Nuclear and other radioactive materials are used for large-scale production of electricity without producing greenhouse gases, advanced medical diagnostics and treatments, food sterilization, sophisticated measurement technologies, and military purposes. In order to benefit from these uses, packaging that protects the public and the environment during the storage, transfer, transport and disposal of these materials must be developed, inspected, maintained and safely used.
The purpose of the graduate certificate is to provide a curriculum in packaging for nuclear and other radioactive materials that complements graduate programs in Mechanical, Nuclear, Materials and other related engineering fields, and is more applied-knowledge-based than research-based. The three required courses, and many of the elective courses, are offered by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Packaging Certification Program (PCP). They are taught by experienced technical staff at Argonne, Lawrence Livermore, Oak Ridge, Sandia and Savannah River National Laboratories. These classes have been taken by technical staff from nuclear industries, national labs and government agencies from within and outside the United States.
Note: Students who are enrolled in this program solely are not eligible for Federal Financial Aid.