About the Department

The Ken and Mary Alice Lindquist Department of Nuclear Engineering at Penn State is one of the top ranked nuclear engineering programs in the United States. A strong focus on experimental research distinguishes us from many other programs. Our actively growing program has 17 faculty members, almost 90 undergraduate students, and nearly 100 graduate students.

Radiation Science and Engineering Center (RSEC) facilities, including the Breazeale Reactor, are available to nuclear engineering faculty and students at Penn State for research and instruction. RSEC houses the Breazeale Nuclear Reactor, the country’s first and longest operating licensed nuclear research reactor. Having access to an operating research reactor is a key strength for the department and enables Penn State to harness research and educational opportunities that are unique in the United States.

The department’s offices and facilities are located throughout many buildings on campus; department administration currently resides in the Hallowell Building. Faculty offices and laboratory facilities can also be found in the Radiation Science and Engineering Center.

Penn State offers undergraduate and graduate students unique opportunities to learn and research in state-of-the-art experimental facilities under the supervision of internationally known faculty. In 2018, U.S. News and World Report ranked Penn State’s nuclear engineering graduate program 9th in the country.