TUSKEGEE, ALA. – The Department of Energy (DOE) today awarded Tuskegee University a $125,000 grant to support nuclear energy technology education and infrastructure. The University Partnership grant will be shared with the University of Cincinnati.

The five University Partnerships support more than 40 students at minority-serving institutions in pursuing nuclear engineering degrees at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in FY 2004. The University Partnership Program pairs minority institutions (either a Historically Black College/University (HBCU) or a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) with institutions offering a nuclear engineering degree to enable more minorities to earn a degree in engineering. Eleven schools involving five partnerships will receive $660,000 with one new partnership being awarded the latter part of FY 2004. The department will continue to expand its highly successful University Partnership Program to ensure that our new generation of nuclear engineers and scientists are diverse and able to meet the Nation’s requirements.

“This year’s grants continue an upward trend in support of education that has been a hallmark of this administration,” Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham said. “The investment we make today in the education of a new generation of nuclear engineers and scientists will pay tremendous dividends in the future of this country.”

This award is one of $22 million in awards to 37 universities nationwide to support the development of a new generation of technical specialists that will serve the Nation’s requirements in areas such as energy, medicine, scientific research, national defense, nonproliferation and environmental protection.

Additional information on this and other DOE nuclear science and engineering educational initiatives that are sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology is available at www.nuclear.gov.

Media contact:  Hope Williams, 202/586-5806

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