Garnett S. Stokes, President - The University of New Mexico Board of Regents | University of New Mexico
Garnett S. Stokes, President - The University of New Mexico Board of Regents | University of New Mexico
A University of New Mexico Ph.D. student was among a select group of 18 students attending the Nuclear Engineering Student Delegation (NESD) in Washington, D.C., last month. Ethan Krammer, who is working on his dissertation under Dr. Christopher Perfetti and expects to complete it by 2026, participated in crafting policy recommendations and engaged with representatives from various government agencies and congressional offices.
"The Delegation offered a great perspective because there’s a lot of interactions between the Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, lobbying agencies, Congress, and the White House," Krammer said. "It’s interesting to see all of those entities work together and what specific stakeholders have to say in regards to nuclear policy."
Krammer expressed that this experience opened potential career paths for him in the future as many organizations seek individuals with technical backgrounds. He also noted that only about 20% of applicants were selected for this year's Delegation, highlighting its competitive nature.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity," he stated. "Sometimes when we are doing research or coursework, we get a little bit in the weeds of math and science, but at the end of the day, we have to understand why we’re doing this work."
During their time in Washington D.C., delegates met with several key organizations including the Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and others. Krammer also had discussions with congressional offices such as those of Senator Ben Ray Luján and Representative Melanie Stansbury.
Looking ahead, Krammer will serve as Chair for the 2025 American Nuclear Society Student Conference scheduled to take place in Albuquerque next April. The conference is expected to gather over 500 students and professionals from the nuclear sector.
Krammer acknowledged support from both UNM's Department of Nuclear Engineering and the Graduate and Professional Student Association for enabling his participation in NESD.
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