More than 130 University students and area high schoolers got an introduction to careers in the nuclear industry at the Nuclear Career Spotlight, Sept. 17-19 on the University of Nevada, Reno campus. The event included speakers from national laboratories and organizations such as next-gen nuclear power company Kairos Power; a panel session with recent University alumni working in the nuclear industry; and booth-poster sessions.

“The goal of the event was to describe the promise, challenges and opportunities of the nuclear sector for STEM and non-STEM majors,” Mechanical Engineering Research Associate Professor Mustafa Hadj-Nacer said. “The benefits of the nuclear sector range from carbon-free electricity and naval ship propulsion to medical diagnostics/treatments and nuclear nonproliferation.” 

Students interested in those areas may not always know how to get involved, according to Mechanical Engineering Foundation Professor Miles Greiner.

“That’s why we invited off-campus organizations and University research labs to describe their work and their interests in hiring students,” he said.

Idaho, Pacific Northwest and Oak Ridge national laboratories, the Nevada National Security Sites, Kairos Power and the U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program sent engineers, scientists and national security experts to the event. University faculty and students from 11 labs in the colleges of engineering and science made research presentations and the student section of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) also met with attendees.

An event highlight included a dinner presentation by Per Peterson, chief nuclear officer of Kairos Power, an advanced energy technology company working on a fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor. Those reactors will be constructed more quickly and economically than the current generation nuclear power plants, according to Peterson, and operate more reliably. 

Fifty students from three local high schools also attended a session designed for their age group.

"The students had an absolute blast, and the lab tours were the topic of conversation all the way back to school,” Reno High School teacher Karl Kuhles said.

Presenters and organizers also hailed the event as an opportunity for those interested in nuclear energy.

“The event was a great forum to promote the broad nuclear research and education conducted in the Materials Science & Engineering (MSE) Department to students across campus and the visiting organizations,” MSE Assistant Professor Jeremy Moon said.

Mohamad Zineddin, distinguished R&D staff, Nuclear & Radiological Risk Management Sciences, Nuclear Security Sciences Directorate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, said the event reflected a genuine curiosity among students to contribute to applied nuclear research, safeguards and materials science.

“We love to participate again next year,” he said.

Students interested in the nuclear sector can find resources on the Nuclear Career Network website. To participate in next year’s event, email NuclearCareerNetwork@unr.edu. 

The event steering committee consisted of University faculty members Hadj-Nacer, Greiner, Moon, Krista Carlson, Dev Chidambaram and ANS president Tolin Skov-Black.