The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) announced on 4 May that it had awarded 25 grants to 20 academic institutions, including two minority-serving institutions, in 20 US states, totalling more than $ 9,190,782. Recipients include four-year universities and colleges, two-year trade schools and community colleges.
“We must continue to strongly encourage interest in nuclear and radiological safety by highly qualified student and faculty professionals through grant incentives,” said NRC Chairman Christopher T Hanson. “As a safety regulator, we remain committed to sponsoring educational programs that offer college and university recipients an opportunity to advance the pursuit of careers in nuclear engineering, health physics, radiochemistry, and related sciences.”
The University Nuclear Leadership Programme, authorised by Congress, directed NRC to provide federal funding opportunities to qualified US academic institutions. The grants include four undergraduate scholarships, one trade scholarship, nine graduate fellowships, and 11 faculty development awards.
Each undergraduate scholarship provides up to $20,000 in financial support to students for the two-year programme, and each graduate fellowship provides up to $200,000 for the four-year programme. NRC’s trade and community college scholarships provide financial support of up to $10,000 to students for the two-year programme, and faculty development awards provide up to $450,000 for a single three-year period.
