MIT Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering

Congratulations to our 47 students graduating this year!
https://nse.mit.edu/commencement-2026/

During her MIT Energy Initiative UROP, Lucy Greenup studied how radiation interacts with nuclear materials, enabling the development of better failure detection systems for nuclear fusion reactors.

The energy of the future: Lucy Greenup As a part of her MITEI Energy UROP, Lucy Greenup studied how radiation interacts with nuclear materials, enabling the development of better failure detection...

Poster and oral presentations at NSE's 2026 Research Expo showcased the most recent research by graduate students from across the Department.
https://nse.mit.edu/2026-nse-research-expo/

Meet Brandy Baker, NSE's Director of Academic Programs, recently honored with an Enduring Impact Award by the Office of Graduate Education for making sustained contributions that have meaningfully shaped the graduate community.
https://nse.mit.edu/brandy-baker-director-of-academic-programs-at-nse-recognized-for-enduring-impact/

For nuclear to be considered as a viable clean energy source, it has to be competitively priced and economical to produce. Lauren Fortier, a doctoral student in MIT's Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, is helping the cause by facilitating remote operation and autonomous control of nuclear plants.

MIT Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering Lauren Fortier: In pursuit of autonomous nuclear plant operations

A quantum sensor made from nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamonds, created by MIT researchers, measures tiny signals at levels that would be impossible using classical sensors alone.

Multitasking quantum sensors can measure several properties at once Using quantum entanglement, MIT researchers found a way to simultaneously measure multiple physical quantities in a room temperature quantum sensor. The approach could have applications in biomedical sensing, materials characterization, and more.

An MIT CANES symposium which discussed strengths and gaps of US nuclear energy program identified workforce and financing as challenges to scaling the technology rapidly and efficiently to deliver new fleet of nuclear power plants.
https://nse.mit.edu/can-the-united-states-do-nuclear-alone/

Congratulations to NSE's Denisse Córdova Carrizales, one of 30 selected to receive a Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for graduate studies.

Denisse Córdova Carrizales – Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship awarded in 2026 to pursue a PhD in Nuclear Science and Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

NSE’s Professor Dean Price sees a bright future for nuclear power. He believes AI can help us realize that vision and is working to ensure nuclear technology meets today’s significant demands.

Working to advance the nuclear renaissance MIT Assistant Professor Dean Price sees a bright future for nuclear power, and believes AI can help us realize that vision. AI and machine learning methods are good at finding patterns concealed within data, such as correlations between variables critical to the functioning of a nuclear plant.

MIT researchers have created an AI model trained on 2,000 semiconductor materials. Using neutron-scattering, it detects and classifies atomic defects that can be tuned to give materials new properties.

MIT researchers use AI to uncover atomic defects in materials MIT researchers developed an AI model that can measure the types and concentrations of atomic defects used to improve materials’ strength, conductivity, and energy-conversion efficiency.