Nuclear Engineering Questions

[DukeLuke]

I'm a physics and math student one year away from finishing my undergraduate degrees. I've taken plenty of classes but found I'm most interested in nuclear and quantum physics. Graduate school in physics has been the plan since the start, but I'm beginning to think nuclear engineering might fit my interests/personality better. I think this because while I do find the physics side of things very interesting I enjoy the application of the science more than the "fundamental physics" type research. This summer I had the chance to work at a national lab where I designed, modeled, and built an instrument for a nuclear facility. I really enjoyed the opportunity to create something that fixes a unique problem. I prefer this to previous physics research I have done involving physics experiments. I think the main reason for this is my hands-on personality. I enjoy building/fixing things and always have more projects going than I have time for (thanks to coursework).

My understanding of graduate school is that it is much more focused than undergraduate. For this reason I've been given the advice to apply to schools that are strong in the nuclear sub-field (reactor design, materials, medical, space, computation, ...) I would want a career in. I think my current skill-set is geared more towards the computational side of things (I have a strong numerical analysis/programming background), but I'm worried if I go this route I miss out on design and the chance to come up with solutions to technical/mechanical problems. So I guess you could say that I'm undecided on what sub-field I'm most interested in, and because of this I'm having a difficult time deciding which graduate schools to apply to.

Here's my questions:
Are computer modeling and design usually separate tasks, or is it common for a NE to be involved in both?
What are some ways to determine how strong a graduate school is in a certain area?
What skills are/will be in demand in industry?
Can you recommend any research areas based on my interests?

I know these questions may be too broad based on the diversity of the NE field. If it helps I'm most interested in power generation from fission. I can also clarify if you have any questions, I'm just worried if I make this post any longer no one will read it. Thanks for reading, any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Astronuc]

Computer modeling is more along the lines of analysis, and design is usually a separate function.

Designers may not necessarily be involved in the analysis part. While that might have been generally true in the past, that may have changed or is changing, because now we see a lot of CAD/CAE applications.

Whereas in the past, a designer may pass of a 3D model to an engineer to analyze, programs like SolidWorks have CAE imbedded in them.

An engineer who is proficient in CAD/CAE, and knows mechanics and materials, will certainly find abundant opportunities.

In nuclear, there is demand for proficient engineers in core design as well as mechanical design, and generally there is more work in mechanical design than core design, since the core is a relatively small part of an entire plant.

Plants require mechanical engineers, structural/civil engineers, electrical engineers, and various other disciplines.

Keep one's eyes on this - http://www.ornl.gov/ornlhome/b_roll/casl.shtml

 

[raining Pete]

Hey there! It sounds like you have a lot of great interests and skills in both physics and engineering. I think it's great that you're considering both graduate school in physics and nuclear engineering, as they both have a lot of overlap and opportunities for hands-on work.

To answer your first question, computer modeling and design can be separate tasks, but it's also common for a nuclear engineer to be involved in both. It really depends on the specific project and team you're working with. If you're interested in both, I would definitely recommend looking for graduate programs that offer courses and research opportunities in both areas.

As for determining the strength of a graduate program in a certain area, there are a few things you can do. First, look at the faculty and their research interests. If there are professors in the program who are doing research in the specific sub-field you're interested in, that's a good sign. You can also look at the program's partnerships and collaborations with industry and national labs, as that can indicate the strength of their connections and opportunities for hands-on work.

In terms of skills in demand in industry, it really depends on the specific field and company you're interested in. However, some general skills that are always in demand in the engineering field include strong problem-solving abilities, analytical thinking, and communication skills. It's also helpful to have a good background in computer programming and numerical analysis, as you mentioned you already have.

Based on your interests, some potential research areas you could explore in graduate school include reactor design and optimization, materials research for nuclear applications, and developing computational models for nuclear systems. It's also worth considering looking into the field of nuclear fusion, as it combines elements of both physics and engineering and is a rapidly growing area of research and development.

Overall, my advice would be to continue exploring your interests and talking to professors and professionals in the field to get a better sense of what specific sub-field and graduate program would be the best fit for you. Good luck with your decision and future studies!