NRC awards R&D grants as part of University Nuclear Leadership Program

December 7, 2022, 9:30AMNuclear News

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Office of Regulatory Research recently awarded 20 new research and development grants in the University Nuclear Leadership Program (UNLP). The grants, totaling $9,998,188, are derived from the $16 million that Congress appropriated for the program for fiscal year 2022. The 20 selected proposals were among the 89 that were submitted to the NRC and peer-reviewed by the commission staff and experts from academia.

Institution NameStateTechnical AreaAmount of NRC funds
University of TennesseeTennesseeCharacterization of fresh and spent nuclear
fuel for nuclear power plants
$500,000
Louisiana State UniversityLouisianaDigital engineering/analytics, advanced sensors
and controls for nuclear applications
$499,865
University of PittsburghPennsylvaniaAdvanced materials and manufacturing for nuclear applications
$500,000
Univ. of Illinois–Urbana-ChampaignIllinoisHuman and organizational factors and human reliability
analysis for nuclear applications
$499,879
Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteNew YorkCharacterization of fresh and spent nuclear fuel
for nuclear power plants
$500,000
University of New MexicoNew MexicoSafety analyses for reactor designs and fuel cycle technologies
$500,000
University of Nevada–RenoNevadaSafety analyses for reactor designs and fuel cycle technologies
$500,000
University of Notre DameIndianaAdvanced construction techniques for nuclear builds
$499,942
Ohio State UniversityOhioAdvanced materials and manufacturing for nuclear applications
$499,908
Pennsylvania State UniversityPennsylvaniaSafety analyses for reactor designs and fuel cycle technologies
$500,000
Purdue UniversityIndianaCharacterization of fresh and spent nuclear
fuel for nuclear power plants
$500,000
University of MaineMaineDigital engineering/analytics, advanced sensors
and controls for nuclear applications
$500,000
Virginia Polytechnic Institute
and State University
VirginiaSafety analyses for reactor designs and fuel cycle technologies
$499,996
Pennsylvania State UniversityPennsylvaniaSafety analyses for reactor designs and fuel cycle technologies
$500,000
Univ. of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign
IllinoisSafety analyses for reactor designs and fuel cycle technologies
$500,000
Washington State University
WashingtonCharacterization of fresh and spent nuclear
fuel for nuclear power plants
$500,000
North Carolina State UniversityNorth CarolinaDigital engineering/analytics, advanced sensors
and controls for nuclear applications
$500,000
University of California–Los AngelesCaliforniaHuman and organizational factors and human reliability
analysis for nuclear applications
$500,000
Rochester Institute of TechnologyNew YorkCharacterization of fresh and spent nuclear
fuel for nuclear power plants
$498,770
University of FloridaFloridaAdvanced materials and manufacturing for nuclear applications
$499,828


Total Awards$9,998,188

The NRC began offering research components in the UNLP in 2020 to support research and development in nuclear science, engineering, technology, and related disciplines. The grants are intended to help “develop a workforce capable of supporting the design, construction, operation, and regulation of nuclear facilities, and the safe handling of nuclear materials.”

The NRC will announce the rest of the UNLP funding for FY2022 by the end of April 2023. Those funds will be allotted for scholarships, fellowships, trade schools/community colleges, and faculty development.

Correction: An earlier version of this article included a table with award information from a previous year. It has been updated to reflect the current 2022 grant awards.


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