Molinaroli College initiative will support nuclear research, advanced manufacturing and workforce development.
The University of South Carolina will establish a Nuclear Innovation Center through the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing, a major new initiative aimed at positioning South Carolina as a national leader in nuclear energy research, innovation, partnership, and workforce development. USC is seeking $100 million in state funding for the center as part of its FY28 budget request, with the state investment to be matched by private funding.
The center will be established as part of Molinaroli College's emerging Engineering District. Its work will focus on applied research, advanced construction and manufacturing methods, nuclear workforce development and the digital economy, with the goal of attracting innovation, investment, high-growth companies and corporate headquarters to South Carolina.
For Molinaroli College Dean Hossein Haj-Hariri, the proposal represents the next step in work the college has been building for several years.
“The Board's discussion and the university's public announcement of the proposed Nuclear Innovation Center represent a major milestone in those efforts and an important opportunity for our college, our university and our state,” Haj-Hariri said.
The center comes as South Carolina faces growing energy demands and renewed federal investment and private-sector leadership in nuclear energy. USC will work with private industry, federal agencies and the South Carolina Technical College System to create a state and national hub dedicated to workforce development for the next generation of nuclear energy, which is expected to be delivered within budget and on schedule.
South Carolina is uniquely positioned to lead the nation's nuclear renaissance.
- Hossein Haj-Hariri
Those partnerships are expected to expand the pipeline of engineers, operators, technicians, and specialized construction and service professionals. The workforce will enable and support technologies ranging from large-scale nuclear reactors to deployable small modular reactors and microreactors.
The initiative also has a broader economic development goal. By combining skilled talent with research and technology infrastructure, USC aims to strengthen South Carolina's ability to compete for nuclear and advanced-technology investment, and corporate headquarters to create high-paying jobs across the state.
The Nuclear Innovation Center builds on the Molinaroli College's work across energy, advanced manufacturing, workforce development, batteries, electric power systems. It also aligns with plans for the College’s Engineering District, which is intended to expand capacity for education, research, innovation and industry collaboration.
Haj-Hariri said South Carolina has an opportunity to take a leading role as the nuclear industry enters a new period of growth.
“South Carolina is uniquely positioned to lead the nation's nuclear renaissance,” Haj-Hariri said. “The proposed Nuclear Innovation Center will help USC play a central role in meeting that need while creating new opportunities for economic development, research, entrepreneurship, and talent development across the state.”
And the Nuclear Innovation Center may be only one piece of what comes next. Haj-Hariri said the college is developing additional partnerships with industry, government agencies, educational institutions and other stakeholders that could accelerate innovation and workforce development across the state.
“While this announcement is significant in its own right, I am even more excited about what lies ahead,” he said.