Bio
Kenneth Cooper is an Associate Staff Irradiation Engineer in the Irradiation Engineering Group within the Nuclear Energy and Fuel Cycle Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. His work supports the development and qualification of advanced nuclear energy systems through fusion and fission materials development using advanced irradiation experiment design and testing at the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR). His research emphasizes irradiation effects in structural materials, coupled-environment testing under reactor-relevant conditions, and development of experimental platforms that enable next-generation nuclear materials qualification and performance assessment.
Kenneth’s work spans advanced irradiation testing, structural materials development, coupled-environment experimentation, and experimental systems for nuclear materials research. He contributes to the design and deployment of irradiation platforms for studying material behavior in extreme environments, including high-temperature, corrosive, stress, and radiation-intensive conditions. His experience includes development of experimental methodologies, irradiation testing capabilities, and diagnostic approaches that support nuclear materials performance evaluation and technology maturation.
Prior to joining ORNL, Kenneth conducted research at Texas A&M University’s Accelerator Laboratory as a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, where he supported collaborative irradiation experiments and development of advanced materials characterization techniques for nuclear energy applications. Across both national laboratory and university research environments, he has worked with multidisciplinary teams and external collaborators to advance experimental nuclear science and materials research.
Education
PhD Nuclear Engineering, Texas A&M University (2026)
BS Nuclear Engineering, Texas A&M University (2021)