LAURA IBAÑEZ GOMEZ
PhD Student - University of Oxford
Project Title: Understanding microstructure evolution of nuclear reactor components under rapid thermal excursions.
Laura Ibañez has a Master of Chemistry from the University of Aberdeen, where she graduated with the William Rudolph Medal in Chemistry for her Master’s thesis. She worked at the National Spanish Research Council (CSIC) and the Centro Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada in Madrid.
Her doctoral project is sponsored by EPRI and focuses on understanding the evolution of Zr cladding microstructure and mechanical properties under extreme accident conditions such as LOCA and RIA. Laura will work with neutron-irradiated alloys and use techniques such as in situ 4D STEM heating and electro-thermo-mechanical testing for characterisation. This knowledge will contribute to improving the safety and efficiency of nuclear power plants.