2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

As the global energy landscape evolves, nuclear engineers must develop a comprehensive understanding of energy systems beyond their traditional focus. Holistic energy education aims to provide nuclear engineering students with a foundational grasp of the entire energy ecosystem, while maintaining their specialized knowledge and skill set. This education integrates renewable energy, energy storage, and grid dynamics into the nuclear engineering curriculum, promoting systems thinking and highlighting the interdependence of various energy sources on sustainability and economic viability.
This educational approach is critical as the energy sector shifts towards low-carbon solutions. With the rise of renewables like wind and solar, nuclear energy remains essential for stable baseload power. Effective integration of these diverse sources demands engineers who understand their interplay. Holistic energy education equips nuclear engineers to contribute to this integration, enhancing energy security and promoting sustainability.
Curricula from several nuclear engineering programs were evaluated to identify areas for integrating holistic energy education. For example, a radiation interactions course could examine photon interactions with photovoltaic (PV) cells, discussing how photons are absorbed by PV materials, generating electron-hole pairs that create an electric current, and the overall efficiency of this energy conversion process. Linking these principles to broader energy concepts helps students appreciate the connection between nuclear engineering and renewable energy technologies.
Case studies illustrate specific nuclear engineering course modifications to incorporate holistic energy education. Student feedback indicates that these changes improve their understanding of how nuclear energy fits within the larger energy ecosystem and boost their confidence in leading and innovating in an evolving energy environment. This approach could also be beneficial for other disciplines that focus on a single energy source, such as petroleum engineering. Holistic energy education ensures they understand how their specialized knowledge fits into and interacts with the larger energy ecosystem.
Overall, curriculum analyses and case studies demonstrate that exposing nuclear engineering students to a broader energy context prepares them better to collaborate across disciplines, innovate in hybrid energy systems, and contribute to energy policy. The integration of holistic energy education into nuclear engineering programs ensures that students broaden their understanding of energy systems while maintaining a focus on nuclear technology, preparing them to lead and innovate in an evolving energy landscape.