Tim G Lach

R&D Associate Scientist

Tim joined Oak Ridge National Laboratory as an associate research scientist in the Advanced Nuclear Materials group in the Materials Science and Technology Division in February 2020 before switching to the Radiation Effects and Microstructural Analysis group in May 2021 and to the newly formed Nuclear Energy Materials Microanalysis group in 2022. Previously, he was a research scientist in the Reactor Materials and Mechanical Design group in the Nuclear Sciences Division at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. His research interests focus on the characterization and testing of advanced materials for nuclear fission and fusion energy applications. In particular, he uses analytical electron microscopy and atom probe tomography in conjunction with properties testing to elucidate processing-microstructure-property-performance relationships in materials exposed to extreme environments. He is an extensive user of the Low Activation Materials Development and Analysis laboratory (LAMDA) and the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS).

 

EXPERIENCE

2020-present R&D Associate, Nuclear Energy Materials Microanalysis group, MSTD, ORNL

2018-2020 Materials Scientist II, Reactor Materials and Mechanical Design group, NSD, PNNL

2016-2018 Post-doctoral Research Associate, Reactor Materials and Mechanical Design group, NSD, PNNL; advisor: Dr. Thak Sang Byun and Dr. Dallas Reilly

 

EDUCATION

Ph.D. 2016, Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Thesis advisors: Prof. Pascal Bellon and Prof. Robert Averback

B.S. 2010, Materials Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University.

 

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Associate Editor for the journal Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering - Nuclear Materials section

Member of The Minerals, Metals, and Materials Society (TMS) and the Microscopy and Microanalysis Society (M&M).

Lead organizer for the "Microscopy and Microanalysis of Materials under Multiple Environmental Extremes" symposium for M&M 2023.

Member, TMS Nuclear Materials Committee