UTSA is educating and preparing the next generation of scientists and engineers to provide innovative solutions to the grand challenges in nuclear security.

A cross-disciplinary team of researchers led by faculty members in the College of Sciences and the College of Engineering has been awarded nearly $3 million in grant funding by the National Nuclear Security Administration for project CONNECT (The CONsortium on Nuclear sECurity Technologies).

Team members Kelly Nash, associate professor, and Elizabeth Sooby Wood, assistant professor, both in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, say the consortium will create a pipeline of diverse students with strong backgrounds in nuclear science fields and data and visual analytics.

Students studying physics, computer science, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering, among other disciplines, will work together on interdisciplinary research and network with experts in nuclear security.

“The overall goal of the project is to connect students interested in STEM with U.S. Department of Energy labs and top experts so they are prepared to enter the workforce and be leaders in careers pertaining to national nuclear security,” explains Nash, grant principal investigator. 

“This project gives students the opportunity to explore topics such as nuclear materials and nuclear security, and they may never have considered these fields before. It has both an educational and scientific impact as it introduces students to various career opportunities,” Wood says.