CU student accepted to competitive Navy nuclear program
Devin Lindsey, left,泭and three泭other students chat with U.S. Navy Commander Robert Mac McFarlin during his visit to CU Engineering.泭
When Devin Lindsey came to 窪蹋勛圖 as an environmental engineering major three years ago, he didnt expect to be leaving as a nuclear reactor engineer for the U.S. Navy.
Lindsey, a junior from Littleton, Colorado, was recently accepted to the highly competitive program, or NUPOC for short. Hes the third approved candidate from the College of Engineering and Applied Science in the past two years.
NUPOC provides qualified students a direct pipeline into service as Navy officers, with salary and benefits for up to two-and-a-half years while theyre completing their degrees. After graduation, participants can serve at sea on nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers or on land as nuclear instructors and engineers.
While many who apply for the NUPOC program have been involved in ROTC, it was purely by chance that Lindsey learned about it.
Last year, he was helping to set up a tabling event for in the Engineering Center lobby. A team of Navy recruiters was vacating the table, and Lindsey ended up chatting with them and taking a flyer for NUPOC.
He said hes always been interested in nuclear power, and would often check out the latest news on particle physics or next-generation reactors. He also took a course on radiation when he studied abroad last semester in Singapore.
Its such a big idea, but theres so much bias around it, Lindsey said. As an environmental engineer, you can definitely see where it would have a place in future power grids.
After speaking with family friends whod served in the military and talking to his family about his grandfathers service, he decided to take the leap.
The application process was very rigorous, including lots of paperwork, technical interviews and a multi-day visit to Washington, D.C., for in-person interviews, but Lindsey said he actually ended up enjoying it.
It was the first real-world opportunity to put all of these things Ive learned to the test, he said.
After he graduates next spring, Lindsey will commission as an officer. Hell head back to D.C. for officer development training, reactor engineering school and tours of Navy nuclear facilities before taking his post at a Navy nuclear base. Hell serve for five years before getting the opportunity to either stay on in a civilian capacity or start a new adventure.
Its not what I came to college thinking I was going to do, but with nuclear theres so much left to learn about it, Lindsey said. Im really excited.泭