Stony Brook wins nuclear training grant

Stony Brook University will spend nearly a million dollars on new technical training for nuclear workers.

The university received a $945,000 grant from the New York Power Authority. This award is part of a larger $10 million package split among six programs across the state. The funding aims to prepare New Yorkers for careers in the growing nuclear energy sector.

Stony Brook will use the money to train students in three specific areas: nuclear-aligned welding, HVAC/R certification, and radiation work. The program is a partnership between Stony Brook, Suffolk County Community College, and Brookhaven National Laboratory. These three institutions are located within a 30-mile radius of each other.

The radiation component will be led by the SBU Post-Irradiation Examination And Research Lab, or PEARL. Faculty members Lance Snead and David Sprouster, along with Michelle Kehoe from Radiation Safety, will oversee this track. The lab plans to teach 36 students the basics of radiation safety, instrumentation, and personal protective equipment. Half of these students will be from Stony Brook.

Four of the students in the radiation track will be selected for fully paid summer internships at Brookhaven National Laboratory. During these internships, they will shadow professionals in the Radiological Control Division. This experience is designed to give them fieldwork exposure for future careers as radiological control technicians.

The state has been pushing to expand its nuclear energy capacity to more than 8 gigawatts. Governor Kathy Hochul announced the funding in late September. She said the money helps ensure New York's advanced nuclear future is built by and for New Yorkers. The awards support the NYPA's goal to develop at least 1 gigawatt of advanced nuclear energy in Upstate New York, a target set in June 2025.

Other recipients of the $10 million pool include Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Jamestown Community College, and the Manufacturers Talent Institute. The NYPA has committed a total of $40 million over the past year to support these workforce development efforts.