Doctor of Philosophy in Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences - Materials and Radiation Effects

The PhD program in Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences prepares students to lead transformative research in fields critical to energy, health, security, and the environment. With access to world-class faculty, cutting-edge laboratories, and interdisciplinary collaboration across engineering, science, and public policy, students in the program are equipped to tackle some of the most pressing scientific and technological challenges of our time. Whether working on advanced reactor design, nuclear materials, plasma science, radiation detection, or medical physics, PhD students engage in original research that pushes the boundaries of knowledge and drives innovation across academia, industry, and government. Beyond research, the program offers a rich ecosystem for professional and personal development. Doctoral students receive individualized mentorship, participate in global collaborations, and gain valuable teaching experience. They are supported by a strong network of alumni, research centers, and national lab partnerships, and many are recognized with prestigious fellowships and awards. Whether their path leads to academia, national laboratories, policymaking, or entrepreneurship, graduates of the NERS PhD program leave with the expertise, leadership skills, and vision to shape the future of nuclear science and engineering. The progress of any technology depends on the performance of the materials it employs. Materials used in nuclear technology suffer from degradation due to radiation. The goal of the research on nuclear materials is to understand the effects of radiation and use the knowledge gained to improve materials resistance for applications in energy production or storage of radioactive materials. The changes that occur in materials by radiation can also be exploited to develop materials with special properties that cannot be achieved by conventional methods of synthesis. This has opened up new areas of research involving the use of radiation effects and radiation-based techniques for materials synthesis and characterization.