Nuclear energy is an alternative energy source that only accounts for 20% of the United States electrical output each year. However, nuclear energy exhibits a much lower carbon foot print than traditional coal and gas options. In order to further improve and develop nuclear energy, it is essential to better understand the thermal conductivity of the nuclear fuel. Thermal conductivity measurements aid in the simulation design and testing of nuclear reactors. The materials within a nuclear reactor change due to irradiation, however it is important to understand how the material structure changes. Typically, thermal conductivity measurements are performed through post-irradiation examination. This limits our understanding of the material properties as phenomena can be disturbed and we only see the sample’s end state during the measurement. Therefore, it is necessary to develop in-situ thermal conductivity measurement methods. The second part of this study focuses on developing a one-dimensional, radial, transient temperature distribution model. The thermal needle probe measurement approach will be used for experimental validation of the theoretical 1-D model.