Penn State's nuclear engineering program, part of the mechanical engineering department, has received nearly $1 million from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the areas of education, faculty development and curriculum development to boost nuclear education and expand the workforce in nuclear and nuclear-related disciplines.
Penn State received $400,000 in Fellowship Grants, $450,000 in Faculty Development Grants and $90,000 as a Nuclear Education and Curriculum Development Initial Grant. Projects funded by the Faculty Development Grant may look at nuclear fuels, the fuel cycle, reactor safety, radiation detection or medical applications.
The education and curriculum grant will focus on a radiochemistry education program at Penn State. Part of this effort includes establishment of a new course, Laboratory Experiments in Applied Nuclear and Radiochemistry, to provide hands on experience for students. The course will improve general nuclear education and provide expertise in safe, secure and environmentally sound handling of radioactive materials.