U Nuclear Engineering Joins National Conversation on Advanced Reactor Security

Categories: Nuclear Engineering

Representatives from the University of Utah’s nuclear engineering program joined national leaders in advanced nuclear technology, cybersecurity and national security at the 2026 A/SMR Cybersecurity and Operational Resilience Summit. Held Aug. 19–20 at the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley in Park City, Utah, the summit focused on the secure deployment of advanced and small modular reactors. […]

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September 1, 2026

The Next Generation of Cancer Therapies

Categories: Awards, Nuclear Engineering, Research

Developing new cancer treatments requires more than breakthrough medicines. It also depends on the ability to safely produce medical isotopes—the specialized radioactive materials that make those therapies possible. Improving access to these critical medical isotopes remains one of the field’s most significant challenges. At the University of Utah, Ph.D. candidate Nicholas Becker is dedicating his […]

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May 19, 2026

Increasing Safety Throughout the Nuclear Energy Lifecycle

Categories: Nuclear Engineering, Research, Transportation

As the global demand for clean energy grows, so does the need to safely manage nuclear waste and ensure the secure transportation of nuclear materials. At the University of Utah, this challenge is being addressed through a unique interdisciplinary model—where nuclear engineering is integrated within the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering (CvEEN), connecting energy […]

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May 7, 2026

Nuclear Education Meets State Policy

Categories: Nuclear Engineering

Supathorn Phongikaroon, Professor and Energy Solutions Presidential Endowed Chair, and Director of the Nuclear Engineering Program (UNEP), recently participated in the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) Day on Capitol Hill. This annual event brings together academic leaders in nuclear engineering from across the country to engage directly with federal policymakers on issues shaping the […]

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April 19, 2026

Faculty Spotlight: Michael Simpson

Categories: Nuclear Engineering, Research

For 17 years, Dr. Michael Simpson worked at U.S. national laboratories on the leading edge of nuclear energy research. That experience shaped not only his career, but also his sense of purpose. “Working in the national labs connected me with the real needs of our nation in nuclear energy and nuclear waste management,” Simpson says. […]

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March 6, 2026

Solving the Transportation Problem for Microreactors with Digital Twin

Categories: Nuclear Engineering, Research, Transportation

Microreactors are quickly shifting from sci-fi-adjacent prototypes to one of the most promising tools in America’s clean-energy toolkit. Roughly the size of a shipping container, these next-gen nuclear systems can deliver reliable power to remote communities, military bases, disaster zones, or industrial sites—without the massive infrastructure required by traditional nuclear plants. But there’s one major […]

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December 8, 2025

New Publication Outlines How UNEP’s TRIGA Reactor Will Be Used for Faster, Smarter Radiation Hardness Testing

Categories: Nuclear Engineering, Research

Redefining Radiation Hardness Testing July 25, 2025 Positioning the University of Utah’s Nuclear Reactor as a Key Site for Radiation Testing Radiation hardness testing is used to evaluate how well materials—such as sensors, microchips, and other essential tech used in nuclear science—can withstand radiation without failing. Testing a materials’ resilience to radiation helps us develop […]

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July 28, 2025

Nuclear Medicine Research Sets New Standards for Treating Alzheimer’s

Categories: Nuclear Engineering, Research

Alzheimer’s Disease affects nearly six million people in the U.S. today, a number expected to more than double by 2050. While current FDA-approved treatments can slow progression, they don’t reverse the disease—and come with serious side effects, including brain swelling. The question researchers are racing to answer is: Can we develop a safer, more effective […]

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June 8, 2025

Glenn Sjoden And A Career that Propelled a Program

Categories: Nuclear Engineering

After more than four decades of military, federal, and academic leadership in nuclear engineering, Dr. Glenn Sjoden will retire this summer as the EnergySolutions Foundation Presidential Endowed Chair in Nuclear Engineering and Director of the Utah Nuclear Engineering Program (UNEP) in the John and Marcia Price College of Engineering. Since joining the University of Utah […]

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May 13, 2025

Nuclear Science Meets Public Health Public Health

Categories: Nuclear Engineering, Research, Students

Cametrius Warren leans over a lab bench, carefully handling biological samples as part of her research at the University of Utah. A first-year Ph.D. student, Warren is not only dedicated to advancing nuclear medicine but also to changing the way the world perceives radiation. Originally from Northwest Louisiana, Warren’s journey into nuclear science began at Oregon […]

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March 19, 2025