Institute for Nuclear Energy Science and Technology

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has partnered with several leading U.S. universities to create the Institute for Nuclear Energy Science and Technology (I-NEST). I-NEST’s goal is to help define INL’s long-term nuclear energy research and development strategy.

The Institute is comprised of five Centers of Research and Education (COREs) that were selected to address some of the most difficult problems facing nuclear energy today: fuels and materials, space nuclear research, fuel cycle, safety and licensing, and nuclear hybrid energy systems.

Research in these areas will provide the technical knowledge to help guide the nation’s nuclear energy program and help extend the operating life of the current fleet of nuclear reactors.

Each CORE is led by a researcher from INL and one of the partner universities—Massachusetts Institute of Technology, North Carolina State University, Oregon State University, The Ohio State University, and University of New Mexico.

The intent of the Institute is to collaborate with these universities to stimulate research innovation and maintain INL’s position as a leader in nuclear energy research.