Undergraduate Q&A: Teresa Salazar

Teresa Salazar, a junior from Los Lunas, New Mexico double majoring in nuclear engineering and physics, shares her experiences in the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics (NEEP) at UW–Madison. 

How did you decide you wanted to study nuclear engineering at UW–Madison?

I first learned about nuclear engineering from a mentor that I had during my senior year of high school. He was a nuclear engineer that graduated from UW, and he talked to me a lot about nuclear engineering and its potential. I hadn’t known much at the time, other than that nuclear reactors existed. 

When I applied to UW, I was considering both chemical engineering and nuclear engineering. After I was accepted, I got a letter inviting me to tour the school through the BECOME Visit Program (a personalized, multi-day campus experience for a select group of admitted engineering students). That weekend, Paul Wilson (NEEP Department Chair) showed us Pegasus and the nuclear reactor which opened my eyes to what is out there—it’s not science fiction anymore. I also really liked the culture here, especially in the nuclear engineering department.

How would you describe the culture in your major?

It’s very close-knit and supportive. What I noticed is that the professors—even Professor Wilson, the head of the department—really care about each student. We’re not faces in the crowd. I came from a small high school where everyone knew everyone, so coming here, I felt like I could get the experience of a large university and the opportunities it offers while also having a close community. 

I’ve been financially independent since I was 18, and my family is all in New Mexico, which has been a big learning curve, but it’s helped having a good support group in the department and many friends within my same major. Everyone really helps each other, and everyone knows each other, which is really nice. It’s not like you’re one person in a 400-student class. 

What are some specific experiences that helped you build community?

One of the big things was the pizza party (hosted at the beginning of every year for incoming freshmen). We don’t officially get to know who is in the nuclear engineering program until the spring semester intro course and modern physics, so it was nice to meet people there and start seeing those familiar faces around campus. 

I’m also part of our American Nuclear Society (ANS) chapter, and I’ve really enjoyed it. I got involved my freshman year, and now I’m on the executive board for that as the treasurer. I’ve especially enjoyed the picnic we do every semester (known as “PicNuke”) and all the different ANS social events. It’s one of the things that really helps build community within the broader NEEP department. 

There’s also a lot of potential to meet professors, like at Mickey’s (a local diner where NEEP faculty, students, and staff meet for breakfast every Friday morning). Compared to other majors, you actually get to meet your professors and know them on a more personal basis. 

What has been your favorite course that you’ve taken so far?

One of my top favorite courses was NE 231 (Introduction to Nuclear Engineering) because of the project we got to do at the end. We designed a Cherenkov radiation device to measure the power output of the reactor and operated it while the reactor was running. It was cool to actually see the pulses and the blue glow. 

I also liked NE 305 because we deal with the quantum mechanics of particle engineering. I like how it was structured so you learn quantum mechanics first and then the applications. It wasn’t like other modern physics classes I’ve taken where they never explain how you actually use it or why you need to know it. It makes more sense when you learn it in the context of the application and solving problems. 

What have been some of the highlights of your college experience so far, personally, academically, or professionally?

One of the big highlights was the Engineers’ Day Banquet this past November. They picked several STAR Scholars to introduce some of the awardees. That was an awesome experience because we got to meet leading figures from all types of industries that all graduated from here and communicate with them in a more professional setting.

Also, through ANS, we have student conferences every year. Those are really fun because you get to interact with students from other universities. The main benefit to these conferences is you get to attend talks by leading professionals in the field of nuclear engineering. There are also a variety of tours of local companies, powerplants, and historical sights. Last year, the conference was held at the University of New Mexico and we visited Trinity Sight. It was awesome to see the location of the first nuclear weapons test. There is still Trinitite on the sand around where the Trinity nuclear bomb test went off! 

I’m also currently a year-round research and development intern at Sandia National Laboratory doing pulse power research. They have a machine called the Z Machine which is the strongest x-ray machine in the world. They use it for a wide range of applications like trying to simulate fusion to see how materials will react under high pressures and temperatures in extreme environments.

What are your aspirations for after graduation?

I want to apply to grad school at UW because I really like learning, and I want to be constantly learning. Plus, I like the different opportunities that grad school provides. I’ll apply to both nuclear engineering and medical physics, because we have the best program for medical physics in the world here. If I go the medical physics route, the end goal would be to become a therapeutic medical physicist. I would be working in the hospitals helping patients with cancer. What I really want is to have patient interaction. I like desk jobs, but I’m much more of a hands-on person. But I may still go the industry route after grad school, in which case I would eventually want to start my own business in the nuclear field.

What kind of business would you start?

It depends on what’s up and coming!

How is your education or how are your experiences in NEEP preparing you for your future?

For sure the classes along with the research. We have some of the best nuclear materials research and we also have some of the best fusion research here. It also helps that we have a reactor, so we can actually use it for research. I really enjoyed the nuclear engineering intro course because you get to use the reactor. Few other universities have the variety we have—it’s very unique and one of the big reasons why I decided to come here. We have a lot of options and opportunities for research. I’m at a place where I can go many different routes and still be getting the best education the world has to offer. 

How has your perception of nuclear engineering changed, if at all, during your time here?

I would say that I’ve noticed how far along nuclear engineering really is. I knew that there were a few power reactors around the country and that the Navy has some smaller ones on subs, but that was the extent of it. Coming here, I’ve learned that so much of the world’s power comes from nuclear technologies. There’s also nuclear medicine, radioisotopes, and so many more applications than most people realize. I’ve come to realize that nuclear power is key for our future, especially when it comes to sustainable energy and medicine. It’s just really cool, and it’s really big, way bigger than I think most people realize.

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