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NE Grad wins Big Ideas@Berkeley: Contest Results
They propose to build a device that can be installed on streets, favorably downhill sections of steep hills like those in SF or Berkeley hills, or on highway exits, to slow down cars leaving the highways. These devices can also replace current speed bumps at areas needing traffic calming devices such as schools, hospitals, etc. and many other scenarios. These devices would be installed in modules and not cause drastic changes to current roads. When vehicles run over the devices, they will be pressed down and the energy collected will be stored in the type of elastic energy of the coils and converted to electricity stored in batteries for later use. This device is not a "clean" device since energy is harnessed from vehicles moving on the roads, however, there are situations where these devices can bring favorable consequences. Highways are the best places to implement this idea since drivers may complain about the energy they are giving up, although extremely small. Policy and licensing are the biggest hurdle.
Announcing the Death of Professor Paul Chambré
(Photo Credit: Archives of the Mathematisches Forschungsinstitut Oberwolfach)
Paul joined the faculty of Mathematics Department, University of California, Berkeley as an Assistant Professor in 1951, after he received his PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering of UC Berkeley. In July 1960 he was jointly appointed as an Associate Professor by Mathematics Department and Nuclear Engineering Department, and then promoted to Professor in 1962. He led the research and education in the fields of applied mathematics, neutron transport, mathematical modeling for reactor safety, such as LOCA, optimal feedback control of a nuclear reactor, heat transfer in two-phase flow, and later radionuclide transport in geological media for nuclear waste management. He retired from the University of California in 1989, but continued his affiliation as Professor of the Graduate School. Paul played a major role in launching the careers of his students and in mentoring of junior colleagues. He will be missed.
Joonhong Ahn, PhD, D.Eng.
FILM SCREENING: PANDORA'S PROMISE - April 12, 2013 - 5:30pm
Film Screening & Discussion with the Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Robert Stone
Friday, April 12, 5:30 pm
Sibley Auditorium, Bechtel Engineering Center, UC Berkeley
Panelists: Robert Stone, Michael Shellenberger, Prof. Joonhong Ahn and Prof. Per Peterson
Moderator: John Fowler, KTVU Channel 2 Science Editor
A hit at the Sundance Film Festival, PANDORA’S PROMISE dares to tackle the emerging divide within the environmental movement over nuclear energy through the intimately told stories of thinkers, experts and authors who have come to change their minds about nuclear power. Stone elegantly interweaves the personal narratives of five extraordinary characters – Stewart Brand, Richard Rhodes, Gwyneth Cravens, Mark Lynas and Michael Shellenberger – to explore how these individuals have come to see advanced nuclear power as humankind’s greatest hope. By unearthing their personal transformations, Stone pierces commonly held assumptions and provides a captivating deconstruction of popular myths about radiation, waste and weapons, taking viewers on a riveting and mind-altering journey.
PANDORA’S PROMISE inspires serious and realistic debate about how mankind will continue to power modern civilization without destroying it.
The documentary will be released in movie theaters nation-wide beginning June 2013.
This screening is free to the general public.
Two Graduate Students Awarded NSF Fellowships
April 2, 2013
Congratulations to Lakshana Huddar and Alexandra (Sasha) Asghari for being selected as recipients for 2013 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Fellowships!
Graduate Student Sasha Asghari's Career Highlighted at Alma Mater
January 31, 2013
Nuclear Engineering first-year graduate student Alexandra Asghari was featured in a Sacramento State University video, beginning with her childhood in Kyrgyzstan and moving to the US at an early age. Her eloquent message encourages young women to pursue advanced degrees in STEM fields, and also speaks very highly of the CSU system from which the University draws so many of our grad students.
Please click here to view the full article on Sasha Asghari
Norman named Fellow of AAAS
November 29, 2012
We are very pleased to announce that Prof. Eric "Rick" Norman has been elected this year as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, “for distinguished contributions to nuclear science and applications to national security, and high commitment to public education and outreach, particularly following the Fukushima nuclear disaster.”
The AAAS is the world's largest general scientific society, and the publisher of Science magazine.
This year, 4 UC Berkeley faculty members were elected as AAAS Fellows, bringing the campus total to 227. Additionally 2 LBNL scientists were elected. The induction for new Fellows will take place at the 2013 annual AAAS meeting in Boston on February 16. For further information, please see the link below.
http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2012/11/29/four-faculty-members-named-fellows-of-aaas/
LANL Summer School for Advanced Undergrads
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico
is currently soliciting applicants for the fourteenth Los Alamos Dynamic Summer School, June 10th through August 9th, 2013. The purpose of this summer school is to focus a select group of prospective upper level undergraduate students and first year graduate students on the multi‐disciplinary field of cyber‐physical dynamic systems. Cyber-physical systems (CPS) are defined by the National Science Foundation as “engineered systems that are built from and depend upon the synergy of computational and physical components.” The summer school has two focus areas. First, the multi‐disciplinary nature of research in cyber‐physical systems will be emphasized throughout the summer school. The students will be assigned to multi‐disciplinary teams where they will work with a mentor on a research topic that has both an analytical and experimental component. Second, efforts will be made to develop the students’ written and oral communication skills. Applications must be received by January 14th, 2013. More information regarding the Summer School can be found at: http://institute.lanl.gov/ei/dynamics‐summer‐school/.
UC Berkeley Nuclear Research
September 26, 2012
Professor Per Peterson introduces the BERC Symposium in October and talks about Nuclear Engineering research in this short YouTube video.
Per Peterson featured on the KQED Quest science program on nuclear energy
September 19, 2012
Nuclear Engineering Professor, Per Peterson, was recently featured on KQED Quest science program that played on September 19, 2012 at 7:30pm. Professor Peterson was interviewed on the topic of nuclear energy and features our work here at UC Berkeley. You can read the full feature and watch the 11-minute TV story on KQED web site
Faculty Position in NE
August 1, 2012
NE is seeking applications for Non-Tenure, Tenure Track, Assistant Professor position in Reactor Neutronics
