Penn State and Westinghouse Electric Company are strengthening their partnership with a new five-year agreement to continue advancing nuclear research, with specific focus on workforce education supporting the development and deployment of sustainable reactors. This multi-year commitment from Westinghouse will establish and support annual fellowships for selected graduate students at Penn State and for technical students at Penn College of Technology, as well as funding for 40 paid summer internships.
They signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on May 6 that includes building on previous collaborative work on microreactors - a small, nuclear battery designed to deliver flexible, portable and resilient energy to remote locations - and emphasizes workforce development across multiple critical areas of study.
"In partnership with Westinghouse, the company that established the first commercial nuclear reactor in the U.S., Penn State is continuing a significant legacy of advancing nuclear research," said Neeli Bendapudi, Penn State president, noting that the Penn State Breazeale Reactor is the country's oldest continuously running university reactor. "Now, together, we are leading the next generation of reactor development to tackle today's energy challenges, while also thoughtfully and intentionally designing educational and experiential research programming to prepare the future workforce of scientists, engineers and technicians."
Penn State and Westinghouse first formalized the collaboration in 2022, with an MOU focused on further developing Westinghouse's eVinci microreactor and the launch of the Forging a Renaissance of Nuclear Through Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Research, or FRONTIER, initiative. That work is reaffirmed in the new MOU, which also outlines plans to explore developing and deploying a showpiece facility featuring a research test reactor at University Park under Penn State's strategic priority dubbed "Hub for Open Research and Instruction in Zero-carbon Optimized Nuclear energy," or "HORIZON."
"Pennsylvania has a remarkable nuclear legacy, built over decades of innovation, industrial leadership and educational excellence," said Andrew Read, senior vice president for research at Penn State. "Penn State's vision for a HORIZON facility seeks to honor that legacy while positioning the commonwealth as the premier nuclear state of the 21st century."
Such a facility would serve as a testbed for emerging nuclear technologies, including advanced instrumentation and control, autonomous operation, novel moderators - materials that help regulate neutron speed and interactions - and fuels, next-generation sensors and advanced safety systems, Read said. It would also include a state-of-the-art simulator and training center, offering hands-on experiences for students, operators, industry partners, policymakers and the public.
Beyond the facility, the MOU advances Penn State and Westinghouse's strong history of preparing students with the knowledge and technical skills to innovate nuclear energy solutions, according to Read.
The MOU outlines specific student support, including establishing the fellowship program designed to attract top students pursuing doctorates or master's degrees. Recipients will receive scholarships, mentoring sessions with senior Westinghouse technical staff, a paid 12-week internship at a Westinghouse facility, and travel and seed funding to support entrepreneurial or exploratory research interests.
Another program outlined in the MOU is the Penn College Westinghouse Fellowship for Nuclear Technical Workforce, which will focus on supporting exceptional students enrolled in applied and technical programs relevant to nuclear technology, such as welding, instrumentation, electrical systems and mechanical maintenance. The MOU also details the development of internship opportunities for undergraduate students majoring in nuclear engineering, mechanical engineering and related disciplines, as well as for non-engineering students majoring in business, finance, information technology, supply chain management or other relevant disciplines; graduate students pursuing research aligned with Westinghouse priorities; and for Penn College students enrolled in technical programs supporting nuclear advancement.
Dan Sumner, president and chief executive officer; Lou Martinez Sancho, chief technology officer; Anne Naqi, chief human resources officer; and Leah Crider, senior director of strategic innovation, represented Westinghouse at the signing. Penn State representatives, in addition to Bendapudi and Read, included Doug Wolfe, associate vice president for research and director of strategic initiatives; Michael Wade Smith, senior vice president for external affairs and chief of staff; Eric Donnell, senior associate dean for the College of Engineering; Jon Schwantes, professor and head of the Ken and Mary Alice Lindquist Department of Nuclear Engineering; Kenan Ünlü, professor of nuclear engineering and director of the Radiation Science and Engineering Center; Elia Merzari, professor of nuclear engineering and HORIZON lead; Eddie Jones, FRONTIER project manager; and Don Mothersbaugh, director of corporate engagement.
