PhD CANDIDATE – PETRE SCHOLARSHIP + WiE SCHOLARSHIP + TYREE SCHOLARSHIP

I am developing alloys with increased hydrogen tolerance for use in the emerging hydrogen economy. In particular, the project focuses on the potential for a chemically active sacrificial phase within the alloy that irreversibly traps hydrogen without compromising the mechanical performance of the alloy.

As an undergraduate, I studied both Chemistry and Mechanical Engineering at UNSW, with a semester on exchange at ETH Zurich. The combination of my studies has led to an interest in renewables and materials science, with my Honours project on the microstructural refinement and high temperature stability of Zircaloy-4 processed by high pressure torsion (in collaboration with ANSTO). In my spare time, you’ll probably find me outdoors either climbing or mountain biking.

PhD CANDIDATE – ANSTO FUTURENOW SCHOLARSHIP

My research is focused on synthesising and characterising the interaction layer between uranium oxide nuclear fuel and zirconium alloy cladding during nuclear reactor operation, which can cause fuel rods to fail. Of particular interest is how this layer is affected by repeated high power ramps. This relates to the potential operation of small modular reactors for grid stability to integrate renewable energy and phase out fossil fuel use. 

During my undergraduate years I studied Environmental Chemistry at UOW and in the later years had a particular interest towards synthetic organic chemistry, leading to volunteer lab work. I was awarded Class I Honours for my research in atmospheric chemistry, based in the radon department at ANSTO, involving characterising transport pathways of terrestrially influenced air moving through the Southern Ocean.

PhD CANDIDATE – TOKAMAK ENERGY SPONSORSHIP + TYREE SCHOLARSHIP

I started my PhD in February 2021, focussing on the Radiation Damage and Shielding properties of materials for use in Nuclear Reactors. In particular, I am working on Tungsten Borides and how they evolve over time due to neutron and photon radiation in Nuclear Fusion reactors. I collaborate closely with Tokamak Energy Ltd, in developing and characterising these materials for use in their Spherical Tokamaks.

During my undergrad, I developed a method to calculate radiation damage in heterogeneous materials. This work is in the process of being patented. I graduated from UNSW in 2020 with a dual degree in Mechanical Engineering and Advanced Physics and was awarded the University Medal in both degrees. 

PhD CANDIDATE – SCIENTIA SCHOLARSHIP

Ina received a degree in Chemistry from the Federal University of Florianopolis (UFSC) in 2011, in Brazil. She received the “Best Academic Records Award” for her performance during undergraduate. She spent one year studying at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) from 2009 to 2010. During her masters, in 2017, she spent time studying the physical nature of non-covalent interactions in Supramolecular frameworks employing Density Functional Theory.

In 2020 she joined the UNSW Hoex Group as a UNSW Scientia PhD Scholar in the School of Photovoltaics and Solar Energy Engineering at UNSW Sydney. Currently, she is using First Principle hybrid DFT calculations the rationally design earth-abundant catalysts for next-generation fuel cell, and with the knowledge of the electronic properties obtained, plan future experiments to confirm the theoretical results.

PhD CANDIDATE (USyd)

Degradation of zirconium alloys in the nuclear industry occurs as a result of hydrogen ingress. However, despite decades of research towards understanding how hydrogen interacts with zirconium alloys, there is still limited atomic-scale information about hydrogen interaction with microstructural features.

The objective of my project is to discover how the hydrogen is distributed in the material before it forms hydrides, with specific reference to grain boundaries, dislocations and second phase particles. I investigate hydrogen distribution using advanced microscopy, including state-of-the-art cryo atom probe tomography (cryo-APT) and tailored deuterium-charging protocols

The outcome of the project will be a better scientific understanding of the hydrogen distribution in zirconium alloys, providing insight into the hydrogen distribution and migration within the Zr matrix. Such findings will help build a mechanistic understanding of hydrogen pick-up, hydrogen embrittlement and delayed hydride cracking of Zr alloys, and inform the design of future Zr alloys.

PhD CANDIDATE

Civil and Mechanical Engineer and current PhD candidate at UNSW with an interest in Nuclear Materials.

I received two bachelor’s degrees as an honour student in Civil and Mechanical Engineering and a master’s degree in the energy field. After obtaining various work experience as an engineer, I joined the nuclear energy group in February 2022. My current research field is Ultra High Temperature Ceramics (UHTC) focussing on Boron isotopes and my aim is to improve new materials for advanced nuclear fission and fusion applications.      

Besides science, I play football and chess in my leisure time.

Samaneh obtained her PhD at Griffith University, with a thesis entitled “Hydrogen Properties in Palladium”. Her PhD research mainly focused on the physics of energy-related materials, including superconductors and hydrogen storage materials.  Subsequently, she joined UNSW as a postdoctoral researcher to develop materials for nuclear shielding applications and predict the predominant radiation effects on the properties of these materials through atomic-scale simulations.

Samaneh’s academic pursuits took an exciting turn when she was honoured with a prestigious postdoctoral fellowship from the Australian Government, in 2023. Through this fellowship, she is developing semiconductors for harsh environment applications, including space.

