Title: 1) Nuclear Professional; 2) Chief Petty Officer (Retired)
Company: 1) Arizona Public Service; 2) United States Navy
Location: Goodyear, Arizona, United States
Ben Acosta, nuclear professional at Arizona Public Service and retired chief petty officer in the United States Navy, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Scientists for dedication, achievements, and leadership in nuclear energy.
Mr. Acosta discovered his passion for technical tasks early in life while working on a small farm in New Mexico for his uncle, an electrical engineer. That early experience led to more than 20 years as a chief petty officer in the United States Navy, followed by nearly 25 years as a nuclear energy expert. Since 2000, Mr. Acosta has been a key player in nuclear energy for Arizona Public Service. He joined the company as a nuclear auxiliary operator before being promoted first to a nuclear engineering instructor, and then to his current positions of senior nuclear instructor and licensed operator in continuing training. Mr. Acosta’s duties include training others how to operate nuclear machinery and running one of Arizona Public Service’s two simulators. He developed a training program that has been completed by more than 200 engineers in the last 10 years.
The success Mr. Acosta has achieved is built on a strong academic foundation. After joining the United States Navy, he completed coursework toward a Bachelor of Science in engineering at The University of New Mexico. Near the end of his military service, Mr. Acosta returned to school, obtaining an Associate of Arts from Columbia College in 1994. Subsequently, he earned a Bachelor of Science in nuclear energy engineering technology from Thomas Edison State University in 2013. Committed to continued learning, Mr. Acosta has attained technical certification in industrial and emerging technologies from the Arizona Department of Education and certification as a senior reactor operator from the Palo Verde Generating Station. He has received a number of accolades for his accomplishments, including eight Achievement Medals and a Commendation Medal for his Navy service and the Living the Vision Award from Lee Baker in 2022.
Beyond his career, Mr. Acosta is a devoted husband and father to three children. In his free time, he enjoys playing baseball and golf, biking and farming. Looking to the future, Mr. Acosta is beginning to plan for his retirement but still hopes to achieve some professional goals before reaching that point. He also plans to do more speaking and mentoring with high school and college students in hopes of inspiring the next generation to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math.
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