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Master of Science Degree
Materials and Nuclear Engineering
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Join the Fastest Growing
Nuclear Science & Engineering
Research Program in the Nation
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Fuel Cycle
(Separations, Fuel Fabrication, Transmutation, and Waste Disposal), Homeland
Security, and More
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UNLV is now the U.S. DOE’s
lead university in the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative
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Southern Nevada is the location of Yucca Mountain,
which could become the nation’s high-level waste repository and the world
center for repository research
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Southern Nevada
is also the location of the Nevada Test Site, which is a large, active R&D
organization for national defense, homeland security, and more.
Graduate Research and
Education Opportunities
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Graduate Research Assistantships are available
in a variety of projects, disciplines, and departments.
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The Master of Science
degree program in Materials & Nuclear Engineering was approved in June
2004. Classes will be starting up this Fall.
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UNLV also has a new Ph.D. degree program in Radiochemistry,
with students already enrolled and conducting leading research.
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Ten new research facilities/labs:
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Lead-bismuth thermalhydraulics
test loop/accelerator target complex
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Oxygen sensor testing system for lead-bismuth
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Actinide Chemistry High Activity
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Flow Visualization System
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Radiation Detection
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Electron Microscopy Sample Preparation
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Transmission Electron Microscopy
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Electron Microanalysis and Imaging
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ICP-AES User Facility
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Materials Performance (load testing, high-temp
autoclave, electrochemistry)
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Collaborations with Idaho
State University
(Idaho Accelerator Center), UC Berkeley,
UT-Austin, and Texas
A&M University
(includes opportunities to visit other universities and conduct experiments).
Funded Research Projects:
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Transmutation Research Project (TRP) of the U.S. DOE
Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative--$4 M
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High-Temperature Heat Exchanger Project for the
DOE Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative--$3 M
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UNLV-General Atomics Deep-Burn Gas Cooled
Reactor Project for the DOE NGNP Program (Next Generation Nuclear Plant)--$3 M
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Radiation Modeling of Proposed Space Habitats,
DOE Office of Science--$0.5 M
The Transmutation Research Project is UNLV’s component of the DOE’s
Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative. The TRP currently consists of twenty different research projects
to develop the technology to recycle used nuclear fuel, to reuse some of the
“waste” components, and to reduce radiotoxicity,
volume, and management requirements for the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle.
This project includes more than forty graduate research assistants at UNLV,
which means we have a regular turnover and requirements for new graduate
students. Research topics include just about any you can imagine: radiation
transport, criticality, and shielding, radiochemistry, nuclear materials (corrosion,
strength, radiation effects), liquid-metal coolant
technology, systems modeling for separation and fuel fabrication processes,
radiation detection, waste forms, and radionuclide dose conversion
coefficients.
All of the TRP research projects
are direct collaborations with technical staff members at national
laboratories: Idaho, Argonne, Los Alamos,
Brookhaven, Oak Ridge, Savannah
River, and others. GRAs have an
opportunity to develop strong relationships, serve internships, and eventually
join one of these labs. The UNLV TRP and other projects strongly support
(financially too) student participation in a variety of activities, including
travel to give presentations at the annual ANS Student Conference.
In addition to the TRP, UNLV has
ongoing work with the Yucca Mountain Repository project, the Nevada Test Site,
the Department of Homeland Security, the DOE Office of Science, and others.
Graduate Research
Assistantships are available*
Assistantships
include monthly stipend, tuition, fees, and travel. In addition to funded
faculty/student projects, a limited number of other GRAs
are available to ensure a “critical mass” for the UNLV M&NE degree program,
full classes, etc. Because of sensitivity of fuel cycle and defense research,
strongest consideration for these additional positions will be given to U.S. citizens.
Deadline: The applications
deadline for fall admission to the M&NE
program for U.S. citizens is
June 15 (see UNLV
Graduate College); for international students it is May 1.
More Information?
Click on the links in this document or contact the M&NE
Coordinator:
Prof. Denis
Beller
Coordinator,
M.S. Materials and Nuclear Engineering degree program
UNLV Department
of Mechanical Engineering
4505 Maryland Parkway, Box 454027
Las Vegas, NV
89154-4027
Phone:
702-895-1452
E-mail: beller@egr.unlv.edu
*continuation of assistantships beyond the
first year is contingent upon federal funding
Be one of the first graduates of the nation’s newest
nuclear engineering degree program,
UNLV’s M.S. in Materials and Nuclear Engineering