Article by Engineering Communications

As a Ph.D. student nearing graduation in 1975, Alex R. Burkart hadn’t anticipated that his nuclear engineering degree would lead to a career in foreign policy.

Burkart, who also earned his B.S. in 1972 in nuclear engineering from NC State University, spent more than 40 years in various leadership positions with the United States government, where he forged a unique career path combining technical skills and international diplomacy in pursuit of global energy progress and peace.

His contributions to global nuclear energy management and dedication to maintaining high standards of safety, security and nonproliferation are widely recognized by officials across the globe. In 2021, he was elected Fellow of the American Nuclear Society (ANS). While ANS has categories for academic and research accomplishments, there is no category that specifically matches Burkart’s work in international cooperation, making the recognition especially meaningful.

“I only hope that a few nuclear engineers see that while the technical-policy interface is frequently dominated by political scientists, it needs more nuclear engineers,” he said.

Continue here for remainder of article.