Bio
Dr. Calvin Lear joined the Radiation Effects & Microstructural Analysis Group (REMAG) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 2025 through a University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute (UT-ORII) Fellowship. His research focuses on processing-structure-property-performance relationships for materials for nuclear energy applications and is a member of the UT-ORII Convergent Research Initiative for fusion materials, leading the study of hydrogen interactions with metals, ceramics, and radiation-induced defects. Dr. Lear is a user of the Low Activation Materials Development & Analysis (LAMDA) laboratory with expertise in analytical electron microscopy (SEM, S/TEM) and targeted sample fabrication (EBSD/EDS, FIB).
Previously, Dr. Lear was a staff scientist in the Dynamics of Materials Team of the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies at Los Alamos National Laboratory, studying materials strength and aging with irradiation, performance of irradiated materials across mechanical and temperature extremes, and the effects of metal additive manufacturing and advanced joining techniques on irradiated performance. He received his BS in Materials Science & Engineering from Virginia Tech and his PhD in the same from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Professional Experience
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- 2025 - Present: R&D Associate, Radiation Effects & Microstructural Analysis Group, MSTD
Los Alamos National Laboratory
- 2022 - 2025: Staff Scientist, Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT)
- 2018 - 2022: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Materials Science in Radiation & Dynamics Extremes (MST-8)
University of Michigan
- 2016 - 2018: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Nuclear Engineering & Radiological Sciences
Education
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
- 2016: PhD in Materials Science & Engineering, Thesis Advisors: Profs. Robert Averback and Pascal Bellon
Virginia Tech (VPI&SU)
- 2011: BS in Materials Science & Engineering
Professional Service
Topic Editor for Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering
Peer Reviewer for DOE Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF), Acta Materialia, Journal of Nuclear Materials, and others
Professional Affiliations
Member
- The Minerals, Metals, and Materials Society (TMS)
- American Nuclear Society (ANS)
- ASM International (ASM)
Committee Member
- TMS Nuclear Materials Committee (NMC)
- TMS NMC Programming Subcommittee