Training the next generation of nuclear engineers in safety culture

This paper presents how undergraduate and graduate nuclear engineering students at the PennsyIvania State University are trained to develop a safety ethic or 'culture' during their coursework. This safety culture is instilled in terms of nuclear safety analysis, design, and licensing issues. various aspects of reactor safety are described either directly or indirectly in each Penn State nuclear engineering course by the development of particular theory and practical applications. A graduate level reactor safety course serves to tie in all the student's previous knowledge into a focused study of safety analysis, licensing, and accident scenarios. With each Penn State nuclear engineering course, there is a focus, and an expected level of understanding of the impact of analysis and design on reactor safety. Foundational to all courses is the knowledge of atomic, health, and reactor physics, mathematics, and general engineering principles. This paper describes the progression of courses related to reactor safety in the Penn State curriculum. The objectives for each course is given in terms of its importance in reactor safety. A detailed description of the graduate level reactor safety course is given to demonstrate how to assemble safety topics into a course that directly addresses safety, licensing, and accident analyses. This safety course serves to provide students with an comprehension of the current 'safety culture' in the United States, and hopefully, instills a proper understanding of safety issues and ethics. (author)