UC Irvine receives $300,000 for nuclear research

The U.S. Dept. of Energy allotted nearly $9 million for university programs to further nuclear science.

OC Metro

BY SUSAN BELKNAPP

June 29, 2009

In an effort to support the next generation of American nuclear energy development, the U.S. Dept. of Energy has slated $9 million in grants and funding from the Nuclear Energy Universities Program.

The Department of Energy (DOE) will provide $2.9 million in scholarships and fellowships to 86 U.S. nuclear science and engineering (NS&E) students, and will offer more than $6 million in grants to 29 U.S. universities and colleges in 23 states.

UC Irvine has been awarded up to $300,000 from this allocation. Mikael Nilsson, chemical engineering and materials science assistant professor, initiated the funding effort along with Russell Detwiler, civil and environmental engineering assistant professor, and George Miller, chemistry senior lecturer and director of UCI's nuclear reactor facility.

With the grant money, the scientists will purchase new equipment and strengthen UCI's nuclear science and engineering research program. Equipment mentioned in the DOE announcement included: counting equipment, centrifugal contactor and a particle size analyzer to develop the education and research and development programs