Why Does Organizational Culture Matter?

A thriving organizational culture is more than just a nice-to-have; it’s essential for the well-being of our team and the success of our department. We recognize that:

• A strong workplace culture positively impacts well-being, productivity, and retention.
• A positive culture fosters healthier, happier, and more productive individuals who are committed to staying and contributing to our shared goals.

NERS is committed to being more than just a leader in nuclear engineering; we aim to set the standard for excellence in organizational culture.

A Welcoming and Supportive Environment

As a department, we recognize that while we have many strengths, there is room for improvement. The issues we face are not unique to us; they reflect broader challenges within the field of nuclear engineering. Our primary goal is to create an environment that allows each member of the NERS community to reach their full potential.

Key areas we are focusing on include:

• Equally valuing the opinions of all members.
• Respecting personal boundaries.
• Fostering a sense of belonging for everyone.

While we are proud to be the #1 Nuclear Engineering Program, we acknowledge the importance of addressing our shortcomings. We will continually reestablish what “Best” looks like, ensuring we set the highest standard in both academic excellence and our department’s culture. We are committed to actively identifying and implementing strategies to improve, so we can continue leading the way in creating an inclusive and supportive environment.

Community Events for Academic Year 2024

To foster a stronger sense of community and collaboration within the department, we have planned two events for this academic year. These events are designed to encourage interaction and teamwork among faculty, staff, postdocs, and students.

Fall 2025: Challenge Program

• Event Type: Half-day team-building experience at U-M Adventure Leadership.
• Structure: Four sessions will be held; each participant signs up for one session.
• Participants: Mixed groups of faculty, staff, postdocs, and graduate students.
• Objective: To enhance teamwork, leadership skills, and build relationships across different roles within the department.

Winter 2025: Constituency Discussion Series

• Event Type: Discussion sessions.
• Structure: Eight 90-minute discussions will be held; each participant signs up for one session.
• Participants: Mixed groups of faculty, staff, postdocs, and graduate students.
• Objective: To engage in meaningful discussions on topics selected by NERS community members through the Challenge Program, fostering deeper connections and understanding within the department.

Participation 

• Our goal is 100% participation. 

New Working Groups

As part of our ongoing commitment to fostering a positive and productive environment, we are introducing several new working groups aimed at collectively deciding on our path forward. Participation in these groups is optional, so feel free to join the one that aligns with your interests and passions by contacting the group lead(s) or completing this form.

Working Groups

1. Updating the Values, Code of Conduct, and Transparency Statement in the NERS Strategic Plan
   • Leads: Diego Macias, Carolyn Kuranz
   • Focus: Revising and refreshing the core values, code of conduct, and transparency guidelines that are central to the NERS Strategic Plan.
2. Posted Content for NERS Spaces & SWAG Design
   • Lead: Caryanne Wilson, Sara Norman
   • Focus: Creating and curating content for NERS spaces, including designing department-branded swag that reflects our identity and values.
3. Research Program: Expectations for Success Document
   • Leads: Prabhjot Kaur, Carolyn Kuranz, Scott Baalrud
   • Focus: Developing a comprehensive document that outlines clear expectations for faculty and students to ensure the success within our research programs.
4. Procedure for Changing Research Advisors
   • Lead: Lumin Wang
   • Focus: Establishing a clear and supportive procedure for students who need to change research advisors.
5. Developing Culture and Mentoring Questions for Annual Reviews
   • Lead: Besnik Topulli
   • Focus: Creating questions that will be integrated into annual reviews to better assess and enhance our culture and mentoring practices.
6. Resetting Goals for Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy
   • Lead: Todd Allen
   • Focus: Revisiting and resetting the goals for our Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy initiative to ensure they remain impactful and aligned with current needs.
7. The Thing We Missed: Initiate Your Own Working Group
   • Open to All
   • Focus: If you have an idea that isn’t covered by the existing groups, you’re encouraged to launch your own working group. This is your opportunity to address something you feel passionate about that will benefit the department. Contact Todd (traumich@umich.edu) to discuss your group idea.

Leading by Example

Our challenge is clear: To not only maintain our position as a leader in nuclear engineering but to also lead by example in how we cultivate our department’s culture. We must continually earn our reputation through our actions, our commitment to each other, and our dedication to the field of nuclear engineering.

Let’s earn this together, every day.
—NERS Culture Committee

Todd Allen, traumich@umich.edu

Scott Baalrud, baalrud@umich.edu 

Shaun Clarke, clarkesd@umich.edu 

Prabhjot Kaur, kaurprab@umich.edu

Carolyn Kuranz, ckuranz@umich.edu 

Diego Macias, dmacias@umich.edu

Besnik Topulli, btopulli@umich.edu

Caryanne Wilson, caryanne@umich.edu

Y Z, yzyz@umich.edu