Comparison of Nuclear Engineering Programs at the Jordan University of Science and Technology and the University of Michigan

At the dawn of the atomic age, the University of Michigan established the first American degree program in nuclear engineering in 1952 and it is today one of the top ranked nuclear engineering programs in the United States. The Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) established the first nuclear engineering program in Jordan in 2007 as an integral component in the country’s roadmap for introducing nuclear power to its domestic energy portfolio. . JUST’s nuclear program’s mission encompasses human capital development in the fields of nuclear science and engineering to ensure a highly qualified pool of skilled scientists and engineers to construct, operate and regulate Jordan’s first commercial nuclear power plant. In contrast, the Michigan Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences department is marked by its accomplishments in a broad array of nuclear research areas with a $17 million annual research portfolio. Both universities are tied together by their respective INMM student chapters, with Michigan having founded one of the first ever student chapters and JUST having established the first international INMM student chapter. This work presents a comparison between these two nuclear engineering programs. The histories of these two programs are explored and contrasted. The two departments’ academic goals and their implementations are discussed. Differences and similarities in our respective departments’ student bodies, department missions and student career plans are explored. Conclusions are drawn on what we can learn from each other to ensure that both our departments continue to improve and remain beacons of excellence in nuclear engineering education.