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 his life while working in his uncle’s TV shop in New Mexico. That early experience led to more than 21 years as a chief petty officer in the United States Navy, followed by nearly 24 years as a nuclear energy expert. Since 2000, Mr. Acosta has been a key player in nuclear energy at Palo Verde Generating Station. He joined Arizona Public Service (APS) 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. He developed a training program that has been completed by more than 200 engineers in the last 15 years. Mr. Acosta’s duties include training others how to operate a nuclear power plant and running scenarios in two Control Room simulators.
The success Mr. Acosta has achieved is built on a strong academic foundation. After joining the United States Navy, he continued his coursework and obtained 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 (CTE) in Industrial and Emerging Technologies from the Arizona Department of Education and certification as a Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) from the Palo Verde Generating Station. He has received a number of accolades for his accomplishments, including eight Navy Achievement Medals and a Commendation Medal for his Naval service and APS Living the Vision Awards in 2022 & 2023.
Beyond his career, Mr. Acosta is a devoted husband and father to his three children and niece. In his free time, he enjoys playing golf and road biking. Looking to the future in his new role with APS Community Outreach Project, he 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 mathematics (STEM).
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