Personal profile
Biography
Dr. Weaver has spent much of his career in advanced reactor design and analysis, where he has initiated and executed complex test programs and contributed to designs for advanced nuclear reactor concepts. His experience has allowed him to focus on some of the critical technical challenges facing advanced reactor concepts, such as the development and testing of advanced nuclear fuels and materials. Dr. Weaver re-joined the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in the spring of 2018 where he is the Chief Technical Officer for the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), was the technical lead/PI for all INL work supporting the Westinghouse eVinci microreactor, supported a mobile microreactor project, served as Director of Experimental Capabilities for the Versatile Test Reactor (VTR), and supported the effort for integrated transient testing of advanced reactor fuels. Before re-joining INL, Dr. Weaver worked at TerraPower from 2007 to 2018, holding various positions including Technical Fellow, Director of Technology Integration, and Director of Technology Development. In these capacities he was responsible for identifying, developing, and maintaining domestic and international joint programs and relationships that supported TerraPower technology development for their various advanced reactor programs. Before joining TerraPower, Dr. Weaver worked at the INL for more than nine years (1998-2007) in various capacities, all related to the development and use of advanced nuclear reactor concepts. Dr. Weaver is the author/co-author of more than 90 publications and technical reports in nuclear science and engineering, and is a co-author of a textbook on fast spectrum reactors. He holds a BS degree in physics, and PhD degree in nuclear engineering.
Education/Academic qualification
PhD, Nuclear Engineering, University of Utah
Award Date: Dec 15 1998
Bachelor, Physics, minors in Math and Spanish, Brigham Young University
Award Date: Apr 15 1993
External positions
Outgoing Joint Appointment, University of Utah
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Burnable Absorber Tri structural Isotropic Particles and Related Methods and Fuel Compacts
Weaver, K. (Inventor), 2023, (In preparation)Research output: Patent
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A neutronics investigation simulating fast reactor environments in the thermal-spectrum advanced test reactor
Curnutt, B., Woolstenhulme, N., Nielsen, J., Oldham, N., Weaver, K., Jensen, C. & Fradeneck, A., Feb 2022, In: Nuclear Engineering and Design. 387, 111623.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access8 Scopus citations -
Anisotropic temperature-dependent elastic constants and thermal conductivities of TRISO particle coatings
Evans, J. A., Lebensohn, R. A., Harter, J. R. & Weaver, K. D., Jul 2022, In: Journal of Nuclear Materials. 565, 153718.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access7 Scopus citations -
Burnable absorbers in nuclear reactors – A review
Evans, J. A., DeHart, M. D., Weaver, K. D. & Keiser, D. D., May 2022, In: Nuclear Engineering and Design. 391, 111726.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Open Access71 Scopus citations -
Preconceptual Design of Multifunctional Gas-Cooled Cartridge Loop for the Versatile Test Reactor: Instrumentation and Measurement—Part II
Sabharwall, P., Weaver, K., Anand, N. K., Ellis, C., Sun, X., Choi, H., Chen, D., Christensen, R., Fronk, B. M., Gess, J., Hassan, Y., Jovanovic, I., Manera, A., Petrov, V., Vaghetto, R., Balderrama-Prieto, S., Burak, A. J., Burger, M., Cardenas-Melgar, A. & Orea, D. & 7 others, , Jul 7 2022, In: Nuclear Science and Engineering. 196, sup1, p. 215-233 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access9 Scopus citations
Prizes
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Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Laboratory Director Award (Vision Award)
Weaver, K. (Recipient), 2020
Prize: Honorary award
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Pacific Basin Nuclear Conference (PBNC) 2016 Best Paper Award
Weaver, K. (Recipient), 2016
Prize: Honorary award
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Idaho National Engineering & Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) Fellowship, summer 1998
Weaver, K. (Recipient), 1998
Prize: Honorary award