclear Engineering Education Research Grants (< 2 per school) • University researchers participating in NERI, GENIV and AFCI teams Need DoE help to increase and sustain human resources: • M.S. traineeships, PhD fellowships and stabilize the Matching Grants • Expand the NEER and NERI efforts with Junior Faculty Awards May 2006

  11. Observations • “Give us money” is not an acceptable answer • University programs should provide a renewed vision (not SOP, innovative ideas/partnerships) • Industry needs to provide interesting and integrated careers and role models for hires • DoE needs to integrate university faculty into advanced GenIV/AFCI tasks and also lead • Univ/DoE need to work together to align awards to maximize graduate student recruiting May 2006

  12. Observations (cont) • Summer programs and internships at DoE Labs; • For example: INIE Nuclear Summer Institute • Flexible BS and MS program alternatives; • For example: BS/MS dual degrees, NE minors • Internships at nuclear labs (for future manpower); • For example: Coops at industry, OYOC’s at Univ. • GenIV/AFCI joint lab/university tasks and leads • NEER or NERI awards properly timed to allow graduate student recruits for > 3 years May 2006

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