Research Assistant Professor
Biography
Shradha Agarwal performed her PhD thesis in nuclear material science from the French Commission of Atomic and Alternative Energies (CEA), Saclay, France in 2014. Her dissertation was on the study of helium mobility and its effects on the microstructure/physical properties of different advanced ultra-high temperature ceramics (TiC, ZrC and TiN), for their possible use in BISO (Bi-structural isotropic)/TRISO (Tri-structural isotropic) fuel forms for Gen. IV reactors.
In 2015, she joined Tata Steel R&D in the UK as a staff scientist where she worked on various steel metallurgy industrial research projects, including initiating and leading the project on graphene-oxide coated and strengthened steels. She also lead the project on steels for energy applications in the UK while at Tata Steel.
In 2017, she returned to academics and joined the department of material science and engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her current work focuses on two projects : (i) understanding radiation tolerance of SiC based accident tolerant fuel (ATF) claddings for Light Water Reactors (LWR) and (ii) neutron irradiation behavior of novel materials like TiC for nuclear structural applications.
She extensively collaborates with Low Activation Materials Development and Analysis (LAMDA) laboratory at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and various ORNL scientists, University of Kyoto, Japan, and CEA-Saclay, France, for her research.
In her personal time, she enjoys swimming and traveling.