WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue announced Monday (Oct. 19) that nuclear energy expert Seungjin Kim has been appointed chief nuclear officer to lead the university’s research and workforce development efforts in support of state and national needs.
The appointment was announced during the Global Nuclear Energy Economic Summit in Indianapolis, where industry and government leaders convened to accelerate nuclear power development and drive innovation, workforce development, and economic growth across Indiana.
Kim is currently the Capt. James F. McCarthy, Jr. and Cheryl E. McCarthy Head of the School of Nuclear Engineering and director of Purdue University Reactor Number One (PUR-1), the first nuclear reactor in the nation to be fully controlled and operated digitally.
In his newly established role, Kim will strategically guide Purdue’s nuclear portfolio and activities, including engagements with industry and national laboratories. He will also oversee Purdue’s research efforts in several areas, including demonstrating an advanced reactor in an operational environment, advancing nuclear manufacturing and developing digital twin technology, along with preparing the next generation of nuclear engineers.
“Purdue could not be more fortunate than to have Dr. Kim as our first chief nuclear officer,” said Mark Lundstrom, the John A. Edwardson Dean of the College of Engineering. “An internationally recognized nuclear expert, he has the strategic leadership and research prowess to direct Purdue’s work with partners to advance technologies that both meet the nation’s rapidly growing energy needs and support Indiana’s drive for affordable, stable, and reliable energy from a diverse and balanced mix of sources.”
At Purdue for more than three decades, Kim is a recognized authority in reactor thermal hydraulics, reactor safety and two-phase flow. He served on the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization and chairs the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency’s Global Forum on Nuclear Education, Science, Technology and Policy, and has advised the U.S. Department of Energy on its Nuclear Energy Advisory Committee. He also led the study sponsored by the Indiana Office of Energy Development investigating the potential impact of small modular reactor (SMR) technology on the state.
In addition to delivering key innovations in nuclear technology, Purdue is training future nuclear engineers through undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as the nation’s first online professional credential program in SMRs. This nuclear workforce will be instrumental in meeting the nation’s burgeoning energy needs.
“We stand at a historic crossroads in technology development and energy transition,” Kim said. “With enormous global demand for energy resilience, economic competitiveness and industrial security, I look forward to continuing our critical work that Purdue — together with our partners — is doing to develop meaningful and life-enhancing solutions.”
For more information, including training opportunities, visit Purdue Nuclear Engineering.
