Stylianos Chatzidakis, Ahmed Hassanein, Seungjin Kim, and Lefteri Tsoukalas named among the Purdue College of Engineering Outstanding Engineering Teachers – Spring 2026.

Purdue NE's Hitesh Bindra is leading a University initiative to strengthen the nuclear energy workforce through a new modular training curriculum focused on quality assurance, system integrity, and reactor safety. Supported by $3.2 million in combined funding, the project will deliver flexible, hands-on learning for students and professionals. The program aims to expand access to critical skills and prepare a new generation of engineers for evolving nuclear energy demands.

Purdue NE's Shripad Revankar has been appointed to lead the Nuclear Energy Pillar within Purdue Institute for Energy Innovation, positioning nuclear power at the center of interdisciplinary efforts to tackle evolving energy demands. With more than four decades of experience, he will guide research, industry partnerships, and workforce development to advance reliable, scalable energy solutions for emerging technologies and infrastructure, including data centers and advanced manufacturing.

A newly patented technology from Purdue NE's Allen Garner could reshape how electromagnetic systems are designed and deployed. Developed with a former doctoral student, the innovation simplifies radiofrequency signal generation by combining multiple functions into a single component. Backed by the Office of Naval Research, the work reduces system size and complexity while improving adaptability—opening new possibilities across defense, communications, automotive, and emerging biomedical applications.

The Purdue University Board of Trustees has approved tenure for Xiaoyuan Lou, effective August 17, 2026, naming him Associate Professor of Nuclear Engineering. Since joining Purdue in 2022, Lou has emerged as a leader in additive manufacturing for nuclear applications, contributing to the first ASME pressure vessel code for 3D-printed 316L stainless steel. His work advances next-generation reactor manufacturing and reflects excellence in research, teaching, and innovation.

A new Nuclear Fusion and Plasma Teaching Laboratory at Purdue is giving students rare, hands-on experience in fusion energy—one of nuclear engineering’s fastest-growing fields. Developed by faculty and supported by alumni giving, the lab introduces a new course blending experimental plasma science with real-world applications, preparing students to help advance the future of carbon-free energy.

A consortium funded through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP), DE-NE-0009525, has begun implementing a $6 million grant aimed at boosting advanced reactor R&D while building a workforce for the future. Based at Purdue University’s School of Nuclear Engineering, the consortium includes three universities, one community college network, three national laboratories and nine industry partners

PhD candidate Vasileios Theos is advancing nuclear engineering research at the Purdue NE with his work on a high-fidelity digital twin of the Purdue University Reactor (PUR-1). Selected for the Graduate Research Recognition Seminar, Theos is developing a platform that combines real-time data with advanced modeling to simulate reactor behavior, supporting research, operator training, and emerging technologies in autonomous control and system diagnostics.

With support from a U.S. Department of Energy, Purdue is expanding its advanced nuclear manufacturing capabilities. Nuclear Engineering Associate Professor Xiaoyuan Lou is leading the installation of an ultrasonic powder atomizer that will allow researchers to produce custom spherical metal powders on campus.

Purdue NE PhD candidate Reshma Ughade is being showcased in Purdue's InnovatED Graduate Research Magazine as part of its annual celebration of 10 graduate students and postdoctoral scholars whose work demonstrates real-world impact. Her research advances muon tomography by developing µTRec algorithms to image sealed nuclear fuel using cosmic-ray muons—safely and non-invasively.