Working to automate nuclear plant operations
PhD student Lauren Fortier is building on the experience she gained operating a nuclear plant for the Navy to solve a critical hurdle in the wider adoption of the energy source.
Department
Nuclear Science and Engineering
MIT projects selected for funding under US Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission
Initial research projects advance national priorities across natural resources, manufacturing, nuclear physics, and more.
MIT student leaders: Q&A with men’s soccer captain Dilin Meloni
The rising senior is passionate about soccer, nuclear fusion, and advocating on behalf of his fellow student-athletes at MIT.
MIT researcher proposes a way to detect nuclear weapons in space
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty bans nuclear weapons in space, but there’s currently no way to verify that satellites aren’t carrying them.
MIT student teams win top honors in NASA competition
Three MIT teams took five top awards in the 2026 NASA RASC-AL Competition for designing critical elements for the moon base and future missions to Mars.
Startup’s nuclear-inspired cooling system could make data centers more sustainable
Founded by two researchers from MIT, Ferveret reduces the amount of energy and water required to cool the chips that power AI.
MIT students study plasma physics beneath Alaska’s aurora
Student-led expeditions use distributed instruments to observe auroral structures and probe space plasma in real-world conditions.
Six from MIT awarded 2026 Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans
Fellowship honors contributions of immigrants to American society by awarding $90,000 in funding for graduate studies.
Geothermal energy turns red hot
MIT Energy Initiative symposium maps a path to tap the planet’s heat-rich rocks for clean power at scale.
MIT faculty, alumni receive 2025-26 American Physical Society honors
Two faculty and six additional alumni win top APS awards and prizes; four faculty and 12 additional alumni named APS Fellows.
Multitasking quantum sensors can measure several properties at once
The devices represent a key step toward practical quantum sensing, with applications in biomedical sensing, materials characterization, and more.
Working to advance the nuclear renaissance
Dean Price, assistant professor in the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, sees a bright future for nuclear power, and believes AI can help us realize that vision.
Championing fusion’s promising underdog
Sophia Henneberg, assistant professor in the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, is developing stellarators to harness fusion energy.
Fueling research in nuclear thermal propulsion
Master's student Taylor Hampson is modeling the behavior of an unconventional rocket engine that will heat propellant using nuclear energy.
Eighteen MIT faculty honored as “Committed to Caring” for 2025-27
The program recognizes outstanding mentorship of graduate students.