Samaneh is an interdisciplinary researcher with a strong interest in renewable energy, radiation-material interactions, condensed matter physics, biophysics and medical physics. Samaneh thrives in collaborative environments and frequently collaborates with colleagues from diverse backgrounds, both in academia and industry, from around the world. Beyond her academic and research endeavours, she is also an entrepreneur with a passion for innovation.

Jenny completed her PhD at UNSW/ANSTO, specialising in the in-situ characterisation of layered oxides for sodium battery applications. In September 2021, she joined the nuclear energy group (part-time). Her current research interests focus on using X-ray and neutron diffraction to characterize accident tolerant fuels and shielding materials for the advancement of nuclear fission and nuclear fusion technologies, respectively. Jenny’s projects are highly collaborative across industry and academia, working with diverse, skilled and motivated colleagues across the world

Jenny is also passionate about education – she held a Teaching Fellowship position in the School of Chemistry during her PhD and is currently an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Through teaching and outreach, she aims to be a role model for women and non-binary people in STEM.

Aside from science, Jenny is an outdoor enthusiast and will most likely be found climbing in the Blue Mountains in her spare time.

PhD

I completed my PhD on mixed oxide nuclear fuel properties, between the AtomCraft group at UNSW and ANSTO. Prior to that, I studied chemical engineering at the University of Sydney followed by a stint at Alkane Minerals working as a junior metallurgist, process operator and laboratory technician. My interest in nuclear energy led me to the Masters of Nuclear Engineering at UNSW which also gave me the opportunity to work with CLP Nuclear Group in Hong Kong. On the weekends I race go-karts and play tennis and enjoy getting my hands dirty servicing cars and karts.

PhD

I attained a PhD, sponsored by Westinghouse Electric Sweden, on the “Radiation effect on re-distribution of alloying elements in Zr metal, oxide and suboxides” in July 2022 in the AtomCraft group. I am continuing as a post-doc, working within the MUZIC-3 project, with an overall aim to understand the effect of irradiation-induced solute redistribution on corrosion in different phases of Zr.

Prior to my PhD, I obtained a Bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering and a Master’s in Nuclear Engineering. My work experience includes working as a planning engineer at an aircraft MRO company and consulting work with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Post-doctoral research associate

After finishing my PhD at the University of Sydney by the end of 2020, I joined the nuclear engineering team at UNSW. My PhD was about in situ neutron diffraction, X-ray absorption spectroscopy and first principles calculation on battery materials. Currently, my research interest lies in in situ neutron diffraction of nuclear fuel materials. Before coming to Australia, I did my Master’s degree on electron microscopy characterization of battery materials at Central South University.

PhD

My PhD was about module-based capacitive energy storage devices implemented to help integrate photovoltaic power into the grid, buffering rapid fluctuations of PV generation and allowing the generator to control ramp rates to satisfy grid needs. The fast-dynamic response and high specific power of a capacitive energy storage complements the highly variable power output of the PV source to yield the compatibility and performance characteristics of a non-intermittent generator. Another aspect of my PhD focuses on circuit modelling for electrochemical capacitors, which helps to understand the physical and chemical properties of electrodes and electrolytes for different electrochemical capacitor types. I now work for the China Electric Power Research Institute.

PhD

The quest to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of photovoltaic energy has resulted in the investigation of novel materials as carrier selective contacts. Molybdenum Oxide (MoO₃) has been found to be able to provide carrier separation and provide a passivating layer without parasitic absorption, and without the need for complex patterning. In my research I have investigated the defects of this material using atomistic DFT simulations, tying theoretical computations to real-world outcomes by predicting defect concentrations in this material under different preparation conditions. This was then extended to extrinsic dopants and impurities, predicting their solubility in MoO₃ under different conditions, and their likely effect on photovoltaic device performance. I now work as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Trinity College Dublin with Prof. David O’Regan.

Post Doctoral Research Associate

The main focus of my research concerns understanding the dynamic properties of materials using atomic-scale computer simulations. In particular, I study the properties of mixed oxide fuels in the solid and liquid state and the behaviour of fission gas in nuclear fuel. I completed my PhD in the Centre for Nuclear Engineering at Imperial College London. My thesis consisted of using atomic-scale simulations to help understand fundamental mechanisms governing the behaviour of nuclear fuel. Prior to this, I completed an MSc in Nuclear Engineering at Imperial College London. During my Masters, I carried out a research project at ANSTO, on the oxygen diffusion and permeability of nuclear-related materials, conducting experiments and using finite element methods. As an undergraduate, I studied experimental physics at University College Dublin.

POSTDOCTORAL VISITING FELLOW – UNSW Sydney (2016-2019)

Daniel completed his PhD at the University of Technology Sydney in 2016 with a thesis entitled High-entropy alloys for use in advanced nuclear applications. Currently, he is working on reactor pressure vessel steels funded by an EPSRC research grant. In this project, he is using density functional theory to investigate the drive for the formation of Mn-Ni-Si clusters in low alloy ferritic steel. Dr King’s expertise is in materials modelling on the atomic scale. He is also the author of a widely used prediction tool for high-entropy alloys - Alloy Search And Predict (ASAP).

