Skip to content Skip to main navigation Report an accessibility issue

Message from the Department Head

Brian Wirth sitting in his office in front of a book shelfWelcome to the University of Tennessee Department of Nuclear Engineering website. We strive to provide the best environment possible for the learning and career development of our students, within a rigorous safety culture and with a focus of continual improvement. The information on our website is provided as a service to prospective students, existing students, alumni, faculty, industrial colleagues and those seeking to learn more about the UT Knoxville Nuclear Engineering Department.

Our department is at the forefront of nuclear engineering, with an emphasis on ensuring the sustainability and future growth of nuclear power to provide affordable, safe, and secure carbon-free nuclear energy for the electrical sector, to utilize the power contained within the atom to enrich our lives through nuclear medicine, radiological engineering and medical physics, and to ensure the security and non-proliferation of nuclear isotopes and materials. We are fortunate to call east TN home, with a rich history in nuclear power and innovation, and close ties to more than 150 nuclear companies and organizations within 50 miles of Knoxville, including 2 national laboratories (Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Y-12 Nuclear Security Complex) and the Tennessee Valley Authority. This provides us ample opportunities to ensure co-operative and internship experiences, training and research assignments for our undergraduate and graduate students. We are proud to offer competitive graduate teaching and research stipends, along with numerous fellowship, internship and employment opportunities for our undergraduate students.

We are proud that our Nuclear Engineering graduate program is ranked as a top five public program by US News and World Report, and of the size and quality of both our undergraduate and graduate program.

Please contact us at utne@utk.edu, if you would like to receive additional information.

Brian D. Wirth

Governor’s Chair Professor of Computational Nuclear Engineering and Department Head