A Powerful Partnership
A new industry partnership has propelled ISU into the national conversation for advanced reactors.
One of the world’s most advanced nuclear reactors is set to be built on Idaho State University’s Pocatello campus, paving the way for Bengals to continue leading when it comes to nuclear energy.
In 2026, ISU made history as the first and, to date, only University in the United States selected for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Nuclear Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) Launch Pad USA program. Through a partnership with NuCube Energy, Inc., the University plans to site, design and commission a functional microreactor directly on campus.
“We are thrilled and deeply honored that the ISU Advanced Research and Test (ART) Reactor project has been accepted into the Nuclear Energy Launch Pad USA program,” said Dr. Cristian Rabiti, chief executive officer of NuCube Energy. “This acceptance provides strong third-party validation of our technology, our safety approach and our ability to deliver real-world nuclear solutions.”
For many people, the term “nuclear reactor” brings to mind massive, imposing cooling towers. But the future of energy can be much smaller. The proposed campus installation is a NuCube Energy microreactor that is the same design planned for commercial deployment. For ISU, the reactor will support University research, education and workforce development.
This system uses a specialized fuel made of tiny, coated particles that has been demonstrated to be highly- resistant to stresses from high temperatures and intense radiation levels. Heat produced by the reactor system is removed using a series of heat pipes, technology that is employed in everyday systems such as laptops and HVAC systems. This process requires no moving parts and does not utilize water as a coolant; this allows for more efficient heat removal and eliminates the need for water as part of the primary reactor system.
“By bringing this technology to a campus setting, ISU is proving that modern reactors can be safely operated and offer the potential to provide valuable resources to our communities,” said Dan LaBrier, associate professor of nuclear engineering at ISU and ART project lead. “By providing students with the experience needed for working in the modern energy landscape, we are training the next generation of scientists, engineers, technicians and researchers to power the Idaho of tomorrow.”
This project will serve as a hub for student learning, applied research and reactor operations. As the home of the only ABET-accredited nuclear engineering undergraduate program in the state, ISU is in a prime spot to help lead these national deployment efforts and prepare the workforce needed to support the country’s evolving energy infrastructure.