Co-op at nuclear energy lab exceeds UC student's expectations

Third-year University of Cincinnati electrical engineering student Sean Kane hit all three items on his cooperative education wish list when he accepted an offer to work at the Idaho National Laboratory in Spring 2017.

The Cleveland native was placed in the Material and Fuels Complex (MFC) at INL, a site that fulfilled his top three co-op goals:

• Research in alternative energy.
• Experience at a research-first facility.
  
• Travel to a new locale.

Eager to explore how his electrical engineering studies could apply to nuclear research, Kane was energized by the lab’s collaborative culture. He most enjoyed meeting different researchers and learning practical applications of their specific areas of expertise.

“You ask a question and then you have three more. It never ends, but it was a great learning experience,” Kane explained.

Kane was assigned to the facilities branch of the MFC, where engineers manage power resources and ensure that all research equipment functions optimally. His duties included creating power distribution models and testing equipment for safety and performance.

Work at the U.S. Department of Energy’s leading center for nuclear research and development demands intense focus. But INL’s rigorous requirements and intentionally remote location did not limit Kane. INL’s four-day work week allowed him to use long weekends to visit stunning resorts like Jackson Hole, Big Sky and Grand Targhee, where he learned to snowboard and ski.