Introduction to Nuclear Engineering

Dr. Supathorn Phongikaroon is an Engineering Foundation Professor and Nuclear Engineering Program Director in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). He earned his PhD and BS degrees in chemical engineering and nuclear engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2001 and 1997, respectively. Prior to joining the VCU in January 2014, he held academic and research positions at the University of Idaho in Idaho Falls, ID; Idaho National Laboratory in Idaho Falls, ID; and Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC. During his research career, Dr. Phongikaroon established chemical and electrochemical separation of used nuclear fuel through pyroprocessing technology and extended his expertise toward reactor physics and material detection and accountability for safeguarding applications. His effort led to a strong establishment of Radiochemistry and Laser Spectroscopy Laboratories at VCU. His work has been published in over 50 papers in peer-reviewed journals and presented at over 100 international and national conferences and workshops. He has been able to maintain continuous diverse research support from international and national programs through the Department of Energy, national laboratories, and other universities. He has been Principal Investigator and Co-Principal Investigator for more than 20 external supported projects in total of over 3.17 million dollars of external awards since joining academia in 2007. He has taught more than 30 classes in nuclear, mechanical and chemical engineering-related topics for resident students and more than 10 classes for continuing (long distance ・video conference) education over the last 9 years.

1. Basic Units and the Atom. 2. Basic Modern Physics. 3. Atomic and Nuclear Models including Chart of Nuclides. 4. Nuclear Energetics I—Binding Energy and Separation Energy. 5. Nuclear Energetics II—Nuclear Reactions and Q-values. 6. Radioactivity and Radioactive Decay. 7. Binary Nuclear Reactions. 8. Radiation Interactions with Matter. 9. Neutrol Chain Reactions and Basic Nuclear Reactor Physics. 10. Nuclear Reactors, Power, and Fuel Cycles. 11. Radiation Doses and Hazards. Appendix I. Appendix II.