Erik Nygaard: 2025 Early Career Award recipient

BSNE ’09, MSNEEP ’11
Director of Product Development, Advanced Technologies Division, BWX Technologies

A nuclear engineer who leverages decades of experience to lead development of advanced nuclear reactor technology for military, commercial and space applications.

When Erik Nygaard joined BWX Technologies as a nuclear analyst after graduating with his master’s degree in 2011, the Virginia-based company was primarily focused on manufacturing nuclear reactors for the U.S. Navy.

“At that time, we were a pretty traditional manufacturing company and were excellent in manufacturing, but the company didn’t have the capability to initiate development activities for new nuclear technologies,” he says. “As I’ve progressed from being an entry-level engineer to being higher up in the company, I’m really proud of the role I’ve played in helping build the company’s chops at developing technologies and executing new projects. I’ve helped put many technical processes in place and, more importantly, hired a lot of phenomenally talented people.”

In fact, Nygaard’s leadership has helped the advanced technologies division at BWX Technologies grow from approximately 40 professionals to more than 400.

And, he’s leveraging decades of real-world experience the company has in deploying reactors to lead development of advanced nuclear reactor technologies for military, commercial and space applications.

He is heading the company’s product development efforts focused on commercial reactors as part of the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program and R&D technologies. He played an early, formative role in a first-of-a-kind effort to manufacture a transportable microreactor for Project Pele, a U.S. Department of Defense program that aims to deploy microreactors at U.S. military bases to enhance energy security.

“There’s a growing wave of interest in nuclear technologies, and I’m proud to have helped position the company for success in pushing new products forward that will benefit society,” he says.

How did your engineering education enable your success?

It was extremely important in giving me a strong foundation for my career in understanding and designing nuclear reactors. I was very fortunate to have the experience of being a licensed student operator at the UW Nuclear Reactor, which allowed me to gain very relevant and practical skills. While fellow students were reading about reactor physics in the classroom, I was learning reactor physics in front of a panel at a nuclear reactor. It was a foundational experience in my education and prepared me exceptionally well for my career.

What do you enjoy about your career?

I really enjoy the diversity of the projects I’ve been able to work on. In a leadership role, I’m responsible for multiple projects in different parts of the business, and I never have the same day twice. Some days, I’m solving problems in the contract space. And then other times I get to use my technical know-how to guide teams on where we should be going. I love the fact that my job affords me so many different experiences and ways to make an impact on a day-to-day and week-to-week basis.

Which do you prefer?

Fun on the Terrace or fun on Lake Mendota?
Out on the Terrace, easy.

Camp Randall, the Kohl Center, or the UW Field House?
One of the reasons I picked UW-Madison was to attend the football games, so I have to pick Camp Randall.

Sweet Caroline or Jump Around?
This question offends me. It’s totally Jump Around. Sweet Caroline doesn’t deserve to be in the conversation.

Bascom Hill or Observatory Hill?
I lived on the lakeshore, so I have to go with Observatory Hill.

State Street or Lakeshore path?
I’ll go with State Street—I had a lot of fun on State Street.

Flamingos or Badgers?
Definitely Badgers. Though I do have some flamingos in my front yard from past UW fundraisers.