With the Bush administration seeking better use of nuclear energy and a substantial number of nuclear engineers approaching retirement age, graduates seeking jobs in nuclear engineering will see opportunities flourish well into the future.
The Need Is Growing
“In the last several years, there has been a major recognition that this is a field that is going to require a lot more engineers,” says Dr. Alan E. Waltar, professor and head of the department of nuclear engineering at Texas A&M University. A survey conducted in 1999 by the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) revealed a significant gap between the supply of students graduating with degrees in nuclear engineering and industry’s demand for these graduates. And, unless steps were taken to reverse this trend, the study projected the gap would continue to grow.
As one of the largest engineering programs in the country, Texas A&M decided to take those steps. They began offering scholarships, rallying industry support and promoting high starting salaries for its nuclear engineering graduates. And it worked: The school’s nuclear engineering department nearly tripled in the past three years, going from an all-time-low of 55 in 1998 to 134 in the 2001 school year.
Still, the industry continues to struggle with a shortage caused by decades of disinterest in the field. One explanation for this lack of interest was offered in an article that appeared in the June 2001 edition of REACTIONS, a newsletter published by the American Nuclear Society for teachers interested in the nuclear sciences. Because no new power reactors were being built, the article reports that students believed opportunities for nuclear engineers were limited and consequently did not pursue degrees in the field. But with 103 operating nuclear power plants in the U.S. and utilities and generating companies applying to extend operating licenses at existing plants, the article goes on to say there will continue to be a need for nuclear engineers.
An example of the industry’s interest in bridging this gap can be seen on the campus of Texas A&M: “We have an industrial advisory committee for our department made up of CEOs of some nuclear utilities in our area,” says Waltar. “And some of those people have said, ÔListen, we want to build good relationships with your students. Any student in your program who’s in good standing after their freshman year has a job [with us] in the summer.’”
Adding to the growing need for students to consider careers in nuclear engineering is the fact that many of those currently employed in the field will soon be retiring. Dr. Audeen W. Fentiman, nuclear engineering department chairperson at Ohio State University, believes utilities stand to lose 30% of their current employees in the next five years as they reach retirement age.
“This provides a real opportunity for current engineering students,” she says.
In fact, Waltar adds, the shortage has become so severe that some utility companies have had to train mechanical and electrical engineers to conduct the duties normally carried out by nuclear engineers. “But for some of the crucial aspects, there is just no substitute for a good background in radiation physics,” says Walter.
Next Generation Power Reactors
According to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the last nuclear power plant for the United States was ordered in 1978. Then came the accidents at Three Mile Island in ‘79 and in Chernobyl in ‘86, and the public’s opinion of nuclear power took a nosedive. “The media, the previous administrations in Washington, D.C. and the environmental groups have all been very vocal and anti-nuclear,” says Fentiman.
But things are beginning to change………..
The Bush administration has been talking positively about nuclear energy as evidenced in its National Energy Policy released in May 2001. The policy cites the record of safety and efficiency of nuclear power plants as well as the country’s growing energy demands as reasons for pursuing increased usage of nuclear power. Toward this end, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology developed the Generation IV Initiative. In collaboration with the international research community, which includes industry, academia, government and non-government organizations, the initiative’s objective is to research advanced nuclear energy systems that offer safe, reliable, economical and proliferation-resistant nuclear power.
“The Generation IV nuclear energy systems are concepts that will be developed and deployed over the next 10 to 30 years,” says Dr. John C. Lee, professor and chairman of Nuclear and Radiological Sciences at the University of Michigan. INEEL is working with the Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois to organize and coordinate the initiative, which they hope will result in at least one reactor design being certified by 2030. According to the INEEL Web site (www.inel.gov), these new reactors will replace those built in the ’70s and ’80s.
There are four types of Generation IV nuclear energy systems: gas cooled, water cooled, liquid metal cooled and molten salt cooled. One advantage of using gas as a coolant, for instance, is its higher temperature, resulting in a higher efficiency in converting thermal energy to electricity, explains Lee. Another Generation-IV design under consideration would result in smaller, more modular reactors that could be built on an as needed basis, which Lee says makes them more affordable and attractive financially for utility companies.
“What we need are some young people who can join forces [with us] and help with the construction of these new reactors,” he adds.
Yucca Mountain Project
As interest in nuclear energy continues to grow, the processing of nuclear waste, or spent nuclear fuel, will continue to be a challenge for future nuclear engineers. According to the Department of Energy, the nation’s inventory of spent nuclear fuel will reach 62,000 metric tons by the year 2010.
