Teacher follows own advice, pursues nuclear engineering career

By Joan Izzo and Sandy Frinton

Following the advice he once gave his high school students, Jordan Garroway is now re-tooling for a career in nuclear engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University.

The former teacher-turned-graduate student in the School of Engineering’s Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering is pursuing his master’s degree full time, with the assistance of a fellowship from the National Academy for Nuclear Training (NANT).

The catalyst for making the career change came from lecturing students at J.R. Tucker High School about the importance of pursuing your interests. Garroway taught AP physics at the Henrico County school for two years.  

“I often found myself telling my students, ‘If you’re truly interested in this material, you really ought to consider engineering,’” he said. “Though I enjoyed many aspects of teaching, I knew even as an undergraduate studying geophysics that my passion for math and science would be well suited for an engineering career.”

This realization led Garroway to first enroll part-time in the School of Engineering and then to apply for NANT’s Education Assistance Program to pursue full-time studies. The Richmond student was selected to be one of approximately 18 nuclear engineering students to receive the $25,000 fellowship for the 2013-2014 academic year.

The National Academy’s Educational Assistance Program supports students who are likely candidates for employment in the nuclear industry after graduation, and aims to strengthen and unify the efforts of United States nuclear utilities to improve the performance and professionalism of nuclear plant personnel.

“When I reviewed the grant, I knew Jordan would make a great candidate because of the strong contributions he will make to the nuclear energy industry,” said his adviser, Sama Bilbao y León, Ph.D., associate professor and director of Nuclear Engineering Programs in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering.

Garroway’s internship in the nuclear training department at Dominion Resources, Inc., also helped him win the fellowship award. As an intern, he immersed himself in the culture of the nuclear industry and is now excited to learn more about reactor design and risk analysis through his coursework at VCU.

After earning his master’s degree, Garroway hopes to secure a job as a design engineer and ultimately advance into a leadership position.

“The nuclear industry has been and remains vital to Virginia’s electricity generation,” he said. “I want to help promote the continued use of nuclear power as a clean and safe source of energy.”

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