Title:

Plasma Transport & Materials Interactions for Magnetic Fusion and Microelectronic Components

Speaker:

Dr. Robert T. (Bob) McGrath

Affiliation:

Georgia Tech Research Institute

When:

Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 11:00:00 AM   Add to Calendar

Where:

Boggs Building, Room 3-47, 3rd FL

Host:

Farzad Rahnema
farzad@gatech.edu
(404) 894-3731

Abstract

Fossil fuel consumption in the U.S. alone results in emission of almost 6,000 million metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere each year. Consequently, there is a pressing need to diversify domestic and global energy sources. In the decades ahead, wind, solar, and biofuels will mitigate, but not eliminate, our present dependence on fossil fuels. In long term, hydrogen fusion has the potential to provide an inexhaustible supply of clean energy. For example, a 1,000 MW fusion power plant would annually produce only 4 pounds of helium “waste.” One of the central problems in successfully achieving sustained thermonuclear fusion reactions for energy production within a tokamak reactor is control of the boundary layer plasma region. Consequently, design and materials selection for plasma facing surfaces are among the most critical issues for tokamaks. Interestingly, the physics and engineering lessons learned in these 10 meter diameter tokamak systems are directly applicable in plasma processes used to define nano scale features required for microelectronic computer chip manufacturing. I would be remiss in my presentation if I didn’t also take the opportunity to tell you about the exciting ongoing work within the Georgia Tech Research Institute. GTRI is an R&D powerhouse that is home to over 1500 outstanding people who annually provide over $200 million worth of applied engineering solutions for the federal government. GTRI scientists and engineers work on advanced radar systems; autonomous vehicles for land, sea and air surveillance; specialized sensors for a wide variety of applications; as well as an exciting array of cyber security and information management systems for defense and commercial usage.

Biography

Robert T. McGrath, Ph.D. serves as vice president at the Georgia Institute of Technology and director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). Prior to joining GTRI in 2011, McGrath worked in a number of capacities with Battelle Memorial Institute supporting a variety of R&D programs, national laboratory and university partnerships, STEM education initiatives and the Battelle-managed National Renewable Energy Laboratory, where he served as deputy director. From 2004-2008, McGrath served as senior VP for research at The Ohio State University, and was a tenured professor in material science/engineering, and physics. Under his leadership, Ohio State's research and development grew dramatically to more than $740 million per year, ranking it ninth among U.S. academic institutions. Between 1996-2004, McGrath was professor of engineering at Penn State University, where he also served as associate VP for research, director of strategic/interdisciplinary initiatives, and director of the Marine Corps Research University. From 1981-1998, McGrath worked for Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he directed programs such as cooperative research and development with SEMATECH on microelectronics manufacturing, high performance computing applications, and international collaborations with Japan, Europe and the former Soviet Union on plasma-materials interactions and engineering of high heat flux components for magnetic fusion reactors. McGrath received his Ph.D. in nuclear science/engineering from The University of Michigan and earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Penn State University in engineering sciences, mathematics/physics.