Each year NC State holds its Homecoming Week in November. For the 2nd year the Nuclear Engineering Department welcomed alum from 1957, ’66, ’73, ’74, the 80s and 2000s into the department to hear from Dr. Kostadin Ivanov on the State of the Department, alum toured facilities and participated in a luncheon.
- Serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology Innovation in the Office of Nuclear Energy, US DOE.
- Spent over seven years of service as NE’s Acting Assistant Secretary, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, and Chief Operating Officer.
- Several senior NE management positions including Deputy Director for Technology, Associate Director for Advanced Nuclear Research, and Associate Director for Technology & International Cooperation.
- Over 30 years of management and engineering experience in both government and private industry.
- Holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nuclear Engineering and a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.
- He is also a licensed Professional Engineer.
- 2006 recipient of the Presidential Rank Award – recognized for his exceptional leadership, long-term accomplishments, and consistent demonstration of strength, integrity, industry, and commitment to excellence in public service.
- Holds a PhD in Nuclear Engineering from North Carolina State University; MS in Nuclear Engineering from The Ohio State University; BS in Materials Science & Engineering from Seoul National University.
- Quun Zee has spent his career at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) and is currently a Distinguished Research Fellow.
- Quun started by developing nodal diffusion code capabilities. He was then promoted to manager the group developing KAERI’s core simulator software products.
- Dr. Zee then moved up to manage a significant portion of the design of Korea’s SMR named SMART.
- Currently he is cruising towards retirement and involved in some form of instruction related to SMART.
- SMART is the only SMR that has been licensed (by Korean safety authority)
- He has served as a visiting faculty in the Nuclear Engineering Department at North Carolina State University.
- Chief Scientist for the U.S. Department of Energy innovation hub – Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL).
- In addition, Kropaczek is Duke Energy Endowed Professor of Nuclear Engineering at North Carolina State University. And he also holds a joint appointment with ORNL.
- Formerly President and CEO of Studsvik Scanpower, the nuclear software division of Studsvik AB.
- Kropaczek holds a BS degree in Engineering Science from New Jersey Institute of Technology and Master of Nuclear Engineering (MNE) and PhD degrees in Nuclear Engineering from NC State University.
- He has over 27 years of experience in the nuclear industry with areas of expertise that include: fuel cycle and plant optimization, computational reactor physics and thermal-hydraulics, and numerical algorithm development.
- Previous experience includes positions in research, product development, and management including 9 years with General Electric (GE) Global Nuclear Fuel; 12 years with Studsvik Scanpower; 3 years in Westinghouse Fuels.
- Dr. Kropaczek spent 3 years as a Research Assistant Professor at NC State working with students and R&D projects sponsored through the Electric Power Research Center.
Alumni then attended the State of NC State, given by Chancellor Randy Woodson, in the afternoon. And a few alumni watched the Homecoming Parade near the Bell Tower on Hillsborough Street.
