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Category: Notícias

Título: Research and educational opportunities in the Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Palestrante: Professor R. Mohan Sankaran - Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Data: 29/09/2022
Horário: 15:30h - 16:30h | Recepção às 15h.
Local: Auditório da COPPE, G-122, CT

Resumo da Palestra: The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) is one of the largest universities in the United States, including the second largest overall in engineering. The Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering (NPRE) is one of fifteen engineering programs at UIUC, with a long history in nuclear fission and fusion. In this talk, I will share the research activities and educational programs that are available in NPRE. As the name of the department implies, there are three thrusts and faculty representing each through their research and teaching. In the nuclear thrust, efforts include nuclear power and materials. Of particular note, an advanced research reactor is being planned in partnership with Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation, based on a microreactor design. Unlike traditional research reactors, the focus at UIUC is not a laboratory tool to study radiation interactions with matter, but a research, education, and training facility intended to help advanced microreactor technology become a widely deployable, marketable, economic, safe, and reliable option for a clean energy future. In the plasma thrust, efforts span a wide range of plasma regimes, from low- to high-temperature, and technological applications, from semiconductor manufacturing to fusion. The Hybrid Illinois Device for Research and Applications (HIDRA) is a toroidal device installed in 2016. HIDRA has the capability to operate both as a stellarator and tokamak. The capabilities of HIDRA make it an ideal test bed for studies of plasma-material interactions in fusion reactors, as well as liquid lithium and the engineering of flow, ejection, and recycling. In 2020, the Illinois Plasma Institute (IPI) was established to accelerate translation of research from the lab to commercial scale. Specifically, IPI provides a facility and environment for university and industry to work effectively together, thus addressing the “valley of death” that often prevents resources and innovations at a university from reaching the marketplace. In the radiological thrust, efforts include radiation detection and measurement, as well as security and safeguards. Finally, a fourth area in the department that is rapidly growing and supporting all three thrusts is reliability and risk mitigation. Students at all levels, from undergraduate to graduate, are involved in research, including visiting and exchange students from all across the world.

There are also several special education programs offered in the department. In addition to the Bachelors of Science, Master’s of Science, and Ph.D. tracks, a Master’s of Engineering is offered, which is a non-thesis, course-only degree, with concentrations in Energy Systems and Plasma Engineering. The degree is specifically designed for students looking to enter industry after graduation, and the curriculum along with laboratory experience provides real-world experience and knowledge to utilize, understand, and innovate applications. 

Resumo do Palestrante: R. Mohan Sankaran received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California Los Angeles in 1998 and his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology. He began his independent academic career in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Case Western Reserve University as an Assistant Professor in 2005, was promoted to Associate Professor in 2010, then promoted to Professor in 2014. In 2020, he moved to the Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is currently the Donald Biggar Willet Professor in Engineering. His research program focuses on developing atmospheric-pressure plasmas as a chemical platform for the synthesis of novel materials and small molecules with applications in emerging electronics, medicine, and energy conversion. He has co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, edited one book, and contributed several book chapters. He has been recognized for his research achievements by the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award and the AVS Peter Mark Memorial Award. He currently serves as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology and a member of the Editorial Board of Plasma Chemistry Plasma Processing, Scientific Reports, and Plasma Research Express and the Advisory Board of the Journal of Physics D. He will be the Program Chair for the AVS 68th International Symposium and Exhibition.