Nuclear Engineering to Make a Difference

Abstract:

We all (I hope) want to use our careers to make a difference. This talk will walk through one example of how that might look and lead into a broader discussion of how one could use a highly technical nuclear engineering education to have an impact. I’ll talk a bit about computational neutronics, nuclear innovation, and government in particular. I’ll also talk about what students can think about and do as they frame their own path to fulfill their own goals.

Biography:

Prof. Slaybaugh researches computational methods applied to nuclear reactors, nuclear non-proliferation and security, and shielding. Slaybaugh is currently serving as a Program Director at ARPA-E. She is also a Senior Fellow at the Breakthrough Institute and at the Berkeley Institute of Data Science. Slaybaugh received a BS in Nuclear Engineering from Penn State, where she served as a licensed nuclear reactor operator, and a PhD from University of Wisconsin–Madison in Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics with a certificate in Energy Analysis and Policy. Slaybaugh’s Rickover Fellowship took her to Naval Nuclear Laboratory prior to joining Berkeley.