The nation’s universities have always been key partners with the federal government in advancing national priority research. Today, that long-standing association is addressing a highly complex scope of work in support of AFCI. Dozens of universities (pdf) have been involved with and conducted studies on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy in support of the U.S. GNEP Program.

As a result of implementing a new approach to working with the academic sector, universities are serving a much larger role than ever before. The transition from a university program budget line item to embedded university research and support within DOE’s mission-related nuclear research and development programs is providing greater research opportunities for universities. AFCI also sponsors a Fellowship Program aimed at training engineers and scientists in the disciplines of separations, transmutation (pdf), and other disciplines important to the program’s research efforts. The AFCI fellowship program supports graduate level students whose master’s theses pertain to topics related to AFCI.

DOE is offering research grants for investigator initiated, peer reviewed university AFCI/GNEP research. DOE makes the fuels and materials irradiation capabilities resident at its Advanced Test Reactor available for university experiments. Selection of research projects for university research related to AFCI is conducted through the Nuclear Energy Research Initiative.

Universities Involved in GNEP Technology Development

Learn more about university research on GNEP (pdf)
2007 University GNEP Accomplishments