An Inside Look at the Idaho National Lab

Description

Join us for a 'modified' tour and introduction to the Idaho National Lab (INL) with Dr. Robert C. O'Brien, Director of Advanced Manufacturing – Nuclear, Energy, Defense & Space. Unknown to many, Idaho National Laboratory is more than the United States’ nuclear energy laboratory. INL performs research and development in all four of the Department of Energy mission areas: energy, national security, environmental stewardship, and science. The research undertaken is what is beyond the scope, capability or budget of academia and industry. INL’s Advanced Manufacturing efforts address issues relevant to Laboratory missions, but as is often the case, developments in one area can be applied to many other issues beyond the Lab’s needs. This presentation will address the motivations behind INL’s Advanced Manufacturing initiatives as well as provide an overview of capabilities and provide cutting-edge manufacturing research and development examples. Dr. Robert O’Brien will provide a lively and descriptive presentation of the INL research, and participants are encouraged to ask any and all questions they may have about INL’s many areas of research.

Dr. Robert O’Brien is currently the Group Leader for Advanced Manufacturing at Idaho National Laboratory and conducts research in the areas of advanced manufacturing and intelligent systems. He earned a master’s degree in Physics with Space Science and Technology (2006) as well as a PhD in Physics Research (2010) from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. He holds one U.S. patent and is named on a second patent application; Dr. O’Brien has authored or co-authored numerous technical articles and presentations in his relatively short career. His research interests began in nuclear applications for space research but have grown to include how to fabricate and manufacture the components necessary for a wide variety of applications.