Bio
Ainsley Hart is an engineer on the US ITER Vacuum Team, working on the Roughing Pump System and Vacuum Auxiliary System for the ITER project. She is responsible for design and contract management as a Technical Project Officer (TPO). Since joining ITER, Ainsley has worked on the design of a cryogenic regeneration system, mechanical regeneration system, vent and purge system, and gas distribution system. She is the TPO for the first article SVS Distribution Boxes run-off style contracts, and the scroll pump testing and fabrication.
Ainsley joined ORNL and US ITER in April of 2022.
Professional Experience
Prior to ORNL, Ainsley was a process engineer at Los Alamos National Laboratory, working on a vacuum and backfill system for the Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator Program. She also served as a Naval Engineer for the U.S. Coast Guard while on active duty from 2014 to 2019. Ainsley was stationed onboard USCGC RELIANCE for two years as the Assistant Engineering Officer and the Damage Control Assistant, while also being the division officer for the auxiliary, damage control, and electrical divisions. While attached to RELIANCE she was responsible for operating and maintaining ship systems, to ensure Coast Guard missions could be conducted. She was also stationed at USCG Base Seattle for 3.5 years where she oversaw contracts as a Contracting Officer Representative (COR), ensuring that the cutters received the depot level maintenance required acting as the project manager, final inspector, and acceptor of work completed.
Education
Ainsley has a B.S. in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the United States Coast Guard Academy. She is currently working towards her graduate degree.