Mixing physics and engineering?

[electrifice]

Nuclear Engineering?

More than anything, your replies make me excited about the possibilities in college. A double major in physics and engineering seems like almost exactly the kind of education I want. The previous two posts mentioned nuclear engineering and its relatively greater connection to physics than other engineering disciplines. Is nuclear engineering a developing field? For instance, electrical engineering is very useful, it has great applicability, and there is a lot of development in that field. However, considering the decline in the government's interest in nuclear energy (due to its costs, etc.), is NE still a developing field? What kind of things could future NE find themselves doing?

 

[Astronuc]

More than anything, your replies make me excited about the possibilities in college. A double major in physics and engineering seems like almost exactly the kind of education I want. The previous two posts mentioned nuclear engineering and its relatively greater connection to physics than other engineering disciplines. Is nuclear engineering a developing field? For instance, electrical engineering is very useful, it has great applicability, and there is a lot of development in that field. However, considering the decline in the government's interest in nuclear energy (due to its costs, etc.), is NE still a developing field? What kind of things could future NE find themselves doing?

At the moment, with the cost of fossil fuels increasing along with the demand for electrical energy/power, we may see a resurgence in nuclear energy, i.e. more plants.

In the nuclear industry, we are now laying the groundwork and establishing the fundamental technical basis for advanced nuclear energy systems. A big challenge.

Then there is the possibility down the road of nuclear power and propulsion systems for spacecraft and distant places.