University enhances nuclear engineering program in response to rising demand

University enhances nuclear engineering program in response to rising demand

After reporting record enrollments in its nuclear engineering program, Pennsylvania State University has announced it will use federal funding to expand its offerings in this field, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

The school recently received $38 million in research grants from the U.S. Department of Energy, which will be used to answer the growing demand for higher education in the nuclear engineering field.

"There's a lot more investment in nuclear power these days because it's seen as a possibility to start building nuclear power plants in the future," Arthur Motta, a professor at the school, told the media outlet.

The funding will be spent on enhancement of the current curriculum and the creation of new courses that focus on emerging issues in the field, according to the news source. For example, school administrators are already working to create a graduate-level course that focuses on the impacts nuclear power can have on the environment.

Campus-based and online masters programs could help nuclear engineers stay at the forefront of their field, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that individuals who wish to obtain faculty or research and development positions in this sector are required to have graduate-level training.

By Stefanie Hughes