Steven J Zinkle

Steven J Zinkle serves as the Governor's Chair for Nuclear Materials with a joint appointment in the University of Tennessee Departments of Nuclear Engineering and Materials Science & Engineering. Appointed in August 2013 from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), he maintains strong dual affiliations with both UT Knoxville and ORNL, where he continues to conduct cutting-edge research in nuclear materials science.

Dr. Zinkle's research interests focus on developing high-performance, radiation-resistant materials for advanced nuclear fission and fusion energy applications. His work spans radiation effects in materials, deformation and fracture mechanisms in structural materials, fusion and fission reactor materials, materials processing under extreme conditions, microstructure-property relationships, thermal and electrical conductivity of materials, transmission electron microscopy, accident tolerant fuel systems, and nonequilibrium and additive manufacturing processes. His research program aims to build better nuclear reactors through fundamental understanding of materials behavior under radiation.

Zinkle's publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on radiation damage mechanisms, with recent work integrating advanced computational techniques like deep learning for materials analysis. His research spans fundamental studies of defect formation and evolution to applied work on accident-tolerant fuel systems following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Recent publications show increasing interdisciplinary work combining materials science with computational methods to accelerate materials discovery and characterization.

• Member of the National Academy of Engineering (2012)
• US Dept. of Energy Ernest Orlando Lawrence Memorial Award (2006)
• Fellow of American Physical Society, Materials Research Society, TMS, AAAS, ANS, ASM International, and American Ceramic Society
• ORNL Corporate Fellow (2004)
• ANS Mishima Award (2007)
• Robert W. Cahn Award (2010)
• University Wisconsin College of Engineering Distinguished Achievement Award (2010)

Dr. Zinkle has mentored 11 postgraduate scholars directly (4 as primary advisor, 7 as co-advisor) and served on numerous thesis committees for graduate students worldwide. His professional service is extensive, including leadership roles in DOE Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee, multiple editorial board positions, and service on advisory panels for national laboratories and international research organizations. He has been instrumental in shaping national research directions in nuclear materials through his committee work.

Zinkle leads research within ORNL's Physical Sciences Directorate, Materials Science and Technology Division, with strong connections to UT Knoxville's nuclear engineering programs. His work often involves collaborative projects with international partners, including research institutions in Japan, France, and China, reflecting the global nature of fusion energy research.