MICHAEL SIMPSON

For 17 years I worked for U.S. national laboratories on the leading front of nuclear energy research. This experience connected me with the real needs of our nation in the areas of nuclear energy and nuclear waste management. I helped develop technologies that truly can be rolled out and implemented to contribute to our nation's long term energy security. I also gained tremendous perspective into the associated national security issues and have put development of safeguards and non-proliferation technology at the top of my list of research goals. Since 2013, I have had the pleasure and satisfaction of directly engaging with undergrads, gra students, and post-docs at the University of Utah. I have expanded my research scope to include molten salts to be used in advanced nuclear reactors. My primary focus continues to be on closing the nuclear fuel cycle via actinide separations and recycle from a number of spent fuel sources (oxides, metals, and salts). Electrochemistry plays a major role in this research as it can be used for detection, measurement, and separation in molten salts.