Update from the University-Industry-Government Relations Committee

The University-Industry-Government Relations Committee administers the Annual ANS Student Design Contest. The finalists selected by an independent panel of judges for the 2010 Contest are: Undergraduate Category North Carolina State University University of Rhode Island Graduate Category University of Michigan, Ann Arbor University of Tennessee These student groups presented their efforts at the Winter ANS Meeting. A second panel of independent judges selected the top winners in each category as University of Rhode Island and University of...

Robert L. Long Training Excellence Award to be presented at the national level for 2011

National Honors and Awards unanimously approved the ETWDD proposal to elevate the Robert L. Long Training Excellence Award to a Society national level award. This will be official for 2011. The award will be presented at the ANS awards luncheon in November of the even calendar years and will be recognized at the November ANS awards luncheon in the odd calendar years but presented at...

Upcoming Meetings & Events – November 2010

Here is a list of ETWDD related meetings and events that will take place on Saturday and Sunday before the ANS Annual Meeting in Las Vegas the week of November 7-11, 2010 (check the program for locations): Saturday, November 6th •Teacher’s Workshop – 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM •Professional Divisions Workshop – 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM Sunday, November 7th •University/Industry/Government Relations Committee Meeting – 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM •ETWDD Program Committee Meeting – 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM •Alpha Nu Sigma – 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM •Executive/Membership/Honors and Awards – 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM In the link below you will find the agenda for the November 2010 ETWDD Executive Committee...

A Message from the Chair

Efforts to build the next generation of nuclear power plants in USA seem to fall one step back for every two steps forward.  Problems with financing, competition from low natural gas prices, and lower electricity demand forecasts have slowed or halted plans by many American utilities to build new nuclear power plants.  On the surface these developments might seem to lessen the need for a robust pipeline of new nuclear engineers, technicians, and scientists, but that is far from true.  Globalization of the nuclear supply chain and the steady growth of nuclear energy in Asia, Europe and Africa are creating demand for nuclear talent around the world.  As I write this letter, there are 58 reactors under construction in the world, several more about to begin construction (including 4 in the USA), and contracts for additional new reactors are being signed each month.  Many of these new reactors are located in nations and regions without an existing nuclear workforce or nuclear education and training infrastructures. The international nuclear expansion is creating new career opportunities for experienced “nukes” and a worldwide marketplace for nuclear talent.  Coupled with the pending retirement of 15-30% of the workforce over the next five or so years, this global demand means young people entering the nuclear industry today have opportunities many of us never dreamed of.  It also means existing nuclear education and training programs will need to operate at peak efficiency to feed this national and global hunger for nuclear brainpower. There’s a lot going on to meet these workforce challenges including rising enrollments in nuclear engineering programs, roll-out of the “Nuclear Uniform Curriculum”...

Updates from the June 2010 Meeting

The ETWDD Workforce Committee met on June 13, 2010 in San Diego.  Updates were provided on the Conference on Nuclear Training and Education (CONTE) 2011, the NRC Nuclear Education Program, and the Nuclear Uniform Curriculum Program.  CONTE 2011 call for papers has been issued, and plans are on schedule for obtaining sponsors, speakers, and session participants.  NRC recently announced $20 million in educational awards—$5 million for curriculum development, and $15 million to fellowships, scholarships, community colleges, and faculty development.  The Nuclear Uniform Curriculum Program (NUCP) currently has 50 utility/education partnerships participating in the program.  The first NUCP certificates were issued to graduating students by two partnerships in May 2010.  An ad hoc committee, established in late 2009, developed program governing documents that were recently provided to the industry: Agreement of Understanding; sustainability, oversight, accreditation interface, and NUCP certificate guidance, Challenge Meeting guidance: readiness to issue NUCP certificates; and sample...