DOE Grant Grows NC State K-12 Nuclear Education Efforts

NC State University will receive up to $200,000 from the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy to create short courses for high school students and educators to learn how to use a nuclear reactor – part of an effort to generate early academic interest in a field of growing national importance.

The students will use NC State’s PULSTAR reactor, a one-megawatt pool-type nuclear reactor used primarily for education and training purposes in addition to several research projects.

The funds from the DOE will go to the PULSTAR Reactor Outreach and Sharing for K-12 Organizations program, which will teach high school students and educators how nuclear reactors are operated, controlled and utilized safely and productively. This expands the work NC State has already been doing with K-12 schools over the last 25 years.

“It’s wonderful to see that acknowledgement,” said Lisa Marshall, assistant extension professor, associate director of undergraduate programs, and director of outreach, retention and engagement in the Department of Nuclear Engineering. “There’s always been a level of support coming from professional organizations and the government overall, but this is a real acknowledgement that this work is important, that we need to scale it up.”

NC State is one of three universities nationwide to receive funding from the DOE, which awarded nearly $600,000 total to increase educational access to nuclear reactors. Pennsylvania State University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison each received just under $200,000 for nuclear engineering education outreach efforts.

“This award is a statement, saying we’re ready to take [on] more responsibilities of developing the next generation of nuclear workforce,” said Jason Hou, associate professor of nuclear engineering and interim nuclear reactor program director.

NC State is one of the few institutions in the country with a nuclear reactor, and one of even fewer with outreach centered around bringing students to the reactor.

“In that sense, the state of North Carolina and our department at NC State are well positioned to support the national movement toward nuclear energy,” Hou said.

Since its inception, the Office of Nuclear Energy has invested more than $1 billion toward students and faculty advancing nuclear energy research and training future leaders in nuclear energy.

“We need individuals equipped to go into industry, as well as continue  fundamental research and development, whether it’s through the colleges, DOE or any of the national laboratories,” said Marshall. “The demand is there, and we need to help to propel our students.”

This post was originally published in College of Engineering News.