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Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station Receives $5.4 Million in Nuclear Energy Funding

Recently, the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station announced that it has received a total of $5.4 million in nuclear energy research funding to support multiple innovative projects aimed at advancing next-generation nuclear reactor technologies and advanced nuclear materials research and development. It is reported that the funding primarily comes from official agencies such as the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy. The research funding will focus on supporting the university's breakthrough research in frontier fields including accident-tolerant fuel (ATF), irradiation resistance testing of advanced reactor core structural materials, high-temperature heat transfer mechanisms, and safety monitoring and digital control of nuclear facilities. As one of the top...

2026-10-31

U.S. Department of Energy Approves Last Energy Microreactor Safety Analysis Report: Texas A&M University PWR-5 Demonstration Reactor Enters Final Pre-Operational Review

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has formally approved the Documented Safety Analysis (DSA) submitted by nuclear startup Last Energy for its proposed test microreactor at the Texas A&M-RELLIS campus (Texas A&M-RELLIS). This approval marks the official transition of the microreactor demonstration project into the Operational Readiness Review phase, which is also the final key regulatory step before obtaining authorization for initial criticality and formally commencing operation. The Documented Safety Analysis is the most central and detailed final safety assessment document in the U.S. Department of Energy's approval framework, following the Preliminary Safety Analysis Document approved in May 2026...

2026-10-12

Texas A&M University Develops Rio Red Grapefruit Through Radiation Mutagenesis, Now Accounting for About 75% of Texas Production

In 1984, researchers at Texas A&M University used radiation mutagenesis to develop the Rio Red grapefruit. Forty-two years later, this variety has become the dominant cultivar in Texas's grapefruit industry, accounting for approximately 75% of the state's total grapefruit production. The Rio Red grapefruit is distinguished by its vibrant pink flesh, as well as its greater cold tolerance and higher yields compared to other grapefruit varieties. These traits have facilitated its widespread adoption across Texas growing regions, gradually establishing it as a representative grapefruit variety in the local market. Grapefruit itself was not originally a product of artificial breeding. The earliest known grapefruit seedlings appeared in Barbados in the 18th century, resulting from a cross between the Jamaican sweet...

2026-08-22

Texas A&M University Leads Development of Novel Wound Treatment for New World Screwworm

On August 10, 2026, the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station is leading the development of fast-acting, low-residue wound treatments for livestock infected with New World screwworm. The project, funded at $1.86 million, is led by Dr. Mustafa E. S. Akbulut, Associate Professor in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University, with the goal of providing ranchers and veterinarians with immediately deployable field treatment tools after infection occurs in animals. New World screwworm is a parasite that feeds on living tissue. According to available data, the pest is currently spreading in Central America and Mexico, with over 150,000 animal infection cases reported. Recently, cases have also emerged in Texas and New Mexico. Federal models predict that a large-scale outbreak in Texas could result in livestock losses exceeding $1.8 billion. If left untreated, these pests can cause severe harm to livestock, companion animals, and wildlife.

2026-08-11