SUMMARY FACT SHEET 2015 – 2019
SUMMARY
In the period of 2015-2019, the Nuclear Engineering Department has been on a trajectory of growth and diversification:
- Expenditures (2015-2019) = $ 83 M
- Tenure/Tenure-Track faculty increase – 37%
- PhD enrollment increase – 52 %
- Improved rankings, credibility and recognition
- New 10-year vision and 5-year strategic plan
- Transitioning from a premier to a leading Nuclear Engineering Department
FACULTY AND STAFF
- 8 new tenure-track faculty hires
- 4 fixed-term faculty and 3 staff hires
- 2 female faculty hires since 2015
- 2 tenure, 2 re-appointment, 4 promotion, 1 retention, and 6 post-tenured cases
- 17 faculty and 8 staff awards
RESOURCES AND SPACE
Increased expenditures and departmental funds | Development and renovation of undergraduate teaching labs, research labs and High Bay area, graduate student offices, faculty and staff offices, and departmental common areas | Development of unique experimental capabilities consolidated in experimental clusters by focus area | Enhancement of the departmental HPC facilities | Burlington to be a premier NE building
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
Successful ABET visit and review of the Undergraduate Program | Introduction of new classes and minors in the Undergraduate Program |Improved senior design projects in cooperation with industry and national labs | Successful review of the Graduate Program | Growth, improved quality, and increased diversity of the PhD Program | Extended Distance Education Program| Introduction of new graduate classes, concentrations and certificates | 15 students received National Fellowships| 18 students were recognized for Best Paper or Poster at various Nuclear Engineering National & International Meetings | 3 students awarded Innovations in Nuclear Technology R&D
Award | NE students named COE MS and PhD Students of the Year in 2019 |NC State’s Nuclear Engineering Graduate Program ranked #3 |NC State’s Online Master of Nuclear Engineering ranked #1
RESEARCH, INNOVATION AND COOPERATION ACTIVITIES
4 major focus thrust areas and 5 crosscutting/application areas | Leadership and participation in 10 centers, consortia and users’ groups | 11 research labs and groups | Improved and extended cooperation with national labs including 5 JFAs | Improved cooperation with industry through CASL, CTF Users’ Group and CNP | Leading in the development of an interface/synergy between Advanced Modeling and Simulation, Innovative Experimentation and Measurements, and Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence technology | Extensive international cooperation activities
OUTREACH AND VISIBILITY
Updated, extended and diversified Advisory Board (NEDAC) | Extended undergraduate recruitment and retention | Improved graduate recruitment and retention | Introduced Nuclear Engineering Homecoming & Hall of Fame Induction | Introduced Departmental Recognition Dinner | Improved and extended nuclear alumni relationships | Focused individual and corporate development activities | Pro-active electronic communication and marketing | Biannual e-Newsletter | Improved national and international visibility and recognition
Nuclear Reactor Program (NRP)
2015 – 2019
| Engagement and utilization of the nuclear reactor program has been effective in terms of supporting Nuclear Engineering classes and labs | 8 NE instructors used NRP annually for teaching in 2015-2019.
151 lab sessions taught in 2015-2019. Classes include E101, NE202, NE235, NE301, NE400/500. NE401/501, NE402, NE403, NE406/408 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Engagement and utilization of the nuclear reactor program has been effective in terms of supporting graduate research | 20 graduate students (on average) use the NRP annually in support of research and MS/PhD theses and dissertations. | |
| Engagement and utilization of the nuclear reactor program has been effective in terms of students training as reactor operators | 117 NE students were trained by the NRP in the reactor operator program with 14 licensed by the NRC. | |
| Engagement and utilization of the nuclear reactor program has been effective in terms of nuclear engineering faculty projects related to the use of reactor and facilities | 14 different NE faculty engaged NRP for projects and proposals. | |
| Engagement and utilization of the nuclear reactor program has been effective in terms of other NC State faculty projects | 30 different NCSU faculty engaged NRP for projects and proposals. | |
| The nuclear reactor program provides fair and equal access to all NC State faculty and graduate students for their research | NRP is available to everyone. Aid is provided in proposal development/writing, and feasibility analysis is offered including cost free testing. | |
| The nuclear reactor program is well integrated into the Department | Based on the above, NRP is integral to the NE Department. It supports all activities including education, research, recruiting, and outreach. |
- NRP is an internationally recognized and one-of-a-kind multidisciplinary university nuclear research and education center in the US.
- Future plans include an expansion of research and teaching capabilities enabled by the 2-MW power upgrade and 2nd generation infrastructure and instruments.
- User Hours (2015–2019) = 38,900 Expenditures (2015–2019) = $17,500,000