Xiang Chen

R&D Staff

Dr. Xiang (Frank) Chen is a research staff member in the Materials Science & Technology Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He is the principal investigator under several U.S. Department of Energy programs, including Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, Light Water Reactor Sustainability, and Fusion Energy Science. His research interests include the mechanical behavior of structural materials under extreme environments and the correlation of mechanical properties and materials microstructure. He has over 100 combined publications in peer-reviewed journals, book chapters,  conference proceedings, and technical reports. He also holds two patents for advanced high-strength steels for automobile applications. He is the co-chair for the ASTM E08.07.06 task group in charge of ductile-brittle transition fracture toughness. He is the deputy pathway lead for the Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program Materials Research Pathway. Frank holds a Ph.D. degree and an M.S. degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a B.E. degree in Nuclear Engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Education:

  • PhD, Nuclear Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2012
  • MS, Nuclear Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2008
  • BE, Nuclear Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2005

Professional Experience:

  • Research Staff at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (01/2022 – present)
  • Research Associate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (06/2016-12/2021)
  • Research Engineer at ArcelorMittal East Chicago Global R&D (10/2014 – 06/2016)
  • Postdoctoral Research Associate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (07/2012 – 09/2014)

Awards

Covered in the ASM International news coverage for the development of fracture toughness analysis software which was added into the ASTM standard, 2020
Covered in LWRS newsletter for the development of fracture toughness analysis software which was added into the ASTM standard, 2020
Covered in ORISE newsletter for mentoring summer intern student in developing fracture toughness analysis software which was added into the ASTM standard, 2020
Cover page appearance of April 2014 Issue of Advanced Materials & Processes, 2014
Outstanding contribution in reviewing for the Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2014
Alpha Nu Sigma nuclear engineering honor society, 2010-present
American Nuclear Society Graduate Scholarship Award, 2010-2011
University of Illinois graduate college conference travel award, 2008 & 2010
University of Pisa (Italy) scholarship for the development of sensors for the measurement of diffusible hydrogen in steels, 2009
Shanghai Jiao Tong University BBS study abroad program vice president, 2005
China National Scholarship, 2003-2004 (top 5% in the College of Engineering of Shanghai Jiao Tong University)