Journal: Nuclear Data Sheets
Bio
Dr. Roach is an R&D radioanalytical chemist and group leader for Isotope Applications Research (IAR) in the Isotope Science and Engineering Directorate. The Isotope Applications Research (IAR) group is a multidisciplinary team that focuses on both the fundamental properties and the practical applications of radioisotopes produced by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Isotope Production Program (IPP). Ranging from cell biologists to nuclear engineers, the IAR group pushes the boundaries of evolving technologies in the production, isolation, and characterization of a suite of radionuclides produced at the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) as well as their current and potential future applications.
Dr. Roach specializes in organometallic chemistry, radioisotope production, nuclear forensics and the nuclear fuels cycle, and radioanalytical method development. His areas of expertise include analytical chemistry with a specialization in mass spectrometry, radiochemistry, separation science, the handling and analysis of nuclear materials, and the development of novel analytical and separation methods with specific applications to the aforementioned areas of study. Over the past 12 years, Dr. Roach has been involved in a large number of projects involving analytical method development, certification, and implementation for a wide variety of nuclear materials. As the former analytical task lead for a number of programs including: Cf-252 production, Pu-238 supply program, U-233 rescue program; Dr. Roach has extensive experience in handling freshly irradiated materials as well as the analytical methods required for their PIE. Dr. Roach’s ongoing work includes the dissolution and characterization of high burnup spent fuel, focusing on high precision, low uncertainty analyses of over 50 isotopes though a number of different mass- and counting-based radiochemical techniques. Dr. Roach has over 50 publications in the fields of separation science and analytical chemistry and is a two-time recipient of the Secretary of Energy Achievement Award for his work in nuclear waste remediation (2013) and radioisotope production (2021).”