VISITING PROFESSOR, UNSW Sydney (2013-2019)
PROFESSOR – IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON

Prof Robin Grimes, OBE, FRS, FREng, is a professor of Materials Physics at Imperial College London and University College London. He is currently the Foreign secretary to the Royal Society, and until recently he was chief scientific adviser in the UK’s Ministry of Defense, and the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He is a visiting academic at UNSW, where he teaches in the Masters of Nuclear Engineering and actively collaborates with Patrick Burr and his group to understand nuclear materials through atomic scale simulations.

VISITING ACADEMIC – UNSW Sydney (2019)
SENIOR LECTURER – University of Sheffield

Katerina is a Lecturer in Metallurgy at the University of Sheffield, having previously held research and project management roles at the Henry Royce Institute for Advanced Materials, the University of Manchester and the University of Cambridge. Working at the interface between Industry and Academia, her research aims to develop new alloys capable of withstanding the demanding environment of novel jet engine designs. She has patents and papers on Ni-based and Co-based superalloys, and high entropy alloys. Katerina’s expertise ranges from alloy manufacture to advanced characterisation techniques including thermal analysis, microscopy, neutron and synchrotron diffraction, and thermodynamic modelling. Find out more here.

POSTDOCTORAL VISITING FELLOW – UNSW Sydney (2018)

Claudia is a Research Associate in the Centre for Nuclear Engineering in the Department of Materials at Imperial College London where she is currently working on the phenomenon of neutron irradiation embrittlement in nuclear reactors. Her research interests span from nuclear fuels – including current work on advanced technology fuel carried out at UNSW – to waste management and decommissioning. In her PhD, she investigated oxidation treatments of uranium carbide for the long term storage of nuclear fuels. Claudia graduated from Padua University, Italy with an MSc degree in Chemical Engineering after performing studies in Nuclear Engineering mostly at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Sweden. Find out more here.

VISITING LECTURER – UNSW Sydney
NUCLEAR CHEMIST – ANSTO

Jessica is a Nuclear Chemist in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Research Theme at ANSTO. Jessica undertook her PhD part-time jointly at the University of Sydney and ANSTO (2011-2016), researching novel materials for radiochemical separations. These kinds of materials have applications for the treatment of nuclear waste but also mining and wastewater clean-up. Jessica has expertise in the synthesis and characterisation of organic and inorganic materials including organo-functionalised porous frameworks and ceramics. She is interested in designing and understanding materials that can be used to improve safety and sustainability at the front and back ends of the nuclear fuel cycle. Find out more here.

PVCR – University of Sydney
CEO – Microscopy Australia

Professor Julie Cairney grew up in outback Australia in the town of Broken Hill. She studied Materials Science and Engineering at UNSW under a scholarship from Pasminco Limited (a former mining company based in Broken Hill). In 2002, she was awarded a PhD (Physical Metallurgy) also from UNSW. The next few years were spent working as a researcher at the University of Birmingham, UK and the Max Planck Institute for Metals Research in Stuttgart, Germany, before returning to Australia. She is currently working at The University of Sydney as a Professor in the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and as a Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research – Enterprise and Engagement), and is the Chief Scientific Advisor of Microscopy Australia.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR – UNSW Sydney

I obtained my PhD in materials science in 2010 at the Chinese Academy of Science Institute of Metal Research, researching titanium bio-materials, then worked on manufacture and repair technology in the gas turbine power industry and later, at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, I designed and managed a hot cell facility for nuclear materials research and radioactive materials testing. I also designed and performed engineering analysis of, nuclear materials testing facilities that are now part of the Open-Pool Australian Light-water Reactor. At UNSW Sydney, I research new materials and technology that enhance the safe and sustainable deployment of nuclear energy. This includes my original field of materials science, plus essentially human focused research such as virtual reality tools for remote handling and blockchain (shared ledger) systems for nuclear materials tracking. I teach courses on the UNSW MEng.Sci in nuclear engineering and I contribute to space engineering research. 

FUTURE FELLOW – UNSW Sydney

I am a Research and Teaching academic in the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering and an ARC Future Fellow (2017-2021). My research focuses on the areas of silicon solar cell metallisation and interconnection, optical modelling for photovoltaics and more recently high power lithium ion storage and autonomous solar energy harvesting devices. Within the Learning & Teaching space, I have been actively involved in developing innovative teaching approaches, especially using gamification for greater student engagement. I have led the development of both the PV Factory and PlayEnergy teaching software and will in 2020 lead one of the initial vertically-integrated projects in the Faculty of Engineering's project-based learning trial. Prior to my employment at UNSW in 2010, I worked as a research scientist at Canon Information Systems Research Australia, where I was involved in research ranging from display and printing device simulations to the development of materials/technology for printing, imaging and display applications.