Bio
Richard Howard leads the Enrichment Systems Fabrication and Demonstration Section, supporting domestic Gas Centrifuge system missions. His organization deploys new enrichment technologies by fabricating and demonstrating technologies, emphasizing operational excellence, incorporating best practices, and prioritizing reliability.
Richard has over 15 years of experience within the National Laboratory complex; working to advance nuclear reactor technologies through advanced irradiation and thermal hydraulic experimentation. This work includes Advanced Reactor Demonstration, radioisotope production for medical & space exploration applications, High Flux Isotope Reactor operation/life extension, and best practices for accelerating nuclear material qualification. He has also been instrumental in providing expertise to expand several technical resources including developing and maintaining Nuclear Quality Assurance (NQA-1) programs, maintaining a strong safety culture, and engaging with a wide range of various stakeholders to achieve a state-of-the-art research and development environment.
Dr. Howard received a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Tennessee; focusing on nuclear thermal propulsion. He received a Master’s degree in nuclear engineering at North Carolina State University, where he focused on computational thermal hydraulics coupled with neutron transport models to simulate and enhance boiling water reactor core performance. He received a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Auburn University.
Awards
2025 American Nuclear Society Radiation Science and Technology Award