By Andi Anderson
Three major public research universities have joined forces to address a growing workforce shortage in the nuclear energy industry. Arizona State University (ASU), Purdue University, and the University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK) have established the New Nuclear Academic Consortium (NNAC) to prepare future professionals for careers in the expanding nuclear sector.
The initiative comes at a time when U.S. electricity demand is rising rapidly. Emerging technologies such as small modular reactors and microreactors are gaining attention as reliable and scalable energy solutions. However, the industry faces a shortage of qualified workers capable of designing, managing, operating, and regulating these advanced systems.
Several factors have contributed to the workforce gap. Many experienced professionals are nearing retirement, while the industry's expansion has increased demand for workers with specialized knowledge. In addition, many nuclear facilities are located in remote regions, making recruitment more challenging.
The consortium brings together the unique strengths of the three universities. Arizona State University will focus on expanding access to nuclear education through technology-enabled learning programs. The university plans to launch several undergraduate micro-certificates designed to help engineering students gain nuclear industry knowledge alongside their primary studies.
The University of Tennessee Knoxville contributes one of the nation's leading nuclear engineering programs and maintains strong research connections with Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The university is located in a region that has become a significant hub for nuclear innovation, with numerous companies actively involved in nuclear energy development.
Purdue University adds extensive expertise through its nationally recognized nuclear engineering program and Purdue University Reactor Number One (PUR-1). PUR-1 is the only U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission-licensed university reactor facility with a fully digital safety and control system, providing students with valuable hands-on learning opportunities.
"ASU is proud to partner with Purdue and UT-Knoxville in launching this consortium,” said ASU President Michael Crow. “ASU has become synonymous with excellence and access at scale and we look forward to partnering with two of the leading nuclear engineering programs in the country, working together to help the nation.”
"The future of new nuclear energy is unfolding in front of us and the nation will need more graduates who are prepared to enter the nuclear industry,” said Kyle Squires, dean of ASU’s Fulton Schools of Engineering. "This new consortium brings together three top public universities, each with tremendous expertise and reach, to increase the number of engineers prepared to work in the new nuclear industry and create courses and microcredentials that can be accessed by engineers at any U.S. university."
Stylianos Chatzidakis, assistant professor in Purdue’s School of Nuclear Engineering, associate reactor director and director of the Nuclear Engineering Radiation Laboratories, emphasized the value of collaborative education and training.
“Through the New Nuclear Academic Consortium, we have an opportunity to combine Purdue’s unique experimental and regulatory capabilities with the complementary strengths of ASU and the UTK to create a new model for nuclear education,” Chatzidakis said. “Our goal is to give students meaningful exposure to real nuclear systems and hands-on advanced digital and cyber-physical technologies so they are prepared not just to design the next generation of reactors, but to safely deploy and operate them at scale.”
“We are proud to be part of this unique partnership to expand access to education and training about nuclear engineering and the nuclear sector,” said Brian Wirth, TVA Department Head and UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair Professor of Computational Nuclear Engineering at UTK. “While we have seen substantial growth in our on-campus student population and the establishment of a new minor in nuclear power engineering, this consortium will support the needed training requirements to grow the nuclear workforce.”
A key project within the consortium involves developing digital twin models of Purdue’s reactor, enabling students from other institutions to experience advanced nuclear training virtually. The NNAC also plans to welcome additional universities in the future, creating a broader educational network that supports research, workforce training, and innovation.
The consortium represents an important step toward building the skilled workforce needed to support the next generation of nuclear energy technologies and strengthen the nation’s energy future.
Photo Credit: purdue-university
Categories: Indiana, Education