Bio
Tim joined Oak Ridge National Laboratory as an associate research scientist in the Materials Science and Technology Division in February 2020 as a member of the Nuclear Energy Materials Microanalysis group. Previously, he was a research scientist in the Reactor Materials and Mechanical Design group in the Nuclear Sciences Division at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. His research interests focus on the characterization and testing of advanced nuclear materials for fission/fusion energy and spallation neutron applications. In particular, he uses analytical electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) and atom probe tomography (APT) in conjunction with properties testing to elucidate processing-microstructure-property-performance relationships in materials exposed to extreme environments. He is an extensive user of the Low Activation Materials Development and Analysis laboratory (LAMDA) and the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS).
Professional Experience
2020-present R&D Associate, Nuclear Energy Materials Microanalysis group, MSTD, ORNL
2018-2020 Materials Scientist II, Reactor Materials and Mechanical Design group, NSD, PNNL
2016-2018 Post-doctoral Research Associate, Reactor Materials and Mechanical Design group, NSD, PNNL; advisor: Dr. Thak Sang Byun and Dr. Dallas Reilly
Awards
Exceptional Contribution Award, 2019 – PNNL
Outstanding Performance Award, 2016 – PNNL
Education
Ph.D. 2016, Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Thesis advisors: Prof. Pascal Bellon and Prof. Robert Averback
B.S. 2010, Materials Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University
Professional Service
Associate Editor for the journal Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering - Nuclear Materials section
Lead organizer for the "Microscopy and Microanalysis of Materials under Multiple Environmental Extremes" symposium for M&M 2023, and "High Resolution Microscopy and Microanalysis of Materials under Extreme Environments" for M&M 2025.
Extensive reviewer for Acta Materialia, Journal of Nuclear Materials, Materials Characterization, and others.
Professional Affiliations
Member of The Minerals, Metals, and Materials Society (TMS), American Nuclear Society (ANS), and the Microscopy and Microanalysis Society (M&M).
Member, TMS Nuclear Materials Committee
Specialized Equipment
Instrument custodian for the Focused Ion Beam/Scanning Electron Microscopes (FIB/SEM) in the LAMDA laboratory.
Expertise in SEM-electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), FIB/SEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning TEM (STEM), STEM-EDS, and APT.