The Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL), was announced by the US Department of Energy (DOE) on May 27, 2010. A partnership including universities, national laboratories, and industry representatives, CASL will use advanced computer models to explore innovations in nuclear plant engineering and design. The DOE will fund CASL at a level of approximately $122 million over five years – with the possibility of contract renewal for an additional five years. NC State expects to receive approximately $11 million in CASL funding over the next five years. In all, 11 NC State faculty will be working with CASL, including members of the Department of Nuclear Engineering, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Department of Mathematics. The CASL work will create opportunities for approximately 15 graduate students and five post-doctoral research associates.