UW Nuclear Energy Research Center Selects Faculty Scholars

The Nuclear Energy Research Center (NERC) at the University of Wyoming has selected faculty members Xiang Zhang and Wes Eaton to receive funding under the Faculty Scholars Program.

The program, supported by a grant from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) University Nuclear Leadership Program and funds from the Wyoming Legislature, focuses on developing new areas of nuclear-focused research and supporting junior faculty advancement.

Selected through a competitive proposal process, Zhang and Eaton were recognized for their efforts in expanding nuclear-related research in the respective disciplines -- and their potential to make important contributions to Wyoming and to the development of a robust community of researchers and students working in nuclear energy on campus.

“We are very grateful for the support from the NRC and the Wyoming Legislature to help grow our nuclear efforts in Wyoming, and we are very excited to take action and put those funds to immediate use,” says NERC co-Director Caleb Hill. “This has enabled us to support UW faculty already working in this space, supporting their efforts and finding new ways that we can collaborate and move projects forward.”

An assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Zhang directs the Computations for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Laboratory. Zhang and his team have been developing multiscale and multiphysics modeling and design approaches, in conjunction with data-driven modeling techniques, to gain a fundamental understanding of the processing-microstructure-property-performance relationship for heterogeneous materials and advanced manufacturing processes.

Zhang leads a project, “A Study of Combined Thermal and Irradiation Creep of Nickel-Based Alloy for Nuclear Structural Application: Multi-scale C Modeling, Uncertainty Quantification and Experimental Investigation,” which will be expanded and supported through his collaboration with NERC.

Eaton is a visiting assistant professor with the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources. He conducts research and teaches courses on collaborative and community stakeholder-driven approaches to managing complex environmental problems, including water resource challenges and energy transitions. Through the application of mixed qualitative and quantitative research methods to address both practical and scholarly problems, he pursues opportunities to support knowledge co-production, social learning and relationship building among scientists, practitioners, students and communities.

Incorporating his expertise in community engagement and environmental justice, Eaton is part of a recently announced UW team working on a U.S. Department of Energy grant exploring improved processes for consent-based siting for the storage of spent nuclear fuel.

As NERC Faculty Scholars, Zhang and Eaton will contribute to the NERC vision of expanding capacity for research and academics about nuclear energy on campus, including engaging with the School of Energy Resources (SER); participating in visits by industry or national labs; developing new courses; and involving graduate and undergraduate students in research. Additionally, they each will be expected to develop and submit a full nuclear-related proposal to an external funding agency.

“We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Zhang and Dr. Eaton as our first faculty scholars,” says NERC co-Director Tara Righetti. “In addition to seeing that there is an enthusiastic interest in nuclear projects on campus, it also is exciting that it is coming from both the technical and social research spheres. There is tremendous value added in ensuring that we are taking a holistic approach in growing our nuclear capacity on campus, and our faculty scholars are well positioned to grow the discipline in their respective departments.”

About the UW Nuclear Energy Research Center

Co-directed by Hill, UW’s J.E. Warren Chair, Nielson Faculty Fellow and associate professor of chemistry, and Righetti, UW’s Occidental Chair in Energy and Environmental Policies and an SER professor of law, NERC is a faculty-led SER Center of Excellence. NERC is focused on interdisciplinary nuclear energy capacity building across the UW community by connecting the university’s faculty and staff who are already active in research fields critical to the success of nuclear energy and developing collaborative relationships both external and internal to UW.