3 Universities Form Nuclear Alliance to Tackle Next-Gen Workforce Gap through Cross-Campus Virtual

[Marlin]

3 Universities Form Nuclear Alliance to Tackle Next-Gen Workforce Gap through Cross-Campus Virtual Training

https://www.energytech.com/business/news/55412192/3-universities-form-nuclear-alliance-to-tackle-next-gen-workforce-gap-through-cross-campus-virtual-training

[Core Content]

Arizona State University, Purdue University, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville have established the New Nuclear Academic Consortium. The partnership aims to address workforce shortages by developing undergraduate micro-certificates and cross-campus virtual training programs for engineering students.

The initiative responds to rising electricity demand and an aging workforce as the nuclear sector prepares for small modular reactor deployments. Purdue will incorporate its licensed PUR-1 digital reactor facility into the virtual training models. This setup allows students across participating universities to gain hands-on operational experience with modern nuclear systems.

Once launched, the alliance plans to invite additional research universities to join over the next six to 12 months to adopt the consortium-built micro-certificates for undergraduate...

Photo of the PUR-1 facility, which is designated as the core experimental and regulatory Hub for the New Nuclear Academic Consortium. | Credit: Purdue University

Small modular reactors (SMRs) and microreactors are emerging to meet a national "nuclear resurgence" after decades of flat growth. However, while America's demand for electricity is surging, the nation faces a severe shortage of nuclear-literate engineers, managers and policymakers.

Read the full article at Energy Tech:
https://www.energytech.com/business/news/55412192/3-universities-form-nuclear-alliance-to-tackle-next-gen-workforce-gap-through-cross-campus-virtual-training