I was inspired by someone’s username and found this video. A video much like this one was one of the things that got me into studying physics to begin with over a decade ago.
The characteristic blue glow is caused by Cherenkov radiation, which is analogous to a sonic boom, but instead of a jet breaking the sound barrier, it’s charged particles moving faster than the phase velocity of light in a medium (normally water).
Pretty cool, I think.
Oh, that would be fun. I would have to be careful to maintain my anonymity or do it under an alt account though, since the field is fairly small.
Specifically I work in nuclear reactor materials R&D. I have worked on fuel, cladding, and structural materials for a variety of reactor concepts (existing LWR fleet and advanced reactors). I go from basic science on irradiation damage up to manufacturing processes and next-gen material development and deployment.
Sound interesting?
That sounds phenomenally interesting. In fact, it sounds a lot like what I had imagined myself doing with my education when I started my bachelor’s. So at least for me and my interests, I’d love to know more about what you do, as well as to hear about what your background is and how you found yourself where you are.
Of course it’s totally up to you whether or not you share, and if you do, to what extent. So don’t feel obligated to or anything. Also, I just created this community this morning and we have like, 10 subscribers at the moment, so I don’t know how interesting or rewarding it will be for you. Just know there’s at least one person here who wants to know more!
Well, fire away here at least, I don’t necessarily want to make a post about it but happy to chat!
I got my B.S. from a state engineering school in the USA and then went to a “Public Ivy” for my PhD. I started in materials after I realized it was actually a discipline. While in undergrad I worked in a metallurgy lab and had the great chance to do several internships at national labs, still working on metals. In grad school, I started in experimental work on semiconductors but switched to modeling and simulation of nuclear fuel cladding degradation, again, after I realized it was a discipline. I had a summer internship at another national lab during grad school and I became the first PhD in my family. I did two years of postdoc on novel superalloys that was joint lab/university. I then took a position at national lab #4, where I remain today. I have worked there for over five years. In that time I worked on modeling multiple fuel systems and helped stand up an initiative for nuclear materials, which was successfully combined with other small programs into a new national program, of which I am a senior leadership member. In that role I set technical directions for my area and support the entire program direction, lead technical work and supervise staff and postdocs, and serve as the materials contact at my lab for other programs and high-level visitors (developing collaborations with industry, governments, etc).
You have a pretty badass academic and professional history! I’m very intrigued.
I have a few questions for you:
- What was the subject of your PhD?
- When you say “modelling and simulation”, what are you referring to? what techniques are you applying? I ask because I am a chemical physicist at a small university with a very niche physics program, so my exposure to “modelling and simulation” is limited to molecular dynamics and some other techniques like DFT. I’d love to learn more about what other types of modelling techniques there are out there so I can gauge how well I might be able to pivot into another field with the knowledge that I have gained.
Your career path is basically what I’ve had in mind since I finished by bachelor’s. The idea has been to move into R&D or similar outside of academia, preferably in a leadership or management type role. I have a family member who was recently telling me about opportunities at national labs in the US, and it piqued my interest. I myself expatriated when I was young, but I might find myself back in the states sometime in the future. So being able to talk to you, now, is particularly relevant for me haha. Anyway, what has your experience been like in working for a national lab? I know that’s a broad question, but I have precisely zero background on what to expect should I pursue a similar path.
Thank you so much for taking the time to engage with us [read: me]. I do really appreciate it. And sorry for the wall of text!