Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has received $161,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for a fellowship to support the research of a student pursuing a degree in nuclear energy and engineering at Rensselaer. The award is part of $5 million investment the DOE is making in scholarships and fellowships for students across the country through the Office of Nuclear Energy’s Integrated University Program.

The fellowship has been awarded to Camden Blake, who is pursuing his Ph.D. in nuclear engineering. Blake’s research centers on developing a fast, efficient method for modeling temperature in a nuclear reactor — a complex measurement that can range greatly. Blake will conduct his research with Wei Ji, an associate professor of mechanical, aerospace, and nuclear engineering at Rensselaer, and director of the Rensselaer Nuclear Engineering Advanced Modeling and Simulation Group.

Since 2009, DOE says that the Integrated University Program has awarded approximately $50 million for nearly 850 scholarships and fellowships around the country.