Hadley Bodell
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Idaho State University boasts many opportunities unique to its Pocatello campus, including its being the only university in the state with a Bachelor’s program for nuclear engineering. Now, those students will receive a secondary hands-on education through a new advanced research and test reactor located at the ISU Business and Research Park.
In April 2026, the Department of Energy selected ISU as the country’s first university for the Launch Pad USA program, allowing the university to expand its technological opportunities and partner with nuclear energy companies to build a second reactor. ISU’s first nuclear reactor has been critical since 1965 and makes Idaho State one of only 24 universities in the US with a reactor.
For the students, that experience in undergraduate and masters programs is invaluable.
“As a student, it gives me the incredible opportunity to be at the top of the field coming out of school,” said Sam Jeffries, an ISU engineering student. Jeffries already works as a lab manager and test engineer for NuCube Energy, the Idaho Falls-based company partnering with ISU on the project. Students like Jeffries are working at NuCube on the concept site development for the reactor.
The new microreactor will also be the first of its kind: a solid-state reactor. Jeffries explained that other reactors spin a turbine, but using technology similar to solar energy, there are no moving parts in the microreactor.
“Being a student, getting to work on the first of a kind reactor and becoming some of the world experts on the new technology, just gives an incredible opportunity,” he said.
Governor Little attended today’s event, stating Idaho has been “doing nuclear” for a long time, and the rest of the country and world are catching up. More important than advancing the technology on a campus so close to the headquarters of nuclear energy, INL, is the educational opportunity for students.
“We’re going to build the great minds and the skillset needed to deploy all over this country as the nuclear renaissance goes forward,” stated Gov. Little.
Idaho State University was selected for Launchpad USA for several reasons, including its proximity to the INL and the history of collaboration the two entities share. Jake Rymer, Technical Program Manager for the National Reactor Innovation Center Launchpad USA, stated the new project will take ISU’s opportunities from 50 watts to nearly four megawatts of thermal energy produced.
“That creates large scale heat pipe systems that you can now test,” Rymer said. “You can do a lot of research and development on an active reactor that’s got a much more dense neutron flux.”
Rymer explained that these energy assets can be integrated into other types of industry, mentioning the Simplot fertilizer plant just outside of Pocatello. Plants that use processed heat may be able to utilize a future nuclear reactor.
“There’s only so much you can teach in terms of reactor judgement and safety culture from textbooks,” said Dr. Todd Combs, Deputy Director of Idaho National Laboratory. “At some point, students need to lift their heads out of the textbooks and start really getting into the nuts and bolts of how to operate a reactor safely.”
The educational value for students spreads beyond nuclear engineering students. Rymer said students from electrical and mechanical engineering programs can utilize the new project, too.
“You’re going to have all kinds of systems in use here, even civil structural componenets that have to be assessed,” he said. “So it runs the gamut as far as capabilities go.”
Target criticality for this new reactor is the end of this decade, likely in 2029 or 2030. ISU and NuCube Energy are currently assessing a partnership agreement for ownership of the reactor. One day, Idaho State University may have full ownership of the one-of-a-kind microreactor.
Because of licensing constraints and the project’s purpose, the nuclear reactor’s power won’t actually be used on the power grid for Idahoans. The project is for exactly what its name implies– Advanced Research and Testing.
For Rymer, a long-time resident of the Pocatello area, getting this kind of development in town is a huge step forward.
“I love seeing something like this go on, reactors aren’t cheap, but having a research and test reactor opportunity for this university only helps it grow,” he said. “It develops the workforce, the students, and gives more opportunities to future generations.”
According to the Department of Energy, the nuclear energy sector projects a 5.7% increase in nuclear construction industry jobs for 2026. Jeffries said he hopes to continue building and testing his own nuclear projects post-graduation in eastern Idaho.
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Courtesy: Arizona Western College
Courtesy: Arizona Western College
(Top row left to right) Maxton Soviak, Kareem Nikoui, David Espinoza, Rylee McCollum, Jared Schmitz, Taylor Hoover, Nicole Gee (bottom row left to right) Ryan Knauss, Hunter Lopez, Johanny Rosario, Humberto Sanchez, Daegan Page, Dylan Merola
