Perspectives on US University research reactor policy

Abstract

Widely promoted by the Atomic Energy Commission in the 1950s and 1960s, university research reactors allowed faculty to experiment with neutron scattering, advancing our understanding of organic and inorganic materials. These advances led to innovations in commercial products, including automobiles, computers, medicine, and batteries. However, since the 1980s, more than half of all the university research reactors have been decommissioned and remaining reactors are ill-suited for modern needs. RTI International assembled a team of economists, neutron scientists, and policy analysts to examine the history of university research reactor policy in the USA, assess barriers to greater usage, and consider how US policy differs from those in other countries. We present three policy options to enhance the role of university research reactors in federal research and the national science infrastructure landscape.