Four NEEP students awarded American Nuclear Society Scholarships

Four students in the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics have been awarded 2026-2027 American Nuclear Society (ANS) Scholarships. Each year, ANS awards over $250,000 in scholarships to support undergraduate and graduate students in nuclear science and technology fields.

Zachary Petersen

Operations and Power Division Scholarship

Zachary Petersen is a senior majoring in Nuclear Engineering, Physics, and Astronomy-Physics. He is also a member of the Evident laboratory, led by Assistant Professor Sébastien Philippe. The group aims to create a nuclear war simulator that provides a comprehensive view of the devastation that occurs from realistic war scenarios. 

For his part, Petersen models the effects of high-altitude nuclear explosions including satellite destruction, electromagnetic pulses that can disrupt electrical infrastructure, and the production of artificial radiation belts. 

“I would like to thank Professor Philippe for opening me to a world of fascinating research and for his relentless pursuit to make the world a better place,” says Petersen. “I would also like to thank Professor Paul Wilson for his time, advice, and encouragement throughout my undergraduate career.”

After graduation, he plans to pursue a PhD in nuclear engineering with the goal of enhancing global security. 

Katarina Dries

John R. Lamarsh Memorial Scholarship

Katarina Dries is a senior studying Nuclear Engineering. She works in the University of Wisconsin Ion Beam Laboratory under the direction of Assistant Professor Charles Hirst. Through her research at UW–Madison and industry experience at TerraPower, Dries solidified her interest in utilizing advanced characterization and post-irradiation examination to improve fuel performance predictions and support the safe deployment of advanced reactors. 

An active member of the UW–Madison chapter of the American Nuclear Society, Dries was recently elected President after serving as the External Vice President and K-12 Outreach Chair in previous years. In her leadership roles, she has supported outreach efforts, professional engagement, and community-building activities.

This summer, Dries will continue her technical and professional development in the Hot Fuel Examination Facility at Idaho National Laboratory where she hopes to continue exploring disciplines within the nuclear field. After graduating, she plans to pursue graduate study and build a career advancing the safe deployment of nuclear systems and strengthening the future of nuclear energy. 

“This scholarship is incredibly meaningful to me because it recognizes both my academic and research efforts as I continue pursuing a career in nuclear engineering,” says Dries. “It will help support my education and allow me to focus more deeply on research, professional development, and opportunities like my upcoming internship at Idaho National Laboratory. More importantly, it reinforces my commitment to contributing to the future of advanced nuclear energy.”

Dries recognizes the many mentors that have helped shape her path including Rob Schreadly, her high school calculus teacher who initially sparked her interest in the field; Tracy Radel, a NEEP alumna and her first female mentor who helped welcome her into the field, and NEEP professors who have guided her professional and academic development including Paul Wilson, Charles Hirst, and Kumar Sridharan.

Cole Dunbar

ANS Graduate Scholarship

Cole Dunbar is a graduate student in the Heat Transfer and Safety Analysis Laboratory led by Associate Professor Juliana Pacheco Duarte. With particular interest in two-phase flow and heat transfer, his current research focuses on generating experimental data for post-critical heat flux heat transfer to support alternative licensing for nuclear reactors by reducing the margins of uncertainty at the upper bounds of reactor performance.

“I would like to thank Hwasung Yeom and Juliana Pacheco Duarte for seeing potential inside of me and recruiting me to pursue graduate degrees on research projects that excite and engage me,” he says. 

After graduating, he plans to gain experience at a national laboratory before pursuing academic faculty positions. 

Nuvin Bazid

Washington DC Local Section George P. Shultz
and James W. Behrens Graduate Scholarship

Nuvin Bazid is a graduate student in the Evident lab led by Assistant Professor Sébastien Philippe. Her research focuses on exploring the use of autonomous systems for safeguards and environmental surveillance. In the future, she hopes to become involved in nuclear policy development and conduct research that aligns with global nonproliferation efforts. 

“I would like to thank Dr. Lane Carasik for being such a guiding role model in the ANS community and VCU student chapter,” says Bazid.  

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