B.S. in Nuclear, Plasma, & Radiological Engineering

The need to make a difference in tackling societal and scientific challenges motivates students in Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering.

Our students study the development and use of nuclear energy and radiation sources for energy production, materials processing and science, and biomedical and industrial needs. Our graduates are passionate about producing sustainable, carbon-free, clean, nuclear energy; innovating plasma technologies of the future; and advancing radiological sciences for human healthcare and homeland security.

Our students benefit from a flexible degree program in which they can get involved in research right away. They find a home within a small, friendly department that provides access to a large research university's world-class professors and facilities.

NPRE encompasses a broad and diverse but complimentary set of engineering disciplines with a wide variety of applications – in energy production, plasma processing of materials, fusion development, biomedical research and healthcare, and nuclear safeguards and radiation detection. Students choose from among three concentrations:  power, safety and the environment; plasma and fusion science and engineering; and radiological, medical and instrumentation applications. Each concentration requires students acquire a depth of understanding of the area but with flexibility to develop advanced technical expertise depending upon the student’s specific educational and professional interests. Students demonstrate proficiency in the engineering design process in a senior design capstone course.

The power, safety and the environment concentration focuses on continued safe and reliable nuclear energy production.  This relies on multifaceted engineering disciplines for design and analysis of large complex systems.  Areas of scholarship and research in which students are involved include but are not limited to:  advanced reactor design and safety, reactor physics and thermal-hydraulics, nuclear materials, instrumentation and controls, training and education, fuel design and performance, waste management, reactor accident analysis, risk and reliability, probabilistic risk assessment, human factors, validation and verification, uncertainty analysis,  energy and security, and nonproliferation.  Cross-cutting areas of study and research include modeling and simulation and numerical analysis and computational methods. Students confer with their academic advisor on a chosen course set to ensure that a strong program is achieved. Technical electives are chosen from among NPRE courses and courses outside the department in the subfields of: thermal sciences; power and control systems; solid, fluid and continuum mechanics; computational sciences and engineering, and environmental engineering and science. The program prepares graduates for positions in industry, research laboratories, federal and regulatory agencies, as well for further graduate study.

The plasma and fusion science and engineering concentration focuses on plasma processing for a myriad of applications including semiconductor production and on harnessing the power of nuclear fusion. Areas of scholarship and research in which students are involved include but are not limited to:  plasma physics and fusion, plasma material interactions, plasma modeling, plasma code development, atmospheric plasma, extreme ultraviolet lithography and physical vapor deposition, plasma processing of semiconductors, fusion materials, plasma nanosynthesis, plasma sources and processing, and plasma manufacturing.  Exploration of the plasma science and fusion areas involves both computational and experimental approaches. Students are exposed to modeling and simulation and numerical analysis and computational methods as well as to hands on experiments in a physical laboratory setting. Students confer with their academic advisor on a chosen course set to ensure that a strong program is achieved. Technical electives are chosen from among NPRE courses and courses outside the department in the subfields of physical science, electrical engineering, and electronic materials. The program prepares graduates for positions in semiconductor industry, research laboratories and federal and regulatory agencies as well for further graduate study.

The radiological, medical and instrumentation applications concentration encompasses the intersection of radiation technologies, medicine, and security. This area focuses on developing science and engineering techniques that utilize ionizing radiation for biomedical research and healthcare as well as nuclear safeguards and radiation detection for homeland security. Areas of scholarship and research in which students are involved include but are not limited to: biomedical imaging, radiation detection and measurement systems, emerging x-ray imaging techniques, image processing, instrumentation for emission tomography (PET and SPECT), spectroscopy, dosimetry, homeland security, nuclear safeguards, nonproliferation, radiation protection during radiation therapy, big data analytics for radiation sensor networks, health physics, advanced thermal neutron detectors, and isotope identification algorithms.  Students confer with their academic advisor on a chosen course set to ensure that a strong program is achieved. Students may select technical electives in the life sciences (chemistry, biology) to apply towards pre-med requirements. Technical electives are chosen from among NPRE courses and courses outside the department in the subfields of biomolecular and biomedical engineering. The program prepares graduates for positions in industry, research laboratories, federal and regulatory agencies, as well for medical programs and further graduate study.