Was President Jimmy Carter really a trained nuclear engineer?
2 Answers
James Frysinger, Metric Consultant
Answered Jun 30
Originally Answered: Was President Jimmy Carter really a trained nuclear physicist?
What Jimmy Carter claimed to be was a “nuclear enginer in the Navy”, not a physicist. so here’s my answer to your corrected question, Milt.
NO!!!
Not even close.
Jimmy Carter served on diesel powered submarines and eventually became a student of the Navy’s six-month Nuclear Power School, a book-based course on the operation of nuclear reactors. While there he was released from the Navy due to hardship (death of his father).
Now compare that to my path through the nuclear submarine Navy. After commissioning I became a student of the Navy’s six-month Nuclear Power School. But I did not get releas...(more)
Actually he had a bit more Nuclear experience than you indicate and yes he served on Submarines. ...
Ed Thaxton
Ed Thaxton, Chief Technology Officer (Not IT)
Answered Jul 4
No, Jimmy Carter is unqualified to design any part of a reactor, and is not a nuclear engineer.
Nuclear engineering is a real baccalaureate program. Carter was an early entrant into the nuclear submarine program, after beginning his career on diesel-electric submarines. Carter started at Georgia Tech, and did eventually get go to the Naval Academy. He graduated with a bachelor of science degree, but not in engineering, and certainly not nuclear engineering, a degree still not offered by the US Naval Academy.
He trained to oversee the operation of nuclear reactors. This is a stringent qualification. Many fail. However, it is not meant to support the design of any part of a reactor or engineering system. This curriculum is to train a person to safely operate a nuclear reactor, even under casualties. The decisions are relatively rote. Critical thinking and analysis are frowned upon.
Engineers design. They think. Good ones are artistic. None of this comes from being a reactor operator, but some reactor operators (enlisted and the “in charge” officers) are creative, just like many other non-creative jobs.
Jimmy Carter is completely unqualified to design any part of a reactor, and is not a nuclear engineer.