The following message was prepared by the Nuclear Engineering Graduate Student Advisory Committee (GSAC) for individuals seeking information about the Nuclear Engineering Program (NEP). The Nuclear Engineering GSAC was established by graduate students for students in the NEP. It is an official committee of the University of Utah affiliated with the Associated Students of the University of Utah (ASUU). The function of the Nuclear Engineering SAC is to organize NEP students and represent students' interests to the University administration and faculty.

You can reach the Nuclear Engineering GSAC through the Center for Excellence in Nuclear Technology, Engineering, & Research (CENTER) at (801) 581-4188 (request to speak to a GSAC student) or you may e-mail one of the current students listed below.

Dear Prospective Colleague:

You have contacted one of the most exciting places to earn your advanced degree whether it be nuclear engineering, chemical engineering, or environmental engineering! The students who are already here in the NEP come from diverse backgrounds, including (but not limited to) engineering, chemistry, physics, and biology. We are an aggressive and at times exuberant band of engineers and scientists working toward a common goal: an advanced engineering degree. One unique aspect of the NEP is our interdependency. Graduate students here quickly learn to depend on each other because we equally share financial risks. If one project loses funding, we all endure funding cuts. If one project hits the motherlode, we all share in the prosperity. We are a team. It is this team environment that challenges each of us to be our best, and it is the same team environment that catches us when we stumble.

The eye of our tornado is the TRIGA reactor, currently licensed to operate at 100 kW and in the process of upgrading to 250 kW. This represents the single most important reason the majority of students joined our group. We, the graduate students, are the licensed facility operators. We maintain it, we operate it, and some of us are obsessed with it. We are here because a reactor that is dedicated to providing us nuclear-related research opportunities is here.

In addition to the reactor, a complete radiochemistry laboratory is stocked with everything needed to do fission track analysis, electrodeposition, and neutron-induced autoradiography. These specialized procedures are used to determine concentrations of radioactive isotopes in everything from soil to tissue.

We also have students doing projects in the areas of radioactive transport and transportation, probabilistic risk assessment, and the development of mixed waste remediation processes.

Finally, our communication would not be complete without some introduction to our faculty. Our program is interdepartmental. While we may take courses from anyone with a quality course, the NEP program is driven by two diverse professors with their own compelling reasons for being here: Dr. Dong-Ok Choe, and Dr. Melinda Krahenbuhl, the director of the CENTER. They have forged a strong Nuclear Engineering Program that continues to grow. Beware, they have high standards (and cannot be bought!). They will ensure that your degree is marketable.

Our program is growing. We are in newly renovated offices where we sometimes have to share desks, but we will find a place for you if you are up to the challenge. We sincerely hope we haven't scared you away because, if you want quality and you have courage, this is the place!

Sincerely,
Nuclear Engineering GSAC

The following is a list of current NEP students at the University of Utah:

Graduate
Bess, John
Brown, Nathan
Crawford, Doug
Harper, Brian
Lee, Sang Kyu
Navarro-Poupard, Jorge
Reeves, Jesse
Summers, Mike
Undergraduate
Bassett, Brandi
Chapman, Ward
Davis, Jeff