The Need for Next Generation of Radiochemists in the USA

In 2009, the nuclear industry employed approximately 120,000 people. Nearly 38 percent of the nuclear industry force will be eligible to retire within the next five years. To maintain the current work force, the industry will need to hire approximately 25,000 more workers by 2015.1 The federal government will also need nuclear workers in the future in its laboratories, the military and government programs. There is a need not only for the entire nuclear community to work with the academia to recruit and train students in a standardized way for employment at nuclear facilities. Several strategies are taking place in the USA, as an example, an initiative developed at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is the Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (INEST) with four Centers of Research and Education (COREs) selected to address some of the most challenging issues facing nuclear energy today: (1) Fuels and Materials, (2) Space Nuclear Research, (3) Fuel Cycle, and (4) Safety and Licensing. Another example is the development of a radiochemistry program at two universities: the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) and Washington State University (WSU) to attract the next generation work force. This paper will solely focus on the next generation of radiochemists needed in the US and will give examples illustrating the needs as well as the current activities in the academia and in the national laboratories to fulfill national needs.