U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Funding Opportunity Announcement, Nuclear Education Curricula Development Grant, Fiscal Year 2010 | Apply Online

FAQs: FY 2010 NRC Nuclear Education Curricula Development Grant (HR-FN-1009-EDU4)

1) What is this grant opportunity?

This is the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Fiscal Year 2010 Nuclear Education Curricula Development Grant. It is a discretionary education grant focused on strengthening university-level education and training that supports the NRC's regulatory mission.

2) What is the main goal of the program?

The central purpose is curriculum development: creating or enhancing academic course content and educational infrastructure to help build and maintain a qualified workforce that can support safe nuclear energy initiatives and related technologies.

3) Is this program about research, or teaching and curriculum?

Based on the announcement, it is designed to expand instructional capacity and modernize learning materials rather than focusing on basic research alone.

4) What is the NRC, and why does it fund education grants?

The NRC is an independent federal agency created under the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974. It licenses and regulates the civilian use of nuclear materials (byproduct, source, and special nuclear material) to protect public health and safety, promote common defense and security, and protect the environment. The grant supports educational foundations that align with this regulatory mission.

5) What legal authority supports this grant program?

The program is rooted in authority provided by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which established the NRC Nuclear Education Grant Program to fund courses, studies, training, curricula, and related disciplines tied to nuclear safety, nuclear security, nuclear environmental protection, and other areas the Commission deems essential.

6) What kinds of topics are encouraged under Nuclear Engineering?

The announcement encourages curriculum development in areas including criticality safety courses for nuclear professionals, thermal hydraulics model development, reactor physics, nuclear power plant safety, nuclear power plant design and operations (including operating and emergency operating procedures), and fuel performance.

7) What kinds of topics are encouraged under Radiochemistry, Radiobiology, and Health Physics?

Supported topics include health physics modeling, dosimetry and measurements, environmental transport, dissolution and migration, decontamination and decommissioning, and courses covering reprocessing and recycle chemistry and technology.

8) What kinds of topics are encouraged under Materials and Mechanical Engineering?

Priorities include welding principles and nondestructive examination (NDE) technology, management of aging plants (components and systems), and material corrosion.

9) Are there other technical areas the NRC lists as supported?

Yes. The announcement also identifies Reliability and Risk Analysis; Electrical Engineering (power generation and distribution or electrical components, and digital instrumentation and control systems); Safeguards and Security (material control and accountability, vulnerability analysis); Human Factors and Human Reliability (human factors modeling and applied experimental psychology focused on human performance); and Fire Protection Engineering (fire modeling for fuel cycle facilities and nuclear power plants).

10) What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is HR-FN-1009-EDU4.

11) What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this program?

The assistance listing (CFDA) is 77.006 under the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Nuclear Education Grant Program.

12) How many awards did the NRC expect to make?

The NRC anticipated making about 50 awards.

13) What was the estimated total funding amount for this opportunity?

The estimated total funding amount was $4,700,000.

14) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching requirement is listed in the provided information, indicating applicants were not required to contribute a specified non-federal share as a condition of the award.

15) Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was limited to institutions of higher education, specifically private institutions of higher education and public or state-controlled institutions of higher education.

16) When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on October 16, 2009.

17) What was the application deadline?

The application deadline was February 1, 2010.

18) When was the announcement archived?

The announcement was archived on March 3, 2010.

19) What federal agency administered this grant opportunity?

The opportunity was administered by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

20) What funding activity category does this grant fall under?

The announcement identifies it as a discretionary grant opportunity in the education funding activity category.

21) Who was the contact person listed for questions or access issues?

The listed contact was Kathleen Shino, Senior Grants Specialist.

22) What phone number was provided for the listed contact?

The phone number provided was 301-492-3636.

23) What does "curriculum development" mean in the context of this grant?

In this announcement, curriculum development refers to creating or enhancing academic course content and educational infrastructure that strengthens university-level education and training aligned with nuclear safety, security, environmental protection, and other NRC mission-related areas.

24) What broader workforce need is this funding intended to address?

The NRC frames this as an investment in the educational foundation needed for the United States to build and maintain a pipeline of nuclear professionals and regulators capable of supporting safe nuclear energy initiatives.