Engineering Seminar: Harmony in Science and Engineering (5 Nov)

Engineering Institute Lecture Series
Sponsored by Engineering Institute, ASME, IEEE, and ANS

Title: Harmony in Science and Engineering

Presented by: Liviu Popa-Simil, Ph.D., PMP; President, LAVM, LLC

Date: Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Time: 3:30 – 5:00 PM
Location: Los Alamos Research Park, Conference Room 203A

Abstract: Micro-nano technology is much more than a fashionable term. In the case of nuclear materials, this new scientific field may represent the path toward accelerated progress yielding a fantastic increase in performance as well as application range.

Analyzing actual nuclear devices from the perspective of harmony compliance, we observe that much remains to be accomplished. Matching the process kinematics with the material’s internal structure where the process takes place generates a large palette of solutions and potential developments as follows:

1. Micro-hetero structures
2. Nano-hetero structures
3. Nano-structures nuclear radiation guiding
4. Nano-clustered structures
5. Self-repair from radiation damage.

All these advances in nano-technology, applied in nuclear materials, allow the engineering of new structures and applications. Nuclear fission-based power alone is capable of sustaining the actual Earth energy needs for about 10,000 years if appropriately developed and applied to be safer and more secure. These advances may also contribute to space exploration with new propulsion systems and a new generation of directed-energy devices able to render wars unattractive and open a new era of peace, collaboration, and prosperity, because with enough energy all the other resources may be obtained.

Biography: Liviu Popa-Simil, Nuclear Engineer, Physicist, Ph.D., US citizen born in Romania, with 30 years experience. Executive director of Los Alamos Academy of Science, a local nonprofit organization, dedicated for betterment of society, and President of LAVM LLC, a private research company in nuclear applications, THz imaging, security, and computers. In 1981, he obtained his Ms.Sc. in Technological Physics, in FBR, with dissertation work in Uranium Enrichment with selective laser driven chemistry in plasma jets.

In 2000, he obtained his Ph.D. in Nuclear, Atomic and Molecular Physics, with dissertation work in Material Characterization with nuclear methods, from the University of Bucharest and Institute for Atomic Physics of Romania. He became specialized in accelerators and nuclear medicine at CERN and USPAS. He gathered scientific expertise in Japan, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland, and in the U.S.

Work experience:

1981-2000: Senior researcher, project manager at NIPNE-HH, charged with special applications of nuclear methods in industry and the military domain, and conversion of accelerator for nuclear medicine and environment;
1987-1992: Associate professor, Polytechnic Institute of Bucharest, Physics Department;
1990-2000: Technical director at private companies for industrial process automation;
2002-2004: TSM-PRA at LANL, environmental division dealing with TRU-waste RTR and MST-8, working for AFCI, invited scientist of D5 in 2005. Over 40 LAURs and 6 LADs;
2006: Consultant for energy-related applications for Los Alamos-based companies;
2007: President of LAVM LLC, cooperating with SNL on molecular dynamics and accelerator- related topics;

Life Member of ANS, senior member IEEE, Past Member of PMI (PMP), ASNT, MRS, AIAA, NACE, APS, etc.

Over 200 peer reviewed publications, 500 communications at conferences, seminars, workshops, over 10 patent applications, granted 4 patents, 4 book chapters (2 in print), 6 books.

–OPEN TO THE PUBLIC–

For more information contact the institutional host Chuck Farrar,�farrar@lanl.gov, 663-5330.