Endless possibilities

Blending classroom learning with real-world reactor experience, K-State’s nuclear engineering program prepares students to lead the future of nuclear science and safety.

A closeup of a K-State nuclear control panel, with lights, switches and a purple powercat.

Tommy Killian and Abbigail Marshall

By Tommy Killian and Abbigail Marshall

Division of Communications and Marketing

Friday, Feb. 6, 2026

If you woke up in a world where cancer treatments spared healthy cells, disaster-stricken communities regained power in minutes and artificial intelligence ran on clean, reliable energy, it might feel like science fiction. But this story isn't as far-fetched as it sounds, and its hero doesn't include a cape — just a control panel.

Danny Eckerberg, wearing a lavendar polo, works on the reactor's control panel.
At K-State, nuclear engineering students learn by doing, working directly with reactor technology and expert faculty to develop the knowledge and confidence needed for the field.

From energy and health care to national security, nuclear power is tackling challenges once thought impossible, and Kansas State University's nuclear engineering undergraduate program is preparing the next generation of engineers to lead the charge.

 

Experiencing hands-on research and training opportunities with K-State's Triga Mark II reactor — one of only 25 university-housed nuclear reactors in the nation — K-State undergraduate students are not only stepping into the future, but shaping it.

“I would really like to work on things like radiation shielding or even detection in space. I think that'd be really cool, especially since there are a lot of things out there that we don't know.”

Kerry Garcia, undergraduate student

There are endless opportunities to redefine what is possible in our world through nuclear technologies, and with a K-State degree, nuclear engineering graduates are ready to innovate with confidence, integrity and imagination.

Watch the video at the beginning of this article to see how students are growing through K-State's nuclear engineering program while building a passion for scientific impact.

Academic innovationResearchStudent experienceEnabling technologiesNuclear

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