Nuclear science and engineering

“We have great people who I can talk to about anything, from nitty-gritty physics details to the loftier goals of getting this implemented in the political future,” says grad student Jayson Vavrek of the Laboratory of Nuclear Security and Policy.

Turning particle detectors into weapons detectors

Nuclear science and engineering PhD student Jayson Vavrek applies particle physics to solve problems with nuclear weapons disarmament.

September 26, 2016

MIT freshmen and counselors pose in front of the Hull Wind turbine next to Hull High School. The turbine has provided renewable energy for the town since 2001.

Energy orientation introduces freshmen to low-carbon technologies on campus and in the region

September 21, 2016

"When I learned about fusion I thought: This is the future!” —Silvia Espinosa, PhD candidate

On the edge of discovery

For PhD student Silvia Espinosa, a passion for solving theoretical puzzles fuels a quest for fusion energy.

September 13, 2016

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is a huge, cubic-kilometer particle detector buried deep under the ice at the South Pole. After analyzing 20,000 neutrinos detected over the span of a year at the observatory, scientists were unable to observe any sign of sterile, or “hidden,” neutrinos.

Neutrino search finds no evidence of “hidden” particle

If discovered, sterile neutrinos may explain dark matter.

August 8, 2016

In a new concept for battery cathodes, nanometer-scale particles made of lithium and oxygen compounds (depicted in red and white) are embedded in a sponge-like lattice (yellow) of cobalt oxide, which keeps them stable. The researchers propose that the material could be packaged in batteries that are very similar to conventional sealed batteries yet provide much more energy for their weight.

New lithium-oxygen battery greatly improves energy efficiency, longevity

New chemistry could overcome key drawbacks of lithium-air batteries.

July 25, 2016

"It is easier to make a replacement nuclear weapon from scratch than to try to pass off a fake object as a weapon," says R. Scott Kemp in MIT’s Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering about a new method to verify that a country's claimed warheads are authentic without disclosing classified information.

A novel approach to a longstanding challenge in nuclear arms control

MIT researchers develop a “physical cryptography” for secure and accurate accounting of the world’s nuclear arsenals.

July 19, 2016

Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy, left), a gung-ho scientist with expertise in the paranormal, and Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon, right), an eccentric engineer, tinker in a nearly perfect replication of an MIT lab.

How MIT gave "Ghostbusters" its "geek cred"

From proton packs to hidden props, the 2016 blockbuster draws upon MIT personalities and scientific panache.

July 15, 2016

MIT nuclear science and engineering professors Jacopo Buongiorno (left) and Dennis Whyte will lead a multidisciplinary team working on a Future of Nuclear Energy Technologies study.

Buongiorno, Whyte win Sloan Foundation grant

$1M Sloan Foundation grant supports NSE-led Future of Nuclear Energy Technologies study

July 13, 2016

“When I started in graduate school I knew already that I wanted to work on turbulence in tokamaks,” says Anne White, the Cecil and Ida Green Associate Professor in Nuclear Engineering in MIT’s Plasma Fusion and Science Center.

Anne White: A passion for plasma

Physicist has a fascination for the complexities of turbulence, and how to reduce it in fusion reactors.

June 29, 2016

“In about 30 seconds, we can scan a container and provide a three-dimensional map of [the materials inside the cargo]. This information clears the container or alerts you to a region that needs to be examined more carefully,” says William Bertozzi, MIT physics professor emeritus and co-founder of Passport Systems.

Improved threat-detection

Scanners more rapidly and accurately identify radioactive materials at U.S. borders, events.

June 22, 2016

This diagram depicts the way a new surface treatment can improve the efficiency and longevity of perovskite materials for use in applications such as fuel-cell electrodes. Within the bulk of the material (bottom left) oxygen vacancies shown as “holes” are distributed throughout the material, and cause intense chemical reactivity. But on the surface, many of those vacancies get filled by oxygen...

Researchers find a way to extend life and improve performance of fuel cell electrodes

Surface treatment greatly reduces degradation of catalyst material.

June 13, 2016

Left to right: School of Engineering Dean Ian A. Waitz, graduate student Zachary Sherman, and Alan Oppenheim '59, '64 ScD, sponsor of the School of Engineering Graduate Student Award for Extraordinary Teaching and Mentoring.

School of Engineering awards for 2016

Awards were given to outstanding faculty, undergraduates, and graduate students.

June 10, 2016

Clockwise from top left: Shreya Dave, Carolena Ruprecht, Michael Birk, and Mohammed Alsobay

Energy grads launch careers in research, engineering, and analysis

June 8, 2016

Cody Dennett, PhD candidate in the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering

Scrutinizing radiation’s impact

Nuclear science and engineering PhD student Cody Dennett simulates conditions inside reactors to measure microscopic defects in irradiated materials.

May 31, 2016

Top row (left to right): Robert Fadel, Dean Ian A. Waitz, Jim Long, Hsinhwa Lee, Ted Equi, Sandra Lopes, Joseph Baylon, Carolyn Carrington, Anthony Zolnik, Doreen Morris, Marlena Love, and Stephen Wetzel. Bottom row (left to right): Cathy Greene, Amy Bass, Sharon Leary, Bethany Walsh, Jessica Jones, and Kate Moynihan.

Spotlight on engineering staff

The 2016 Infinite Mile Awards in the School of Engineering