NERS News
Department News
NERS hosts William D. Magwood and Jeff Harper
Magwood gave a talk on the future of nuclear energy and also joined our NEDHO Diversity Panel with Harper.
Meet the professors with dry appointments at NERS
Mark Kushner, Rebecca K. Lindsey, Martha Matuszak, and Louise Willingale offer substainial expertise in plasma science, chemical physics, radiation oncology, and intense laser-plasma interactions.
John Lee teaches course at Seoul National University
NERS Professor Emeritus John Lee taught a course in nuclear fuel cycle at his alma mater.
Mackenzie Warwick shines at the NEA Global Forum Rising Stars Workshop
The NERS PhD student presented her research into testing creep behavior with ion irradiation.
Carolyn Kuranz honored with the Faculty Achievement Award
This esteemed recognition acknowledges Kuranz's exceptional contributions to research, teaching, mentorship, and service.
Exploring Cutting-Edge Research and Emerging Technologies in the World of Gaseous Electronics and Plasma Physics
Highlights from the 76th Gaseous Electronics Conference (GEC) 2023 hosted by the University of Michigan.
Todd Allen will support Midwest hydrogen hub
The Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen will produce hydrogen by using nuclear energy.
Exploring the World and Expanding Horizons
Jeanie Qi's Study Abroad Journey and Engineering Physics Pursuit
NERS to Support NSF-Funded EP-OPAL Laser Facility
Prof. Igor Jovanovic will collaborate with the University of Rochester to create a shielding design for managing the intense radiation produced by the EP-OPAL facility.
Hidden variables and neural networks for complex plasma physics
Research by Archis Joglekar and Alexander Thomas published in Machine Learning: Science and Technology.
Michigan Engineering honors NERS alumnus Eric Esarey with Department Merit Award
Esarey is the Director of the Berkeley Lab Laser Accelerator Center at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
NERS collaborates with INL and industry partners to advance innovative heat exchanger technology for harsh environments
Professor Stephen Raiman will head the research efforts for NERS in the DOE-funded project.
$1.2 million for laser target research laboratory
The Michigan Target Research and Fabrication Laboratory will design targets and a soft robot for high-intensity laser experiments.
Rebecca Lindsey receives Young Investigator Award
The award is presented by the Computational Molecular Science and Engineering Forum (CoMSEF) of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
Stephen Raiman given NRC Distinguished Faculty Development Award
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission award will support a new junior faculty member.
NERS celebrates 65 years
From pioneering beginnings to cutting-edge laboratories, groundbreaking research endeavors, and sustainable energy innovations in nuclear engineering and radiological sciences.
PhD student Peter Hotvedt co-authored paper published in Frontiers in Physiology
The paper examines the intricacies of asthma and its impact on lung ventilation.
Y.Y. Lau co-authors IEEE TPS Best Paper
The paper solves the longstanding issue of nonuniform cathode emission that has existed for decades.
IAEA using tech developed by NERS professor and alum
The technology will be used for the verification of un-irradiated nuclear material.
Kevin Field and Stephen Raiman named new directors of NERS materials labs
The founder and original director of the three labs, Gary Was, stepped down on July 1.
$7.5M to advance nuclear energy awarded to U-M
The Department of Energy will support research into faster reactor licensing, just energy transitions, and more.
NERS presents Decommissioning Workshop with Tohoku University
The workshop is focused on sharing decommissioning experiences between Japan and the United States.
Majdi Radaideh wins DOE Distinguished Early Career Award
RAD’s research seeks to develop new algorithms for optimizing and controlling advanced nuclear reactors.
NERS faculty receive $6.5M in DOE funding awards
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is awarding $56 million in funding for 68 nuclear energy projects The U-M Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences (NERS) has received $6.5 million in funding to lead five projects to advance nuclear technology. Grand Challenge to Accelerated Deployment of Advanced Reactors – A Predictive Pathway for Rapid…
NERS Students Geneve Magnan, Julia Marshall, Roxanne Walker, and Isabella Wood win ANS Scholarships
American Nuclear Society scholarship recipients are chosen for their academic, service, and leadership excellence.
Annalisa Manera named ANS Fellow
Manera was recognized for her research demonstrating exceptional and sustained contributions to the thermal hydraulics field.
