U.S. Nuclear Power Chief Discussed Resurgence of Nuclear Energy, Need for Engineers With Pitt Students
The chair of the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) visited the University of Pittsburgh to
discuss the recent reemergence of nuclear power as a global energy option and
to urge students to help supply the nuclear engineers that will drive its rebirth.
Dale E. Klein addressed current and prospective Pitt nuclear engineering
students Oct. 27 during Pitt’s Nuclear Engineering Night, hosted by the Swanson School of Engineering’s nuclear engineering program and featuring
representatives from Western Pennsylvania companies specializing in nuclear
power.
Klein, a nuclear engineer, heads the federal agency responsible for ensuring
the safety of U.S. commercial nuclear power plants during a time of increasing
investment and public interest in nuclear power. The NRC is preparing to
receive as many as 30 new license applications for plant construction and operation
as a result of this resurgence, a perceived “nuclear renaissance” driven by the
cost of oil and the political and environmental concerns associated with fossil
fuels. As NRC chair, Klein actively encourages students and universities to
pursue nuclear engineering to help stem the shortage of nuclear engineers and
further nuclear energy’s reemergence. The NRC supports such efforts through its
Nuclear Education Grants program, which provides funding to build a nuclear
engineering curriculum, hire faculty, and offer scholarships. Pitt’s Nuclear
Engineering Program has received almost $1 million in NRC grants since 2007.
Klein also discussed Western Pennsylvania’s potential as a center of nuclear
energy production, research, and education. The region hosts one of the highest
concentrations of nuclear power-related companies and experts, including
Bechtel Bettis, Inc., which has a research facility in West Mifflin;
Westinghouse Electric Company, one of the world’s largest vendors of nuclear
reactor technology; and FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company, which operates
the Beaver Valley Power Station nuclear power plant in Shippingport.
Pitt sought to meet these companies’ growing demand for employees by
establishing Western Pennsylvania’s only nuclear engineering graduate and
undergraduate certificate programs in 2007. Supported by grants from the NRC
and the U.S. Department of Energy, Pitt’s nuclear engineering program works
closely with experts from local companies in designing and teaching courses to
ensure that students receive the most relevant, up-to-date education.
Pitt’s Nuclear Engineering Night provided students with information on
Pitt’s certificate programs and nuclear engineering scholarships, and an
opportunity to learn about careers with such local firms as Westinghouse and
FirstEnergy.
There is always newsworthy research and events happening in the Swanson School of Engineering.
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