A recent designation could light the way to further innovations in nuclear energy at one Idaho university.
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) designated the University of Idaho College of Engineering and consortium of leaders in advanced nuclear energy as a tech hub.
The designation is part of an economic development initiative called the Tech Hubs program, which brings funding to regions in the U.S. identified for the “potential to become epicenters for globally competitive innovation,” U of I reported.
Both the university and the Idaho Advanced Energy Consortium are developing the Intermountain-West Nuclear Energy Tech Hub.
Along with the EDA’s designation comes $500,000 in initial funding for U of I. Additionally, an opportunity for up to $75 million more in federal funding is available to the state to carry out the tech hub’s mission.
“U of I leads decades of competitive research in next-generation nuclear technologies, advanced manufacturing, cyber-physical systems and supply chain management,” said Suzanna Long, dean of the College of Engineering, in a statement. “Our longstanding programs have deep connections to worldwide industry leaders. With direct access to nuclear and cybersecurity simulation laboratories and expansive online programs, we have tremendous ability to generate the advanced energy professionals needed to strengthen not only the Idaho but (the) U.S. economy.”
In addition to the Tech Hubs designation from the EDA, U of I was also endorsed by the International Atomic Energy Agency for its nuclear technology management master’s program, making it one of two universities in the U.S. to hold the endorsement.
But U of I’s nuclear technology program isn’t by any means new. It dates back nearly 70 years to 1954 when the nuclear engineering program began in Idaho Falls. It was developed in partnership with Idaho National Laboratory (INL), which is the agency known worldwide for the first usable electricity created by nuclear power and its innovation in small modular reactor technology. Idaho, and specifically INL, is home to the first micro and SMR demonstration and deployment.
“Idaho is a proving ground for first-of-its-kind technologies in advanced nuclear energy,” said Chris Nomura, U of I’s vice president of research and economic development. “Leveraging U of I’s competitive advantage in research and workforce education, we have the capability to build a regional model to attract advanced technology suppliers to expand and grow incubation opportunities. This will result in great jobs that start and remain in Idaho.”
According to the university, U of I and INL research initiatives that are funded by federal and state agencies include advanced nuclear energy reactors, advanced manufacturing across food-energy-water systems, cyberinfrastructure and cybersecurity, and biotechnology development for renewable materials production and critical materials extraction and recovery.