NERS graduate students awarded UNLP Fellowships
Brian Carpman, Justin Hamil, and Rowan Marchie received University Nuclear Leadership Program fellowships from the U.S. Department of Energy.
Photos: Ron Gilgenbach and Y.Y. Lau Retirement Party
Today, a combination reunion of the Michigan Plasma Lab and a retirement party for Profs. Ron Gilgenbach and Y.Y. Lau was held in Santa Fe, NM.
Aditi Verma featured in National Academies article on tackling inequities in emerging technologies webinar
The article, Tackling Inequities in Emerging Technologies, describes the webinar's design to foster discussions across disciplines about the challenges to equity and the need to ensure community involvement in the face of new processes, technologies and strategies.
NERS students win a Best Presentation Award at ANS Student Conference
Their paper is titled "pyMAISE: A Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Benchmarking Software for Nuclear Reactor Applications".
Unbreakable bonds
The properties of PFAS are so great that we have used these chemicals widely—so widely that now they contaminate our water, our air, our land and our bodies. What can we do about it? Engineers have some ideas, although it’s not going to be easy.
NERS Alum Andrea Kritcher is on the 2023 TIME100 List
Andrea Kritcher has been named to TIME100, a list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2022.
Kathryn Huff, US Department Of Energy Assistant Secretary, visits April 7
A national leader in nuclear energy speaks with students as part of the Osborn Lecture Series.
NERS alum Dr. James Baciak and NERS professor Dr. Igor Jovanovic are among the founders of the new Consortium for Nuclear Forensics sponsored by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
The five-year, $25 million research award is one of the largest federal research grants ever received by the University of Florida.
NERS Student O Hwang Kwon talks about the possible successors of fossil fuels at the 2023 Rackham King Talks
In his talk, “Which Would Be the Successor of Fossil Fuels—Renewables or Nuclear?”, O Hwang Kwon aims to convey the message of the urgent need for action as he firmly believes that by working together as a team, the world can successfully overcome the challenge of climate change.
NERS Professor Atzmon retires after 35 years with the department
His research was primarily focused on phase transformations and the mechanical behavior of amorphous and nanocrystalline metal alloys.
Case Study: Conjugate Heat Transfer Simulation for a Fuel Element of an Experimental Nuclear Reactor
NERS researchers Professor Brendan Kochunas and Dr. Yuxuan Liu have created a free online learning resource for those wanting to learn how to do engineering analysis for a nuclear reactor fuel element with ANSYS.
NERS students win a student-led competition, acquire seed funding to develop proposal for pulsed-power and nuclear fusion facility
The work of Akash Shah and Brendan Sporer will support pulsed-power-driven fusion research, fusion-enabling technologies, and fundamental science pursuits.
Young Carla
A Prequel to “A Step-by-Step Guide to Nuclear Innovation Policy.”
New Conceptual Molten Salt Nuclear Reactor Simulation and Design
NERS Master's student O Hwang Kwon’s research relating to the feasibility of a new conceptual molten salt reactor is aimed at improving safety and efficiency.
Imaging of gamma rays and fast neutrons using a dual-particle imaging system
NERS Ph.D. student Ricardo Lopez’s research using the dual-particle imaging system developed at U-M to help in localizing the source of emission of majority of radioactive materials.
NERS Professor Brendan Kochunas honored with faculty development professorship
The Charles and Elizabeth Schrock Faculty Development Professorship is awarded in recognition of outstanding contributions to teaching and research.
Use of ultrashort-pulsed lasers to excite fluorescence of chlorophyll in plants as an optical biosensor for nuclear activity
Recent NERS Ph.D. graduate Lauren Finney’s research on remote detection of a signature for uranium exposure in algae published in Scientific Reports.
Smaller, Robust Heat Exchangers
Funded with $4 million from the US Department of Energy's Integrated Research Projects program, the U-M Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences is leading a project focused on compact heat exchangers.
Land use matters as communities cut carbon emissions
Communities will have varied tolerances for the acreage occupied by renewables. A new study quantifies the land needed for different options.
First light at the most powerful laser in the US
The ZEUS laser at the University of Michigan has begun its commissioning experiments
Majdi Radaideh, Stephen Raiman, and Yang Zhang join NERS faculty
The new additions to the department point to a positive future and offer a breadth of educational and research experience.
