Levi Kirby, a PhD student in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, has been selected as one of 60 participants for the highly competitive 2021 National School on Neutron and X-Ray Scattering to be held virtually from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory. By attending the NX School, Kirby will learn the use of major neutron and X-ray facilities at the national labs for his PhD research. More specifically, he will learn to use neutron and X-ray scattering techniques provided by the Argonne National Laboratory to examine the structures of 3D printed energetic composites and better understand the void damage generation. 

"I am grateful to have been accepted into the 23rd National School on Neutron and X-Ray Scattering which presents the opportunity to advance my research in ways not attainable elsewhere," said Kirby, who also conducts research at the Iowa Technology Institute within the College of Engineering. "The state-of-the-art facilities and equipment will give real-time characterization of the inner structure of heterogeneous 3D printed composites allowing for crucial design improvements."

The National School on Neutron and X-Ray Scattering educates graduate students in the use of major neutron and x-ray facilities. Lectures, presented by researchers from academia, industry, and national laboratories, include basic tutorials on the principles of scattering theory and the characteristics of the sources, as well as seminars on the application of scattering methods to a variety of scientific subjects. Students will conduct short remote experiments at Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source and at Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Spallation Neutron Source and High Flux Isotope Reactor, which provides hands-on experience using neutron and synchrotron sources.

"I am very glad that Argonne National Lab selected Levi as one of the participants for this year's NX School," said Xuan Song, assistant professor of industrial and systems engineering and Kirby's PhD advisor. "This provides a great opportunity for Levi to communicate with graduate students from different research areas and gain hands-on experience using the most advanced neutron and synchrotron sources at the national labs."

For more information on the NX School, visit neutrons.ornl.gov/nxs.