Tennessee Tech welcomes new director to spearhead innovative nuclear engineering program
Dr. Jeffrey King
The College of Engineering at Tennessee Tech University has appointed Jeffrey King,
Ph.D., to lead its new nuclear engineering program effective Aug. 1.
King comes to Tech from the Colorado School of Mines where he helped build the university’s
nuclear science and engineering program.
As Tech’s founding director of nuclear engineering, King plans to grow the program’s
faculty, facilities and curriculum to support a next-generation workforce with the
goal of making Tech a “top ten program within 10 years,” he said. The program brings
nuclear education and research back to Tech after a more than 20-year hiatus when
it was housed in the engineering science and mechanics department.
“Tennessee Tech presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a modern nuclear
engineering program from the ground up around the needs of the future, especially
with outstanding support from congressional, state and industry leaders to advance
Tennessee as a national leader in nuclear energy,” King said.
Tech announced the launch of its Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering degree
program in May to address impending national demand for nuclear engineers, one year
after Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed an executive order setting aside $50 million
to establish a nuclear development and manufacturing ecosystem in the state. The program
has received key support from federal and state partners, including U.S. Representatives
John Rose and Chuck Fleischmann, and is only the second such program available in
Tennessee.
King completed his doctorate in nuclear engineering in 2006 as a member of the Institute
for Space and Nuclear Power Studies at the University of New Mexico. From 2006-2009,
he was an assistant professor in the mining and nuclear engineering department at
Missouri University of Science and Technology before joining the Colorado School of
Mines in 2009 to help create its nuclear science and engineering program.
During his time at Mines, King served as the interim chair of the nuclear science
and engineering program, director of the Nuclear Science and Engineering Research
Center and president of the faculty senate. King’s research and teaching interests
span the breadth of the nuclear energy enterprise, including reactor physics, reactor
design, nuclear materials, nuclear fuel cycles and public policy issues related to
nuclear power. King is also highly active in the space nuclear technology field as
a charter member and previous chair of the American Nuclear Society’s Aerospace Nuclear
Science and Technology Division and as the first chair of the Space Nuclear Working
Group sponsored by the Universities Space Research Association.
“Dr. King brings rich experience not only in nuclear engineering, but also in working
with funding agencies, developing curriculum and understanding the workforce needs
of industry,” said Joseph C. Slater, dean of the College of Engineering. “His ability
to build excitement among prospective students will also be critical in our efforts
to grow a future nuclear workforce to support the goals of the state and the nation,
and particularly the governor’s drive to make Tennessee the hub of nuclear innovation
around the globe.”
The program is currently housed as an undergraduate degree program within the mechanical
engineering department. Tech students are transitioning into the nuclear engineering
major over the upcoming 2024-25 academic year, and the program has already exceeded
its initial enrollment goals. It is expected to spin off into its own department after
the program receives accreditation and develops graduate programs, said Mohan Rao,
chair of mechanical engineering at Tech.
“Dr. King is a great fit for leading our nuclear program,” Rao said. “He has not only
the direct experience needed to successfully build a program from his work at Colorado
School of Mines, but also the kind of enthusiasm the sector needs to attract students
to the field.”
Upon his arrival in August, King will focus on hiring expert faculty and staff while
also shaping specific focus areas in the curriculum and acquiring necessary lab equipment.
One immediate focus in the program will be spent fuel reprocessing, but he also plans
to build out his own area of expertise in space nuclear technology with other program
focus areas to be determined based on state and national needs as well as faculty
expertise.
King said the chance to build a next-generation program in Tennessee appealed to him
because of his own roots in Tennessee’s nuclear legacy. His grandfather worked in
the Army Corps of Engineers to build Oak Ridge during its historic atomic energy days,
and King’s own career in nuclear energy started with an undergraduate fellowship program
through Oak Ridge Associated Universities. He is also excited about the quality reputation
Tech students have throughout the state, and the opportunity the program brings to
underserved families.
“All the elements are here, but the most exciting aspects are the prospects for students,
who will bring their ‘can-do’ attitudes to a life-changing opportunity to forge a
unique career,” King said.
