New Agreement Expands Opportunities for Research, Workforce Development and Student Recruitment

Alabama A&M University President Daniel K. Wims took a significant step toward expanding opportunities for students by signing a new agreement with the Honorable Christopher T. Hanson, Chair of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) at NRC headquarters in Rockville, Maryland.

Dr. Wims and members of his administration met with Chair Hanson Monday. The agreement solidifies the ongoing partnership between Alabama A&M and the NRC, and furthers collaboration between the two.

“The NRC has a 20-year recruitment relationship with our University, ” said Dr. Majed El-Dweik, Alabama A&M Vice President of Research & Economic Development, who attended the meeting. “This renewed agreement strengthens our joint efforts in advancing research initiatives, workforce development, student recruitment and contracting opportunities that directly benefit our students.”

Following the formal signing, President Wims and his administration joined 13 AAMU alumni currently working at the NRC for a luncheon, underscoring the impact the University has had in shaping NRC’s workforce.

Last November, Chair Hanson visited Alabama A&M as part of the University’s Federal Employee Preparation Week. He said Alabama A&M alumni hold key positions within the NRC, including roles as a Deputy Division Director for Reactor Projects, Senior Reactor Inspectors, Senior Health Physicists, Enforcement Specialist, Human Resources Specialist, and Senior Physical Scientist for International Programs. Many began their careers through the NRC’s Nuclear Regulator Apprenticeship Network (NRAN), a program that grooms future leaders in the nuclear regulatory field.

Through the NRC’s University Nuclear Leadership Program (UNLP), Alabama A&M received scholarship grants in 2016 and 2018 totaling $400,000 to support junior and senior electrical and mechanical engineering majors with concentrations in nuclear power and nuclear systems. Two Alabama A&M graduates now working at the NRC were among the recipients of these scholarships.

Chair Hanson said the NRC is committed to supporting Alabama A&M University as a key partner in achieving federal STEM workforce development and diversity goals. Through the Minority Serving Institution Program (MSIP), the NRC provides contracting opportunities for HBCUs, including funding for undergraduate and graduate students, and access to prime and subcontracts that align with the University’s capabilities. Collaboration with the NRC’s partners, including national laboratories, opens doors for future contracts.

 “We look forward to building on this partnership with Alabama A&M, fostering a strong campus presence, and creating a lasting pipeline for future NRC talent,” Hanson concluded.

(Photos Courtesy U.S. NRC)