France plainly accused Iran today of pursuing a nuclear program that can only be intended for military purposes, just two days after Iran said it had resumed enrichment for civilian purposes. As global tensions soar over nuclear development, the United States needs to focus on its own nuclear program, ensuring that it is as safe and productive as possible. At home, from threats abroad, worries of global warming, to increased gas prices, recent trends are bringing nuclear power to the energy forefront. And on campus, students are flocking back to nuclear engineering programs.

The public is gradually recognizing nuclear’s potential to mitigate global warming, and that shift has made an impact on students’ career choices. “Students are amazingly sensitive to the overall ethos and opinions of society,” says Ian Hutchinson, chair of the nuclear science and engineering department at MIT. “They’re the first to react.” He adds that the bursting of the Internet bubble in 2000 played a part as well. “Students realized that life is broader than computer science, and this was particularly important for people who had skills and interests in mathematically based sciences.” Read more about the latest trends in nuclear engineering in the U.S. in PRISM.

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