Research Options

Graduate students may choose from a wide range of integrated research and instructional programs that span nuclear engineering and radiological sciences, including advanced nuclear power plants, nuclear safety applications, advanced fuel cycles, radiation effects, advanced materials, plasma science and engineering, medical and health applications, and national security applications.

Each student focuses on one of four areas, with the option to specialize in scientific computing or mathematics as well.

Jump to my specialization

Fission Systems and Radiation Transport  |  Materials & Radiation Effects |  Radiation Measurements and Imaging  |  Plasmas and Nuclear Fusion

Secondary options

• Scientific Computing | NERS Scientific Computing Requirements (PDF)
• Mathematics

Advising

Students will be assigned an advisor when they first join the graduate program. However, this assignment is tentative, and students should not be reluctant to change advisors once they have come to understand how their interests mesh with those of the various faculty members in the department. For students carrying out graduate research, the research supervisor is also their academic advisor. Before registering for a future term, the student must discuss courses with the advisor.

Degree Requirements

• NERS Graduate Courses and Degree Programs
• Academic Policies
• Masters degree checklist (docx)
• Doctoral degree checklist (docx)

Fission Systems and Radiation Transport

Fission systems and radiation transport are the keys to the hearts of nuclear reactors. Knowledge of these areas is important for designing advanced reactors and better fuel. The program encompasses some of the most exciting and challenging work in technology today.

• Fission Systems and Radiation Transport research
• Find labs
• Graduate student guide (PDF)

Primary faculty

• Thomas Downar, Professor
• Annalisa Manera, Associate Professor
• Brian Kiedrowski, Assistant Professor
• Edward Larsen, Professor
• John C. Lee, Professor
• William R. Martin, Professor

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Materials & Radiation Effects

Understanding how radiation affects materials is crucial for developing better materials for building nuclear reactor components and for maintaining existing reactors as they age.

• Materials and Radiation Effects research
• Find lab
• Graduate student guide (PDF)

Primary Faculty

• Michael Atzmon Professor, Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, Professor, Materials Sciences and Engineering
• Fei Gao Professor, Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences
• Lu-Min Wang Professor, Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, Professor, Materials Sciences and Engineering
• Gary Was Professor, Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, Professor, Materials Sciences and Engineering, Walter J. Weber, Jr. Professor of Sustainable Energy, Environmental and Earth Systems Engineering

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Radiation Measurements and Imaging

While radiation measurements and imaging are important in medical diagnostics and nuclear power plant settings, they are of increasing interest to governments seeking to keep weapons-grade nuclear materials out of the hands of terrorists and rogue states.

• Radiation Measurements and Imaging Research
• Find labs
• Graduate student guide (PDF)

Primary Faculty

• Ronald Fleming, Professor Emeritus Neutron Activation
• David Wehe, Professor, Radiation Imaging
• Zhong He, Professor, Room Temperature Semiconductor Imaging Detectors
• Kimberlee J. Kearfott, Professor, Radiological Sciences
• Alex F. Bielajew, Professor, Computational Medical Physics
• Sara Pozzi, Professor, Detection for Nuclear Nonproliferation
• Igor Jovanovic, Professor, Applied Nuclear Science
• Mark D. Hammig, Associate Research Scientist, Novel radiation detection methods
• Yuefeng Zhu, Assistant Research Scientist, Semiconductor Detector Development
• Shaun Clarke, Associate Research Scientist, Nonproliferation simulation methods
• Kristy Brock, Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology, Medical School and Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering
• Martha Matuszak, Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology, Medical School
• Michael Flynn, Adjunct Professor, Medical Microtomography (Henry Ford Hospital)
• Ruth Weiner, Adjunct Professor, Radiological Risk Evaluation (Sandia National Laboratories)
• Mitch Goodsitt, Adjunct Professor, Diagnostic Radiology (UM School of Medicine)
• Imre Pazsit, Adjunct Professor, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
• Neal Clinthorne, Research Professor, UM Department of Radiology

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Plasmas and Nuclear Fusion

Plasmas have a range of potential applications, from space propulsion to water purification. Researchers at U-M continue to make progress on the challenges of igniting and controlling nuclear fusion.

• Plasmas and Nuclear Fusion Research
• Find labs
• Printable student guide (PDF)

Primary Faculty

• John E. Foster, Associate Professor, Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences
• Ronald M. Gilgenbach, Professor and Chair, Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, Director, Plasma, Pulsed Power and Microwave Lab
• Karl M. Krushelnick, Professor, Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, Professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Professor, Physics, Director of the Center for Ultrafast Optical Sciences
• Mark J. Kushner, Professor, Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, Professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
• Y.Y. Lau Professor, Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences
• Ryan D. McBride,  Associate Professor, Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences

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