Students interested in the area of spent nuclear fuel may find themselves working with a new technology called accelerator transmutation of waste (ATW). In 1999, Congress directed the DOE to investigate this technology, which uses neutrons from an accelerator to convert long-lived radioisotopes into short-lived radioisotopes resulting in less hazardous materials and producing electricity as a byproduct. Their findings, released in a November 1999 report, “A Roadmap for Developing Accelerator Transmutation of Waste Technology,” outlined a six-year, $281 million R&D project.
In addition to looking into ways to make nuclear waste less hazardous, the government has been busy searching for possible sites for the storage of high-level radioactive nuclear waste. In 1982, Congress directed the DOE to locate a suitable site for underground storage of this highly radioactive material, which is considered to be the only safe method of storage. The result: the Yucca Mountain Project.
Last February, Yucca Mountain, Nev., was designated “the nation’s first long-term geologic repository for high-level radioactive waste,” as stated on the project’s official Web site, www.ymp.gov. This nuclear waste site, which would not begin accepting waste before the year 2010, offers a variety of opportunities for nuclear engineers interested in the research and treatment of nuclear waste. The prime contractor for the project is Bechtel/SAIC Company, LLC in Las Vegas.
Some more excerpts to complement the above………..
As the United States attempts to use less foreign oil, nuclear energy is increasingly becoming an important player. How much of a player, however, centers on many factors, such as implementing new technologies used to run plants, acceptance among policy makers and the public, and the ability for utility companies to prove that newly built nuclear plants are safe and cost efficient.
Despite a relative lack of news coverage, nuclear energy and its outlook is on the minds of decision makers in the U.S. and across the globe. And, if you choose to pursue a career in this exciting field, you can play a major role in our country’s energy future.
Nuclear Power 2010
Around the world, and specifically in places like China and India, the topic of nuclear energy is a priority. Countries are not only searching for alternative energy sources, but also looking to supply a growing population and presence in the global marketing place. This past December, the International Atomic Energy Agency hosted an event in Vienna where 28 countries convened to learn the requirements for building nuclear power plants.
How does the global outlook on nuclear energy impact the United States? “Whether or not new (nuclear) construction develops quickly within our borders, it appears that global demand will have a positive impact to the industry here in the U.S.,” says Mark Fenske, senior vice president of Hudson Energy Services, an agency that provides top recruits for the energy industry. “Companies that are involved in plant design and construction have evolved into multi-nationals and most have a strong presence [here].”
Currently, the U.S. Department of Energy has a commitment to nuclear energy as outlined in their plan entitled “Nuclear Power 2010.” According to the DOE’s Web site, this plan is a joint effort between the DOE and industry leaders to identify new locations for nuclear power plants, build a case to develop the new plants, and implement new technologies, such as the light water reactor.
The DOE’s main concern is about the country’s over dependence upon natural gas for its electricity supply. This is not just an environmental issue about air quality; it is a concern about national security and the country’s vulnerability because it is so dependent on other countries for natural gas.
In North Anna, Va., the companies of General Electric and Dominion are applying for a license to build an Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor. There are many steps that all parties involved must take, including financial backing, engineering specifications and multiple licensing steps. If approved, the nuclear plant should be in operation by 2014. The current administration is supportive of moving nuclear energy from the backburner of discussion and debate to a sustainable and efficient source of energy for the U.S.
Nuclear Now
With all of these factors impacting nuclear energy today and in the future, what are the implications for those hoping to find a career in the field? “There is a strong consensus among industry [insiders] that nearly half of the current nuclear industry workers are over 47 years old, and during the next five years alone, the [field] could be facing the loss of more than 20,000 workers due to retirement,” says Fenske. New graduates will not only be needed to replace a retiring workforce, but engineers from varying backgrounds will be needed when new plants are approved for construction. “There will likely be additional demand in order to meet the needs of the plant design firms, manufacturers of plant components, construction companies, service companies and regulating agencies. Over the next 10 years, studies indicate that as many as 90,000 nuclear professionals may be needed to meet the needs of all segments of the industry in the U.S. alone,” explains Fenske.
Other indicators of job growth in nuclear engineering careers come straight from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The NRC anticipates hiring 300 to 400 new personnel through 2008 to prepare for the analysis and development of new nuclear plants.