New display honors George Summerfield’s legacy
The late NERS professor is remembered for his contributions to neutron transport theory and warm humor.
Q&A with River Bennett
An interest in clean energy brought River to the graduate programs at NERS and ISD.
U-M students given DOE Innovations in Nuclear Technology R&D Awards
The award program strives to facilitate innovation and the creation of new ideas in nuclear-technology-relevant disciplines.
New partnership between U-M/ZEUS and ELI-Beamlines will study antimatter creation with lasers
The National Science Foundation award will support a collaboration between U-M, the ELI Beamlines facility, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Lauren Finney supported Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory experiments
Lauren participated in research testing the effects of oxygen on uranium speciation during a summer internship.
Brendan Kochunas wins DOE Distinguished Early Career Award
Kochunas’ research seeks to advance our understanding of the digital twins’ concept for nuclear engineering applications.
Sara Pozzi appointed University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor
Pozzi was one of six university faculty members to be recognized for outstanding contributions to excellence through their commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Three NERS grad students awarded INL fellowships
Marisol Garrouste, So-Bin Cho, and River Bennett were selected for their remarkable talent in research areas aligned with the goals of INL in collaboration with DOE.
Tingshiuan Wu given Best Student Poster Presentation Award at MARC XII Conference
The NERS PhD student gave a poster presentation on “Fast neutron directionality from position-sensitive recoil and capture reconstruction using Bayesian updating.”
$5.1M to advance nuclear energy awarded to U-M
The Department of Energy will support research into better heat exchangers as well as improved predictions for neutron physics and radiation damage.
NERS faculty receive $5.1M in DOE funding awards
The awards will support our research in compact heat exchangers, SPn transport in advanced reactors, and irradiation creep mechanisms.
MTV hosts University Program Review
The annual review provides a venue for students and collaborating scientists to showcase their research and allow programmatic oversight and technical interchange between student researchers, National Laboratories, and government research managers.
NERS alumni Steven Brown and David Goodman developing quantitative gamma imager
The imager will resolve the location and shape of nuclear materials for more accurate mass quantification.
Solar Powered, Point-of-Use Plasma Disinfection Tool for Clean Water on Demand
John Foster's group is developing a plasma-device for disinfecting water on-demand that will be solar- or human-powered.
Todd Allen, John Lee, and Kristine Svinicki supporting National Academies Studies
The studies are centered around advanced nuclear, fuel, and threats.
PhD Student Lonnie Garrett given NNIS fellowship
The fellowship supports exceptional students in the field of international safeguards.
Imre Pázsit named “Doctor Honoris Causa” of Budapest University of Technology and Economics
The title was conferred in appreciation of Pázsit’s internationally reputed activities.
Undergraduate Andrew Panter awarded INL UNLP Scholarship
UNLP plays a key role in helping the Department of Energy accomplish its mission of leading the nation's investment in the development and exploration of advanced nuclear science and technology.
PhD Student Meredith Eaheart awarded UNLP fellowship
The fellowship is awarded to exceptional students researching innovative nuclear energy solutions to today’s climate challenges and help in production of clean electricity and reduction of carbon emissions.
Christopher C. Davis, Carly Evans, and Colin J. Stewart win Health Physics Society awards
The U-M students were recognized at the 2022 Spring Young Investigators Virtual Symposium.
Abbas Jinia given IEEE-NPSS Graduate Scholarship Award
The NERS PhD student researches active interrogation applications to detect concealed nuclear material.
Honoring the past and sizing up nuclear’s future at the Phoenix rededication
The Michigan Memorial Phoenix Project, conceived as a war memorial following World War II, remains relevant in the face of climate change and international conflict.
Mark Perreault retires after 23 years
Perreault was Senior Electronics Technician for the Plasma, Pulsed Power, and Microwave Laboratory.
NEA Appoints Aditi Verma to Global Forum Working Groups
The groups are in support of NEA’s Global Forum on Nuclear Education, Science, Technology, and Policy.
Ionizing radiation induces a negative nonlinear absorption coefficient in quartz glass
NERS PhD Student Bryan Morgan’s research on non-linear absorption in quartz glass published in Optical Materials Express.
