Last September, in the Chicago suburb of Lemont, Ill., Argonne National Laboratory hosted its first AI STEM Education Summit. More than 180 educators from high schools, community colleges, and universities; STEM administrators; and experts in various disciplines convened at “One Ecosystem, Many Pathways–Building an AI-Ready STEM Workforce” to discuss how artificial intelligence is reshaping STEM-related industries, including the implications for the nuclear engineering classroom and workforce.

Scientists are searching for new materials to advance the next generation of nuclear power plants. In a recent study, researchers at the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory showed how artificial intelligence could help pinpoint the right types of molten salts, a key component for advanced nuclear reactors.