I want to do nuclear, electrical, and mechanical engineering

[MagnetDude]

Because there are only so many characters I can put in the title I will future explain down here. I want to do design/work on many things... I don't know how likely it is for me to do these things, but I want to work on electric motors, generators, nuclear reactors, Combustion engines, steam turbines. I am very familiar with these machines. I play with these things for fun over playing video games, except for nuclear reactors... I don't have any deuterium for that, or don't want to take the time to get a bunch of thorium oxide lamp fuel or smoke detectors and decay it into PU 94. But I love all these concepts.

I am thinking I should do an electormechanical engineering undergrad, and do a doctoral in nuclear engineering if that's how it works. What would you guys say? I am sure I won't be able to work on all these devices but I would love to at least put some design work into one of these in the future, because i love working on them.

 

[DEvens]

Whether you want to work in nuclear depends on what country you are going to live in. The USA, for example, is flirting with doing some new build. But so far, there has not been a lot of motion.

http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/country-profiles/countries-T-Z/USA--Nuclear-Power/

"While there are plans for a number of new reactors [...], no more than four new units will come on line by 2020. Since about 2010 the prospect of low natural gas prices continuing for several years has dampened plans for new nuclear capacity."

If you were fluent in Chinese, for example, there are 28 new reactors under construction right now. And plans for many more.

Find a good undergrad school and get a BSc in either mechanical engineering or physics.

While you are there, look around for the school that you want to do your graduate work in. Be sure to find out what their admission requirements are, and be sure you are meeting those requirements.

The usual things to look for when picking a school include:
- How good is the international reputation of the school?
- What research are they doing?
- Where do their grads get jobs?
- Can you get financial support of some kind? Ask about scholarships you need to apply for.
- A variety of other things that amount to "how nice is it to go to that school?"

And when you are picking your grad school:
- Is there a prof at that school who does research you are interested in, who has a space for another grad student?

Google is your friend. Find the web sites for universities. Get their email addresses. Send nice email asking for admission requirements etc.

 

[MagnetDude]

Thanks sir. Ill look into it for sure. I really want to do electromechincal engineering. Not to work on robots, I hate robots and don't know how to feel about them from an economic point of view , but to work on electric motor, and generator design. I might have to combine electrical and mechanical as one in college for my BSc

 

[CalcNerd]

Consider naval engineering. If you are gifted enough there is a college called Webb institute and if you don't mind a 4-5 year stint working for the Navy, you could get a 4 year scholarship via Navy ROTC or the academy. Naval engineers are the only engineers aside from nuke engineers at power plants (and nuke engineers may be restricted to core design) who get the chance to work in all fields.

The Navy ROTC program is by far, the easiest way to go and would probably pay for a full four years (ie even now, say you are a sophomore) to adjust or transfer your credits to a school that would allow you to graduate with a degree in Naval engineering. You then might get a chance to help oversee construction on a nuke boat (I suspect that would be your dream job) or end up serving as an engineer aboard a nuke boat (probably not a dream job, but could easily lead to higher jobs ie Jimmy Carter anyone?).

Just my opinion. Webb institute is very, very, selective (tuition is free), but not well known, and probably very light on nuclear. The Naval academy is also free, but is selective, political and has high physical standards. Neither are real options for most people.

 

[donpacino]

Consider naval engineering. If you are gifted enough there is a college called Webb institute and if you don't mind a 4-5 year stint working for the Navy, you could get a 4 year scholarship via Navy ROTC or the academy. Naval engineers are the only engineers aside from nuke engineers at power plants (and nuke engineers may be restricted to core design) who get the chance to work in all fields.

The Navy ROTC program is by far, the easiest way to go and would probably pay for a full four years (ie even now, say you are a sophomore) to adjust or transfer your credits to a school that would allow you to graduate with a degree in Naval engineering. You then might get a chance to help oversee construction on a nuke boat (I suspect that would be your dream job) or end up serving as an engineer aboard a nuke boat (probably not a dream job, but could easily lead to higher jobs ie Jimmy Carter anyone?).

Just my opinion. Webb institute is very, very, selective (tuition is free), but not well known, and probably very light on nuclear. The Naval academy is also free, but is selective, political and has high physical standards. Neither are real options for most people.

In addition consider the merchant marine academies. A good friend of mine went to one. His coursework was basically all how to design, build, and maintain the engines and generators include the electrical portion.

 

[DEvens]

The suggestion was made to consider the navy. I was once told a story by a guy who qualified to work on navy nuclear reactors. This was his "final exam." He knew something big was going to happen, but not what exactly. The scenario is changed for every new guy. So he is at his duty station, monitoring the reactor. And his training officer is at his elbow. And several other people are in the control room.

Suddenly, every dial on his board turns red and many alarms are going off. The indications are of massive horrible problems with the reactor. Everybody else in the room drops to the floor apparently unconscious. Over the ship's PA comes an announcement that a crazy guy was loose on the ship. Through the door of the control room comes a guy with a crazed look in his eye, and a gun in his hand.

He had to subdue the crazy guy, bring the reactor back under control, then render first aid to everybody in the room.

After it was over, his training officer got up off he floor, shook his hand, and said he had passed. He shook the officer's hand and said "Thank you very much. I resign." Not everybody is cut out to be part of the military.