![BE_System_RGB (5) [Recovered]_Lead Line](https://nuc.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/BE_System_RGB-5-Recovered_Lead-Line-e1726454265177.png "BE_System_RGB (5) [Recovered]_Lead Line")
The Department of Nuclear Engineering was established in 1958 by then Chancellor Glenn Seaborg. In line with our history and thanks to our exceptional students and outstanding faculty, Berkeley NE is one of the premier Nuclear Science and Engineering departments in the Nation, and the only one in California. We educate and train the current and next generation of engineers, scientists and thought leaders with proficiency in nuclear science and engineering. Our facilities and capabilities enable fundamental discoveries and transformative advances to meet worldwide societal needs in energy, health and security challenges.
Among the strengths of the Department are the close ties with the national laboratories (in particularly the nearby Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory), the nuclear industry (like Kairos Power) and other academic institutions (such as the Department of Radiation Oncology at UCSF).
Our students and alumni are trailblazers in nuclear energy, security, nuclear physics, nuclear chemistry, medical physics and more.
What is Nuclear Engineering?
Energy
With its ability to generate massive amounts of clean, reliable energy from tiny fuel sources, nuclear power is a game-changer in the fight against climate change, offering a thrilling path to a sustainable, carbon-free future.
Science and Health
Nuclear science explores atomic nuclei and their reactions. Its applications power nuclear reactors, enable medical imaging and cancer treatments, improve industrial processes, and drive scientific breakthroughs in fields like physics and space exploration.
Security
Nuclear security is the mission to protect nuclear materials and technology, ensuring the safe, controlled use of these materials for global peace and safety.
Department History
