Nuclear power is one benefit derived from research in physics and nuclear engineering.
Nuclear engineering is an important applied science. Nuclear engineers concern themselves with the application of principles derived from subatomic physics. Applications can include the development of various technologies and even weapons such as nuclear warheads. While the top engineering programs in most sub-disciplines are usually represented by the likes of UC-Berkeley, Stanford and MIT, the two top nuclear engineering programs in "U.S. News & World Report" 2010 rankings are represented by schools with highly respected programs that are top-15 programs overall.
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is renowned in engineering circles for its Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences (NERS). At the undergraduate level, the NERS department offers a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics (B.S.E.). Students can also study nuclear engineering through the department's interdisciplinary minor. Undergraduate students also have the opportunity to pursue joint-degrees of study in either other engineering fields or with another college within the university altogether.
At the graduate level, students can pursue either a Master of Science or the Ph.D. Areas of specialization offered within the program include nuclear materials, mathematics, fission systems and radiation transport, scientific computing, plasmas and nuclear fusion, radiation measurements and imaging and radiation safety. The NERS department at Michigan was ranked No. 1 in 2010 by "U.S. News & World Report."
University of Michigan--Ann Arbor
College of Engineering
Robert H. Lurie Engineering Center
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
734-647-7090
engin.umich.edu
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Second on the "U.S. News & World Report" list of top nuclear engineering schools for 2010, the University of Wisconsin at Madison (UWM) offers a wide variety of degree options. The undergraduate program at UWM offers two degree tracks for the bachelor's degree: nuclear power and radiation sciences.
The graduate degree program at UWM offers the Master of Science and the Ph.D. in nuclear engineering and engineering physics. The department encourages the cross-disciplinary aspect of this degree as a strength of the program; both disciplines inform and mutually reinforce one another, according to the school's website. Research specialties offered by the program include applied superconductivity, plasma source ion implantation, plasma-aided manufacturing, nuclear safety, fusion technology, plasma theory and computation and experimental plasma physics.
University of Wisconsin-Madison
College of Engineering
2610 Engineering Hall
Madison, WI 53706
608-262-2433
engr.wisc.edu
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is one of the best engineering schools in the world. The MIT name is synonymous with the two primary disciplines in academia: engineering and physics (MIT has many other top programs as well). In the field of nuclear physics, MIT ranked third among all programs nationwide in the 2010 "U.S. News & World Report" rankings.
The Department of Nuclear Engineering and Science at MIT offers five degrees: the Bachelor of Science (B.S.); Master of Science (M.S.); Nuclear Engineer (N.E.); Doctor of Science (Sc.D.); and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). Research specializations offered at MIT include nuclear science and technology, applied nuclear physics and electromagnetic interactions.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Work 77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
617-253-3400
web.mit.edu
Tags: News World, News World Report, nuclear engineering, World Report, Institute Technology, Massachusetts Institute
