This year is the 100th anniversary of the College of Engineering at NC State University. So much has changed since 1923, but the one thing that has not changed is NC State’s commitment to improving the lives of the citizens of North Carolina. We are honored to help tell these stories on state-wide public television.
Beginning this month, as part of the new season of SciNC, the award-winning weekly series on PBS North Carolina, you can see features we produced about the College of Engineering. These stories are introduced by Dr. Nehemiah Mabry, a rising talent in STEM-focused media. Join us at 9:30 pm ET on Thursdays and online https://www.pbsnc.org/watch/sci-nc/.
This Thursday, October 26 NC State’s Nuclear Reactor Program takes center stage.
Did you know that NC State is home for the first university-based nuclear reactor program in the country, built in 1950 and operational by 1953? Today that first reactor has been de-activated, but a major program for nuclear research is in place. PULSTAR is a 1-MW pool-type nuclear research reactor and has been awarded a major grant from the US Department of Energy. We will tell this little-known history and how it has affected power development in North Carolina. We also will go inside the nuclear reactor and talk with Dr. Ayman Hawari, who will explain how nuclear energy, once feared, is now a clean resource that will help us reduce climate change. The North Carolina General Assembly has included funds for a new nuclear reactor in the 2024 budget.