Should I do my MechE concentration in nuclear power or in something else?

[WatermelonPig]

I had been planning for awhile to study nuclear engineering at the undergraduate level and eventually do graduate work and enter the field. Now, with what happened recently, I mean is the field shot? I really find this stuff interesting and am wondering if the field still has a good future considering what has happened in Japan. I still think that it is safe, but public policy might say otherwise. Should I just quit this and instead concentrate on thermofluids or some other area of MechE?

 

[Ryker]

I would actually think this calls for more engineering when building nuclear plants, plus that thing with Japan is just a consequence of the plants being built at a bad location. So you're just going to have to give up the dream of building a nuclear plant on the coast of California, but other than that I don't think this event will change the playing field that much.

 

[WatermelonPig]

I mean still public opinion has shifted drastically (I've looked at the polls and support has dropped by a third) so even if governments and engineering firms are in on this, will the field remain viable? Will advancements in say fusion be halted?

 

[AlephZero]

IF you were planning to go into aerospace, would you change your plans beause a rocket failed to launch or there was a major air crash, just before you started college?

Same applies to nuclear.

By next week, "public opinion" will have found something else to rant about.

 

[WatermelonPig]

That is true; I do expect there to be a bounce back in a few weeks as that usually happens.

 

[Thermalne]

The Nuclear engineering field is not shot nor is it in horrible danger. Yes we need to get the right information out to counter the panic monger on the news.

This time around the American Nuclear Society and several other groups are really pushing the right information. It's a different situation and I'd suggest continuing in Nuclear Engineering if you're that interested.