Welcome to the School of Nuclear Science and Engineering!
It is an exciting time to lead the School of Nuclear Science and Engineering at Oregon State University. Across the nation and around the world, nuclear science is experiencing a resurgence—driven by urgent needs for clean energy, national security, and technological resilience. At Oregon State, our program is growing in step with that momentum, expanding both its educational reach and its national impact.
We are seeing increasing student enrollment in our degree programs as nuclear technologies move from promise to deployment. Advanced reactors are being demonstrated, new companies and partnerships are forming, and demand for well prepared graduates has never been stronger. Our students, highly sought out by industry, national lab, and government partners, are entering a field that is not only technically challenging but central to some of society’s most pressing problems, and they are doing so at a moment when their expertise truly matters.
National engagement and integrated research
A defining strength of our school is the depth and breadth of our work. We are deeply engaged with national laboratories and federal partners, including Idaho National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and programs within the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration. We also lead a Predictive Science Academic Alliance Program (PSAAP) Center focused on radiation effects and high-performance computing. Through these collaborations, our faculty and students contribute to critical efforts in nuclear security, nuclear forensics, nonproliferation, advanced modeling, and predictive science.
That national engagement is matched by a strong, integrated research culture at Oregon State. Our faculty bring together experimentation, advanced simulation, sensing, and data driven approaches to address complex nuclear systems.
A major focus of our research is advancing the science and engineering needed to design, license, and deploy next generation nuclear systems. Our faculty provide experimental and computational leadership in thermal hydraulics, reactor design, and advanced modeling, with particular emphasis on Generation IV concepts such as molten salt and very high temperature reactors, as well as small modular and micro-reactors. Across these efforts, we integrate high fidelity modeling, simulation, and validation to support reactor safety, performance, and licensing. Complementing this work is a strong portfolio in materials science, including research on fuels and structural materials operating under irradiation and in harsh environments such as liquid metal and molten salt systems. Together, these efforts contribute to long term reactor reliability and help bridge the gap between innovation and real world deployment.
A student-centered pathway to impact
Students are central to everything we do. The Oregon State 1.1 MW TRIGA Reactor remains a cornerstone of our program, supporting hands-on education, cutting edge research, and industry collaboration. At every degree level, students work directly on sponsored projects with national labs, federal agencies, and industry partners. They graduate with not only technical expertise, but an understanding of how nuclear science functions in practice—across policy, safety, licensing, and operations.
We have also been intentional about evolving our curriculum to reflect the field’s changing landscape. New and revamped courses introduce students earlier to reactor engineering, health physics, materials, and modeling, allowing them to explore multiple pathways within nuclear science. At the graduate level, including our online offerings, we support workforce development in areas that are nationally critical and increasingly difficult to staff.
Looking ahead, I see tremendous opportunity. Nuclear startups, advanced reactor vendors, and emerging fusion efforts are expanding the career landscape for our graduates, while longstanding national lab partnerships continue to deepen. Our goal is to remain outward looking, flexible, and focused on impact.
I invite you to explore our programs, engage with our work, and join us as we help shape the next chapter of this vital field.
— Camille Palmer