Oklo funds $4.5 million Ohio State nuclear engineering major
Ohio State University will launch a new undergraduate nuclear engineering degree in fall 2027 with $4.5 million in funding from Oklo and university matching funds.
Oklo has committed $3 million to Ohio State University to fund a new undergraduate nuclear engineering degree, matching $1.5 million in university funds for a $4.5 million initiative. The investment directly addresses the urgent need for a skilled nuclear workforce to support manufacturing's energy demands and industry growth.
B. Shanker said: "Industry demand for nuclear engineers continues to grow, and Ohio State is expanding to meet that need."
Program launch timeline and scope
The new undergraduate major will launch in fall 2027 after accreditation, expanding nuclear engineering access beyond the current graduate-only program. Ohio State currently only offers graduate degrees in nuclear engineering. The launch is targeted for autumn 2027 following accreditation and approval by university trustees and state officials.
Facility upgrades and renaming
The $4.5 million will fund facility renovations, rename the nuclear reactor laboratory to the Oklo Nuclear Reactor Laboratory, and establish a new experiential learning lab. The west campus Nuclear Reactor Laboratory, which has supported teaching and research since 1961, will be renamed. The university will also create the Oklo Experiential Engineering Education Lab in Scott Laboratory for capstone projects, hands-on work, and simulation.
Scholarships and faculty support
The investment includes endowed scholarships named after key executives and an endowed professorship to support faculty recruitment and retention. The Oklo Endowed Professorship in Nuclear Engineering will aid in attracting and keeping faculty. Executive gifts will establish two scholarship funds: the Dr. John Hanson and Dr. Lindsey Pack Endowed Scholarship Fund and the Dr. Jacob DeWitte and Caroline Ann DeWitte Endowed Scholarship Fund in Nuclear Engineering.
John Hanson, Oklo's corporate chief of staff and power business lead, is an Ohio native and Ohio State alumnus. He linked the investment to Ohio's nuclear industry legacy. The broader package includes company support, gifts from Oklo executives, and university matching funds for scholarships.
Oklo achieved initial criticality at the Groves Isotope Test Reactor in Texas in August, less than a year after groundbreaking. The company had previously received federal approvals for the Groves reactor and its Aurora powerhouse at the Idaho National Laboratory.
National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons stated that manufacturing's future depends on reliable, affordable energy and a skilled workforce. The new major will expand access to nuclear engineering, supported by curriculum development, additional faculty, and modernized instructional space and equipment. Students will begin pursuing the new degree in fall 2027, expanding nuclear engineering access beyond the graduate level.
