South Carolina State University has officially opened a new innovative simulator that will significantly advance the HBCU’s nuclear engineering education and research capabilities.
The NuScale Energy Exploration (E2) Center is a simulated control room that mirrors the operation of a real advanced nuclear power plant. The center includes a library of digital resources, a notification system for operations abnormalities, integrated emergency proceeds, and fully automated sequences for equipment operation. SC State is now home to just one of only 10 such simulators in the world.
Currently, SC State is the only HBCU in the country and the only South Carolina-based university that offers a four-year nuclear engineering degree. The E2 Center will allow students majoring in nuclear engineering to safely gain hands-on training experience and participate in new research opportunities. Furthermore, the E2 Center will promote collaboration with industry leaders, academic partners, and government entities, creating valuable networking opportunities for students.
“This is an exciting moment for SC State,” said President Alexander Conyers. “The NuScale Energy Exploration Center gives our students a front-row seat to the future of clean energy. It’s not every day you get to bring a virtual nuclear reactor into the classroom. That kind of access can spark curiosity, open career paths, and change lives.