The need for alternative sources of energy will not go away, and neither will the increasing demand for energy. If nuclear energy is going to see a resurgence out of three decades of reluctance and skepticism in Washington, D.C. and among the public, inevitably it will be among the shareholders, investment bankers and utility companies that approved the technology and building of new nuclear facilities. “Although the cost of a single new reactor is estimated to be in the range of $1.5 billion, the economic risk to the investors and operators has been dramatically reduced compared to the plants built
20 and 25 years ago,” adds Fenske.
With the current age of plants in the U.S., the labor force needs to maintain current plants and build new ones that have been depleted. This shortage of labor provides a great opportunity to future graduates. “The long draught since the last era of new plant construction has drastically depleted the human capital that will be required to build and supply new components, construct new plants, and to operate the new plants and the existing fleet. Therefore, I believe that the opportunity for young graduates in the nuclear and engineering fields will be greater than at any prior time in history,” asserts Fenske.
Non-Traditional applications
1) Food Irradiation
Other opportunities for nuclear engineers can be found as near as your neighborhood supermarket. Food irradiation is the process of removing bacteria and microbes from food through the use of ionizing radiation. Although this process has been around for over forty years, it was not until the attacks of September 11 that the public has shown a growing acceptance of this procedure.
A survey conducted in November of 2001 by Porter Novelli, an international public relations firm with headquarters in New York, found over half (52%) of those questioned supported food irradiation – a significant jump over the previous year’s results of only 11% support.
When asked about the possibility of food contamination with anthrax and other biological agents, 64% of those surveyed indicated that they were concerned, and 51% believed that food irradiation could be an effective means of alleviating these potential contaminants.
Texas A&M’s Waltar believes that there are other signs that food irradiation is beginning to be more widely accepted. Noting the longer shelf life that
irradiation can bring to many foods, including fruit and vegetables. Walter believes the public may be more inclined to purchase irradiated food than they have been in the past.
“Some companies recognize the value of irradiated food, but they want to be sure they understand the process so they can assure their customers that this is the safest technology available,” says Waltar. Though the technology is already in use, future nuclear engineers will deal with additional factors such as how packaging affects the irradiated product and how irradiated food taste.
Medical Applications
Since the discovery of the X-ray in 1895, radiation therapy has been relied on to diagnose illnesses and treat cancer patients. Today researchers continue to seek out new ways to improve the effectiveness of this treatment. Among their discoveries: Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), which allows many small beams to be used in treatment rather than one large, uniform beam and functional imaging, which allows the physician to better target the diseased tissues. Still one problem remains – how to reduce the risk of radiation exposure. Ensuring that staff, patients and visitors remain safe from the potential dangers, while providing the maximum benefits of the procedure to the patient, is the job of the medical health physicist.
Nuclear engineers interested in pursuing a career in this field should have no trouble finding a job. According to The Labor Market Trends for Nuclear Engineers 1997 Through 2005, prepared by Analysis and Evaluation Programs, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education in October 1999 and published by the Department of Energy, the number of jobs for graduates in health physics should increase by about 100 to 135 per year. The report goes on to say that “it is likely that the number of job openings may exceed the number of new graduates in the available labor supply by 10% or more during the next two or three years.”
Medical health physicists are employed in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics and medical centers – anywhere radiation sources are used to diagnose and treat human diseases. It is also the responsibility of the medical health physicist to assure that the medical facility meets state and federal radiation safety regulations.
With the increased interest in the use of nuclear power as a viable energy source, combined with a public that is showing signs of waning nuclear phobia, future engineers can look forward to positions that combine their unique talents and interests. And with job openings coming from a slew of retirees, graduates in nuclear engineering will be needed to fill in where a previous generation left off.
Some good courses in Nuclear Engineering are at:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Texas A&M University–College Station (Look)
University of California–Berkeley
Pennsylvania State University–University Park
North Carolina State University
Purdue University–West Lafayette
University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign
University of Florida
Georgia Institute of Technology
Oregon State University
University of Tennessee–Knoxville
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute(NY)
IIT Kanpur
Employment opportunities in India:
In Energy Engineering The four-year undergraduate degree provides a well-grounded education that will lead to opportunities in any field of energy engineering. Although one objective of the nuclear engineering program is to help students develop in specialized areas, the primary goal is to prepare them for a professional career. As a result, students are encouraged to develop a broad background in engineering and science and an awareness of social, economic, and environmental issues. Thus equipped, they will be capable of continued professional growth in the constantly changing technological world. Specifically, the nuclear engineers get employment in nuclear power plant, Defence and nuclear installations, with nuclear power manufacturers, with defence manufacturers etc.
Source: http://www.graduatingengineer.com/
Suggested reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_engineering
