Join us for “Multiphysics Nuclear Engineering: The Nexus of Reactor Neutronics, Thermal Hydraulics, and Nuclear Materials to Transform Nuclear Reactor Design and Nuclear Fuel Safety” a keynote presentation by Dr. Nicholas Brown, College of Engineering-Mechanical & Aerospace, MizzouForward faculty candidate.  Dr. Brown will present on his research for approximately 40-minutes with a 20-minute question and answer session to follow.

Dr. Nicholas Brown is a Professor of Nuclear Engineering and Pietro F. Pasqua Fellow at the University of Tennessee, the 3^rd ranked Nuclear Engineering graduate program in the United States. Dr. Brown’s research group focuses on pragmatic interdisciplinary solutions to nuclear science and engineering challenges. He was previously a professor at Penn State University, an R&D staff member at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and a scientific staff member at Brookhaven National Laboratory. He has authored or co-authored several hundred peer reviewed publications. Dr. Brown has served as Chair of the Nuclear Installations Safety Division of the American Nuclear Society and has served in numerous other ANS leadership roles throughout his career. He has had more than 25 grants and contracts as a Principal or Co-Principal Investigator, in addition to past technical leadership on several national laboratory projects. He is fundamentally dedicated to student success, creating an inclusive environment, and service. His recent honors and awards include the David Okrent Award and Landis Technical Achievement Awards from ANS and the University of Tennessee Tickle College of Engineering Professional Promise in Research Award. Dr. Brown earned his Ph.D. from Purdue University. Google scholar link: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=S5KTBtAAAAAJ .

Dr. Brown’s group is focused on enhancing the safety, sustainability, and flexibility of nuclear energy.  The research portfolio of Dr. Brown’s group lies at the intersection of nuclear thermal hydraulics, reactor neutronics, and nuclear materials. This includes analysis of nominal nuclear reactor operation, anticipated transients, and accident events. His group is a key contributor in the study of reactor performance and safety characteristics of Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF), including fuel safety research and transients, as well as advanced reactor concepts. Accelerating the deployment and extending the availability of ultra-low carbon emitting existing technology (including safety improvements or life extensions for existing nuclear power plants) are also vital pillars of their research. This talk articulates his vision for his research group. He will also highlight recent progress in: advanced manufactured materials to enhance reactor and fuel safety, improved mechanistic modeling of critical heat flux to better understand reactor safety margins, and advanced composite moderators to make high temperature reactors more economic. He will also highlight his teaching, service to the university and profession, and actions taken to help create an inclusive environment.

You can access Dr. Brown’s CV via OneDrive here:  CV_NBrown_11_2025_Redacted.pdf   (University log in required to access).

After the keynote, please provide candidate feedback with our brief survey.