leapoldstotch said:
Im thinking about going into nuclear engineering but i have this fear that its going to be astronomically hard. Like only for M.I.T. super nerd geniuses. What would you guys rate to be the hardest- easiest engineering branch to go into, in terms of the schooling?
Also i am afraid once i get a nuclear engineering degree i won't be able to find a job. Even tho i live 15 miles from a nuke plant.
I also have it in my head that i will be moving around the country every single week and ill never be around my family. The job I'm hoping for is to work at the plant close to me for a long while. Do nuke engineers work at a plant, or just help build them??
I wouldn't say the nuclear engineering is necessarily the hardest based on my experience with courses in Nuc Eng, Aero Eng, Mech Eng, EE, Mat Sci and Physics. In the Science and Engineering curricula, one will exposed to advanced math, such as partial differential equations, linear algebra, vector analysis, . . . . In nuclear engineering one is exposed to nuclear physics, neutron transport and diffusion, in addition the Navier-Stokes equations that one finds in Mech Eng or Aero Eng. Upper level courses are more difficult that lower level introductory courses.
Nuclear engineers are generally involved in supporting plant operation if they work at the plant, or fuel cycle/core design if they work at the companies engineering site. Companies, which own one unit or multiple units at one site, often have the majority of technical staff at the plant. Big companies like Exelon, Entergy, Progress, SNOC, . . . have technical staff in a main office which may be centrally located geographically with respect to the plants.
Designing and building plants is more the field of mechanical and civil/structural engineering.
If one does not work for a utility, then one's choices would include the vendors Toshiba/Westinghouse, AREVA, and GE/GNF/Hitachi. Westinghouse and AREVA do both PWR and BWRs, while GE/GNF/Hitachi focuses on BWR technology. They are responsible for the nuclear system. Then there are the big A&E (architect engineering) firms which primarily do the balance of plant (BOP) and civil/structural works.
One doesn't have to be an MIT nerd to be a nuclear engineer. Most of the nuclear engineering programs are in state universities, e.g. Texas A&M, Oregon State, PennState, U Michigan, U. Wisc, NC State, GaTech, U. Florida, . . . . as well as private like Purdue, RPI, MIT, . . . .
PM me about the plant near which one lives and I might be able to provide some insight.