NERS and Engineering Physics Students Receive Awards from Rackham and College of Engineering
Mackenzie Warwick, Pujan Ajmera, Julian Kinney, and Dion Li were honored for their outstanding achievements and academic excellence.
NERS Professor Alex Bielajew retires after 25 years with the department
Bielajew’s research focused on Monte Carlo code development.
Aditi Verma receives Catalyst Grant from Graham Sustainability Institute
Verma and her team are developing a participatory approach to nuclear energy infrastructure design.
Nuclear “shadow corrosion” reproduced in the lab, paving way to longer fuel life
Now that it's understood, researchers are on their way to preventing this type of degradation in nuclear power plants.
Monica Rondeau earns CCRA Certification
Rondeau supports NERS faculty in both pre- and post-award research administration.
Q&A with Brendan Sporer
Brendan won a Best Paper Award at the IEEE Pulsed Power Conference.
NERS awarded funding from the Department of Defense for new pulsed power driver
The equipment will be located in the Plasma, Pulsed Power, and Microwave Laboratory.
In Memoriam: Ziyaeddin Ahmet Akçasu
The NERS Professor Emeritus will be remembered for his contributions to multi-component polymer solutions, his gift for teaching, and gentle spirit.
Aditi Verma guest edits special humanities issue of Nuclear Technology
The special issue examines the intersection of nuclear technology and social sciences.
Kristine Svinicki given Henry DeWolf Smyth Nuclear Statesman Award from ANS and NEI
The award recognizes outstanding service in developing and guiding the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
Imre Pázsit given Eugene P. Wigner Reactor Physicist Award from ANS
The award recognizes outstanding contributions toward the advancement in the field of nuclear reactor physics.
Xiaodong Sun named Fellow of the American Nuclear Society
Professor Sun was recognized for significant contributions to research in reactor thermal hydraulics and for those as an educator and mentor of nuclear engineering students and researchers.
Igor Jovanovic named Fellow of the American Nuclear Society
Professor Jovanovic was recognized for contributions made to the advancement of nuclear science and technology through notable original research or invention in the nuclear field.
Emily Vu won a Best Student Paper Award from the American Nuclear Society
Vu is a graduate student conducting research in electron transport in stochastic media.
John Foster named Fellow of the American Physical Society
Foster is recognized for improving fundamental understanding of transport across the span of low-temperature plasmas.
Sara Pozzi awarded ANS E. Gail de Planque Medal
The award recognizes exemplary accomplishments by a woman in the fields of nuclear science and engineering.
Nuclear nonproliferation: $1.9M to improve detection of weapons-grade material
Untangling the signatures of smuggled nuclear materials from the radiation background created by shooting neutrons at suspected cargo is the task of U-M research team.
Augmented reality for testing nuclear components
A new machine learning platform detects and quantifies radiation-induced defects instantaneously and could be extended to interpret other microscopy data.
Dion Li discovers electromagnetic shock phenomenon omitted from Ramo-Shockley theorem
The Engineering Physics student was published in IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.
Annie Kritcher leads revolutionary nuclear fusion experiment
The NERS alum and her team at LLNL came close to reproducing the power of the sun on earth.
Heath LeFevre awarded NSF fellowship
The NERS postdoc researches radiation hydrodynamics relevant to astrophysics.
Sara Pozzi awarded INMM Vincent J. DeVito Distinguished Service Award
The award is given for noteworthy contributions to the nuclear materials management profession.
NERS alum share their NRC award stories
NERS and the NRC have a common goal of educating the next generation of nuclear engineers.
Denia Djokić and Aditi Verma join NERS and Fastest Path
Djokić joined the team as an Assistant Research Scientist and Verma as an Assistant Research Scientist, and as an Assistant Professor in Fall 2022.
The Michigan Memorial Phoenix Project returns to NERS
The World War II memorial is devoted to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
Most powerful laser in the U.S. to begin operations soon, supported by $18.5M from the NSF
With first light anticipated in 2022, the NSF will provide five years of operations funding, ramping up as the ZEUS user facility progresses to full capacity.
Strong magnetic fields change how friction works in plasma
Rather than just slowing down a charged particle moving through a plasma, friction can also push from the side in a strong magnetic field.
Kaitlyn Barr given DOE Innovations in Nuclear Technology R&D Award
The award program strives to facilitate innovation and the creation of new ideas in nuclear-technology-relevant disciplines.
