Research

The Department of Nuclear Engineering occupies 38,000 square feet in Burlington Engineering Laboratories, including the PULSTAR reactor and its associated labs and facilities. Through the Nuclear Reactor Program Center (NRP), the reactor is used for student instruction and research, reactor operator training for nuclear utilities, and as a service facility for other university and industrial organizations.

Excellence in teaching and research are regarded as the major responsibilities of the nuclear engineering faculty. Research groups are generally small, allowing ample opportunity for each graduate student to maintain close and informal association with the faculty. The research interests of the faculty cover a number of the areas of importance to the development of nuclear energy, including fission, fusion and radiation physics.