Built on DOE Fundamentals Handbooks
The same handbooks used in licensed operator training programs — structured into a three-semester high school program grounded in 45 years of nuclear operations experience.
Atomic structure, nuclides, radioactive decay, neutron physics, reactor theory, criticality, reactor kinetics, and reactor operations fundamentals.
DOE H-1019 Vol. 1 & 2Laws of thermodynamics, conduction, convection and radiation, fluid flow principles, steam systems, and reactor coolant system behavior.
DOE H-1012Mechanical science fundamentals, electrical theory, plant support systems, pumps, valves, instrumentation and control basics.
DOE H-1011 & H-1013All Three Courses Running Every Semester — Starting Fall 2027
NUCLEUS ramps up over three semesters. By Fall 2027, all three courses run every semester. Students may enter at any course, any semester — no prerequisites, no lock-step sequence required.
| Fall 2026 | Spring 2027 | Fall 2027 → | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NUCLEUS I — Nuclear Physics & Reactor Theory | I | I | I |
| NUCLEUS II — Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow | II | II | |
| NUCLEUS III — Nuclear Systems & Components | III | ||
| Courses running | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Starting Fall 2027, all three NUCLEUS courses are offered every semester. Students may enter at any course in any semester — no prerequisites, no lock-step sequence required.
NUCLEUS vs. ENEC Diploma in Nuclear Technology
The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation built a comparable workforce pipeline program for the Barakah plant in the UAE. The two programs identified the same gap — and solve it at different points in the pipeline.
| NUCLEUS — BWRx Studio (United States) | ENEC DNT — Nawah Energy (UAE) | |
|---|---|---|
| Mission | Build the U.S. nuclear workforce pipeline starting at the high school level — open to any student, anywhere in America | Develop UAE Nationals into local operators and maintenance technicians at the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant |
| Duration | 45 weeks across 3 semesters ★ | 24 months (96 weeks) continuous |
| Delivery | Online, instructor-led — any U.S. student with internet access ★ | In-person — ENEC headquarters Abu Dhabi + Barakah plant site only |
| Eligibility | Open enrollment — high school students (ages 16–18) and adult career changers, no nuclear background required ★ | UAE Nationals only · ages 18–25 · military service complete · IELTS 5.0 minimum |
| Credential | 3 Carnegie Units — Nuclear Engineering Technology, Thermodynamics & Heat Transfer, Nuclear Systems & Components. Official transcript + BWRx Studio Nuclear Foundations Certificate. | National Vocational Qualification — accredited by UAE Ministry of Education through the National Qualifications Centre |
| Cost | $750 per course · $2,250 all three courses | Government and employer funded — no cost to trainee |
| Employer tie | DOE curriculum-aligned — prepares students for any nuclear employer or higher education pathway. All doors stay open. | Feeds directly to Barakah plant hiring — graduates join Nawah as local operators or maintenance technicians |
| Pipeline stage | Pre-career awareness & foundation — student still in high school | Direct employment pipeline — post-graduation employment program |
| Scale | National — any U.S. student with internet access · new cohort every semester ★ | Limited to UAE Nationals entering Barakah operations — one plant, one country |
ENEC and BWRx Studio identified the same gap — high school graduates have no pathway into nuclear operations. ENEC built a terminal employment pipeline for one plant. NUCLEUS builds the foundation layer that feeds everything downstream — two-year tech programs, four-year universities, direct nuclear hire, military nuclear rates, and programs like ENEC's own DNT if the U.S. builds equivalents.
NUCLEUS is built on 45 years of nuclear operations experience — 35 at TVA Browns Ferry — and structured around the same DOE Fundamentals Handbooks used in licensed operator training. It is not a survey course. It is the first real nuclear physics curriculum designed specifically for American high school students, delivered online, available nationwide, starting August 10, 2026.
There’s no better place to do this kind of startup. If you could put a map of the U.S. up and see the concentration of nuclear talent anywhere in the country, Tennessee would be probably the best place to start.
Duane Olcsvary · Board Member, BWRx Studio · Head of Nuclear, Oppenheimer Energy · Former TVA and Westinghouse Manager