Writer: Allison Brady, engr_media@nmsu.edu
New Mexico State University is hosting its first summer program for the NuChemE Pipeline initiative, expanding the university’s efforts to introduce students outside of New Mexico to the broad use of activities in the nuclear energy field.
The project, titled “Evaluating New Materials and Processes for Radioactive Tank Waste Processing: Workforce Development in f-Element Chemistry, Nuclear Chemical Engineering, and Supply Chain Management,” also known as the NuChemE Pipeline, is an initiative NMSU introduced in 2024 with funding support from the United States Department of Energy. The project’s goal is to better prepare students looking into managing radioactive waste for the workforce.
Since its start, the NuChemE Pipeline has been offering programs dedicated to educating students from across a variety of majors at NMSU about aspects of nuclear energy that mesh with the expertise of their major, offering them further education and hands-on experience. However, hosting the program solely during the academic year limits students from other universities from attending.
NMSU chemical and materials engineering professor and NuChemE Pipeline lead Catherine Brewer said the summertime allows the program to expand beyond its normal parameters.
“The goals of the summer program are to introduce students who are not majoring in nuclear engineering to the concepts and contexts of nuclear energy and environmental management through classroom instruction, hands-on lab experiences, and travel to relevant industry sites and national labs,” Brewer said. “The courses and research projects during the academic year are directed towards NMSU students. The summer program is directed towards non-NMSU students who would not have the opportunity to participate during the academic year.”
Students from across the U.S. are at NMSU for the opportunity to expand their knowledge and to gain hands-on experience in the nuclear engineering field.
Alexandra Curry, a senior in environmental science at Florida A&M, said that after deciding to take a concentration in geochemistry, she began looking into programs that are not solely for engineers but allow her to learn valuable insight into nuclear engineering.
“I was doing research on internships that closely aligned with what I wanted to go to graduate school for, and this one actually was advertised by my school to do for the summertime,” Curry said. “I just applied, and I’ve never been to New Mexico before.’”
The NuChemE Pipeline has allowed her the opportunity to work with geochemists at NMSU, seeing what they do in their labs and being able to work alongside them, an experience she would not have access to during the academic year.
Curry is not the only one whose professional knowledge this program has enabled to expand. Branching out the summer program’s focus from nuclear engineering students to other focuses allows students with different majors to attend. Engineering, sciences and business majors all attended the program.
Ellie Lindsey, a University of New Mexico student going into their graduate program for geochemistry and hydrology, said the program incorporates information regarding radioactive tank management, allowing everyone to take something out of the course to bring into their professional careers.
“I do think that in my long-term career goals, I can see myself working with the National Labs here in New Mexico and on nuclear waste treatment programs,” Lindsey said. “This is the perfect program to have on my resume. This is something I’ve already experienced and have had like a full in-depth course on. I think in that respect it’s a great way of opening that door of the industry to someone who has an environmental background instead of just an engineering or chemistry background.”
Joseph Holles, department head of chemical and materials engineering, talked about how there is a predicted expansion of the nuclear energy field. Holles said the NuChemE Pipeline is meant to prepare future workers from a variety of majors to meet the growing needs.
“At a recent American Nuclear Society (national meeting, the DOE talked about the hundreds of thousands of expected jobs in all aspects of nuclear energy over the next few decades,” Holles said. “The DOE also emphasized that this will be a wide variety of jobs, not just nuclear engineers. Hence, we are working to develop model pathways for bringing a wide variety of students into the nuclear energy field. Through this program, NMSU, a university in a state with a long history of employment in the nuclear industry, continues its long-time role of developing students to meet the needs of this future workforce in an area of national need.”
The summer camp continues through late July.
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CUTLINE: New Mexico State University's NuChemE Pipeline initiative is hosting its first summer program, which is meant to expand the knowledge and capabilities of students for the broad use of activities in the nuclear energy field. Pictured from left are Sean Gleeson, Cyrus Joyner, Alex Curry and Rakki Watchman. Unlike the programs hosted during the school year, the summer program places a focus on non-NMSU and non-engineering students. (NMSU photo)
Description: Four students attending New Mexico State University's NuChemE Pipeline summer initiative are holding up test tubes while in a lab.
CUTLINE: Students from a variety of universities around the country stand in front of the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History in Albuquerque. Pictured from left are Renee Medina, Alex Curry, Trinity Baker, Emma Frazier and Josh Darling. The museum visit was part of the NuChemE Pipeline summer initiative, in which students are taken across New Mexico to sites significant to the field of nuclear energy. (NMSU photo)
Description: Five students attending New Mexico State University's NuChemE Pipeline summer initiative are standing in front of the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History.