We recognize that education and professional training for the next generation of professionals in the field of nuclear security is pivotal for enhancing both US and international security. The institute focuses its resources to address the need to ensure that the people in the nuclear security community are well trained, creative, and that the human side of the nuclear security enterprise is sustainable.
The institute’s educational objective is to create the next generation of leaders and specialists in nuclear security for the world. To accomplish this, the institute is establishing a robust set of collaborative projects in nuclear security that create needed educational and training offerings across multiple academic units at UT and among our members, building on the collective expertise and capabilities of the institute. This leverages the success of the existing graduate certificate program in nuclear security in the Department of Nuclear Engineering, which already heavily engages ORNL and Y-12 in the university’s graduate education efforts.
The institute has fostered, developed, and/or added new courses (or significant upgrades) to the academic offerings of the university in the topical area of nuclear security. These classes are now drawing increasing numbers of students across the academic spectrum to this field (and to the university).
Institute faculty and staff are working on developing a robust nuclear security education programs on UT campus and across the membership. These efforts span multiple academic units and programs, and although initially focused on the graduate program, are also beginning to influence the undergraduate curriculum as well. In addition, we are engaged in academic cooperation with other universities through our partnership with ORAU.
The institute is also actively engaged in international education initiatives. We are active members of the International Nuclear Security Education Network, a group of experts from academia, international organizations and professional nuclear material management associations established, under the auspices of the IAEA Nuclear Security Programme. The institute is actively engaging in the World Institute for Nuclear Security accreditation initiative, the Nuclear Security Academy. In addition, we are engaging and cooperating in promoting nuclear security with universities of a number of countries around the world.