A major £9m initiative is being launched to train at least 80 industry-ready nuclear scientists, serving as a key part of a national drive to quadruple the number of nuclear specialists in the UK.

The Physics-Led Applications for Nuclear Engineering & Technology programme (PLANET) – a Doctoral Focal Award by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and match-funded by industry – will equip students and researchers to work in fields vital to national security, clean energy and healthcare. The York-led Centre is part of a £65.6M government investment in six new centres across the country, which will train a total of 500 highly-skilled workers by 2034. 

In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, the partnership consists of three world-class Nuclear Physics research groups at the Universities of York, Surrey and Edinburgh and two premier Nuclear Engineering groups at the Universities of Cambridge and Lancaster. This unique alliance is designed to close the historical gap between fundamental science and real-world energy solutions.

Recruitment for Physics-led applications for nuclear technology (PLANET) is now open, with the first researchers joining for the 2026/27 academic year.