In THe Media
Michigan Engineering
December 5, 2023
Once derided as “forever 30 years away,” fusion energy has a new swagger. Will it last?
Idaho National Laboratory
November 9, 2023
INL, along with Argonne National Laboratory, Northwestern University and the University of Michigan, will support MachH2 by providing the technoeconomic and life cycle analyses of the hydrogen hub.
Michigan ENgineering
October 16, 2023
The NSF-supported facility at U-M is about to begin welcoming researchers to study extreme physics that could advance medicine, microelectronics and more.
The Detroit News
October 13, 2023
The U.S. Department of Energy is giving a Michigan-backed clean hydrogen hub project up to $1 billion to develop regional supply chains for the production, distribution and use of hydrogen in trucks and heavy-duty vehicles, officials said Friday.Chair Todd Allen is quoted.
WWJ
August 28, 2023
Michigan is home to three of the world’s 400-some nuclear power stations. When all three are up and running, Michigan gets about 30% of its energy from nuclear sources. Chair Todd Allen discusses.
KCBS Radio
August 24, 2023
Japan has started a controversial practice of releasing treated wastewater from the Fukishima nuclear plant today to get rid of the hundreds of millions of gallons being stored on site. Prof. John Lee discusses.
Detroit News
August 14, 2023
Reopening a modernized Palisades would revitalize the state’s grid with reliable clean energy for decades to come.
Detroit News
July 24, 2023
U-M received $7.5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy, which in June funded 68 nuclear energy projects with grants totaling more than $56 million. The projects support the development of nuclear technology, early career faculty research and student research at universities and a national laboratory.
Washington Post
July 24, 2023
In a chilling, existential, bizarrely comic moment, the new movie “Oppenheimer” revives an old question: Did Manhattan Project scientists think there was even a minute possibility that detonating the first atomic bomb on the remote plains of New Mexico could destroy the world? NERS Prof. Aditi Verma is quoted.
University Record
July 20, 2023
Kushner was named the William P. Allis Distinguished University Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
CNA
July 5, 2023
The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog said that a two-year review showed Japan’s plans to release treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea were consistent with global safety standards. The amount of risk involved is very minimal and inconsequential, said some observers. Prof. John Lee shares more.
UNIVERSITY RECORD
June 20, 2023
Two Centers of Excellence for studying basic science surrounding how hot plasmas behave, funded by the National Nuclear Security Administration, have been awarded to NERS professors Carolyn Kuranz and Ryan McBride.
Newsweek
March 23, 2023
The United States is returning the favor regarding the sharing of nuclear data after Russia suspended its participation in the New START Treaty last month. NERS prof. Sara Pozzi is quoted.
The Washington Post
February 19, 2023
The Biden administration envisions dozens of ‘modular’ nuclear plants sprouting across the country. Why coal communities are so eager to be the staging ground for the risky endeavor. Fastest Path to Zero Lead Data Analyst Gabrielle Hoelzle is quoted.
The Conversation
December 13, 2022
American scientists have announced what they have called a major breakthrough in a long-elusive goal of creating energy from nuclear fusion. NERS prof. Carolyn Kuranz is quoted.
Forbes
December 13, 2022
Scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California have managed to get more energy out of a nuclear fusion reaction than they put in to trigger it. NERS Chair Todd Allen is quoted.
NPR
December 13, 2022
Scientists with the U.S. Department of Energy have reached a breakthrough in nuclear fusion. NERS prof. Ryan McBride is quoted.
StateImpact Oklahoma
SEPTEMBER 15, 2022
More than 2,000 feet underground in Carlsbad, New Mexico, sits the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). NERS prof. Aditi Verma is quoted.
Protocol
August 1, 2022
In the race to decarbonize the world’s energy mix, solar panels, wind turbines and batteries have taken center stage. NERS Chair Todd Allen is quoted.
Michigan Engineering News
JUNE 3, 2022
John Foster’s group is developing a plasma-device for disinfecting water on-demand that will be solar- or human-powered.
ScienceNews
JUNE 2, 2022
Nuclear submarines might provide rogue nations with a path to nuclear weapons. But neutrinos could help reveal attempts to go from boats to bombs. NERS prof. Igor Jovanovic is quoted.
