Surrey secures major role in three national programmes to train next generation of UK’s nuclear workforce

The nuclear sector is expanding rapidly as the country invests in new nuclear power stations such as Hinkley Point C, small modular reactors and the long-term management of nuclear materials. Meeting these ambitions will require a new generation of highly skilled workers, with expertise ranging from reactor design and materials research to radiation protection and nuclear security. 

Managed and funded by the UK Research and Innovation’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), with co-funding from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD), these Doctoral Focal Awards will help develop specialist nuclear skills, bringing together universities, national laboratories and industry partners to support the civil and defence nuclear sectors. 

Six programmes were selected across the UK, with the University of Surrey actively involved in three of them, each led by important partner universities: the Universities of Liverpool, Strathclyde and York, respectively. Together, the programmes cover nuclear engineering, nuclear physics and radiation protection, and nuclear materials and ageing. Surrey is expecting to take on more than 50 doctoral researchers across four cohorts starting in September 2026. 

Surrey’s participation spans three complementary Doctoral Focal Awards, each focusing on a different area of nuclear science and engineering. 

The STAND UP programme focuses on engineering challenges linked to nuclear engineering, decommissioning and materials ageing. Researchers at Surrey will investigate how materials behave and age in demanding conditions, including those found in nuclear systems, helping to improve the safety and longevity of critical technologies. 

The PLANET programme focuses on experimental nuclear science, nuclear data, and reaction modelling, supported by advanced computational approaches. Researchers at Surrey will contribute expertise in radiation detection, nuclear instrumentation, nuclear theory and AI-enabled data analysis – including quantum computing – to develop reliable, uncertainty-aware nuclear data and modelling tools that support energy systems, national security and a wide range of nuclear technologies.

The RAPTOR programme focuses on radiation protection and nuclear security. The programme builds on Surrey’s long-standing strengths in radiation physics and nuclear safety, including detector development carried out in the University’s recently refurbished Radiation Physics Laboratory. 

Surrey will work closely with national laboratories and industry partners, including AWE Nuclear Security Technologies and NPL (National Physical Laboratory). These collaborations will give doctoral researchers access to specialist facilities and industry-led research projects. 

The programmes will also equip graduates with the expertise needed to pursue careers across the nuclear sector, including roles in nuclear power stations, national laboratories and industrial research and development. 

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Notes to editors 

• Dr Esra Yuksel and Professor Paul Sellin are available for interview; please contact mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk to arrange. 
• Read the government's announcement
• Headshot images of the three Surrey academics are available here: Dr Esra Yuksel / Professor Mark Whiting / Professor Paul Sellin