The Ohio State University

Welcome to the homepage of the Nuclear Engineering Program at The Ohio State University. Our program is designed to prepare students for successful careers in a variety of specialty areas associated with the application of radiation, radioactive materials, and nuclear fission. Our graduates work for a variety of organizations including research laboratories, design organizations, nuclear power plants, academic institutions, and regulatory organizations. Students work side-by-side with the faculty on projects for research sponsors such as the Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, NASA, DOE national laboratories, nuclear power plants, and others. In addition to the graduate program, The Ohio State University offers an undergraduate minor degree in nuclear engineering, which is of particular value to engineers that do not plan to obtain advanced degrees in Nuclear Engineering.

These are very exciting and challenging times in the nuclear power industry. In response to the emerging crisis of an energy deficit associated with the global environmental impact from greenhouse gases and limits on petroleum availability, operating nuclear power plants are being granted power uprates and life extensions; new reactor designs are obtaining regulatory design certification; new early site permits are being granted; a large number of new plant orders are expected over the next few years; and changes in the fuel cycle are being developed that will dramatically reduce the quantity of radioactive waste that will require long-term disposal. Major changes are also occurring in the nuclear engineering program at OSU. In July 2006, we moved from temporary housing to a new Mechanical Engineering/Nuclear Engineering building with state-of-the-art teaching and research facilities. We have recently experienced substantial growth in our student population. The faculty is also evolving. During the past two years, we have added two new faculty to our ranks. While we don’t currently have an undergraduate major program, our undergraduate minor option designed to familiarize other engineering majors with nuclear engineering is rapidly expanding.

If you would like additional information about the OSU Nuclear Engineering Program, we would be happy to respond.