Curriculum Vitae

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William C. Dawn

william.dawn@studsvik.com

Education

• Doctor of Philosophy, Nuclear Engineering. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
  • May 2022.
  • Research on unstructured mesh neutron transport methods and multiphysics modeling using GPUs.
  • Developed MEZCAL computer program using scalable finite element methods and exascale computing.
  • Dissertation: “Multiphysics Modeling of Microreactors with Unstructured Mesh Neutron Transport and Exascale Computing Architectures.”
• Master of Science, Nuclear Engineering. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
  • May 2019.
  • Nuclear Engineering University Program (NEUP) Fellow.
  • Developed LUPINE simulation suite to simulate Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors (SFRs).
  • Thesis: “Simulation of Fast Reactors with the Finite Element Method and Multiphysics Models.”
• Bachelor of Science, Nuclear Engineering. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
  • May 2017.
  • Graduated as Valedictorian and Summa Cum Laude.
  • Led senior design team. Responsible for project management and interfacing with corporate sponsor.
  • Senior design project: “A Thermal Test Location in a Sodium Cooled Fast Reactor.”

Publications

• Dawn, William C., Charles Wemple, Joshua Hykes, Rodolfo M. Ferrer, and Joel Rhodes III. “Peacock: Development of a New Continuous Energy Monte Carlo Transport Code.” Transactions of the American Nuclear Society. Volume 131. Nov. 2024.
• Dawn, William C. “A Benchmark for Neutron Kinetics Methods in Hexagonal Geometry.” Nuclear Science and Engineering, 2024. DOI: 10.1080/00295639.2024.2396173
• Dawn, William C., Gerardo Grandi, and Tamer Bahadir. “Initial Validation of SIMULATE5-K and the CMS5 Reactor Modeling Suite with the SPERT-III Experiments” Proceedings of PHYSOR 2024, 2024. San Francisco, CA. DOI: 10.13182/PHYSOR24-43302
• Dawn, William C., Gerardo Grandi, and Tamer Bahadir. “Development and Benchmarking of SIMULATE5-K-VVER.” Annals of Nuclear Energy (195), 2024. DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2023.110146
• Dawn, William C. and Tamer Bahadir. “Development and Benchmarking of Transient Nodal Code SIMULATE5-K Neutron Kinetics Solver for VVERs and Hexagonal Geometries.” Proceedings of M&C 2023, 2023. Niagara Falls, Ontario. Text.
• Dawn, William C. and Scott Palmtag. “Solving the Neutron Transport Equation for Microreactor Modeling Using Unstructured Meshes and Exascale Computing Architectures.” Nuclear Science and Engineering, 2023. DOI: 10.1080/00295639.2023.2189510
• Kiefer, Timothy M., William C. Dawn, Khaldoon Al-Dawood, and Scott Palmtag. “Control Rod Modeling in Liquid Metal-Cooled Fast Reactors.” Proceedings of PHYSOR 2022, 2022. Pittsburgh, PA. DOI: 10.13182/PHYSOR22-37649
• Dawn, William C. and Scott Palmtag. “A Multiphysics Simulation Suite for Liquid Metal-Cooled Fast Reactors.” Annals of Nuclear Energy (159), 2021. DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2021.108213
• Dawn, William C. and Scott Palmtag. “Simplified Thermal Expansion Modeling for Liquid Metal-Cooled Fast Reactors.” Proceedings of M&C 2021, 2021. Raleigh, NC. DOI: 10.13182/M&C21-33702
• Al-Dawood, Khaldoon A., William C. Dawn, and Scott Palmtag. “Multiphysics Simulation of Uranium-Nitride Fueled Lead-Cooled Fast Reactor” Proceedings of M&C 2021, 2021. Raleigh, NC. DOI: 10.13182/M&C21-33708
• Palmtag, Scott, William C. Dawn, and Chase Lawing. “Fast Reactor Depletion Methods in LUPINE” Proceedings of M&C 2021, 2021. Raleigh, NC. DOI: 10.13182/M&C21-33880
• Dawn, William C. and Scott Palmtag. “A Multiphysics Simulation Suite for Sodium Cooled Fast Reactors.” Proceedings of PHYSOR, 2020. Cambridge, UK. EPJ Web Conf, 2021. DOI: 10.1051/epjconf/202124706019
• Dawn, William C., Javier Ortensi, Mark D. Dehart, and Scott P. Palmtag. “Comparison of Generation of Higher-Order Neutron Scattering Cross Sections.” Idaho National Laboratory, 2020. INL/EXT-19-54899. Tech. Report. DOI: 10.2172/1593864
• Dawn, William C. “An Analytic Benchmark for the Solution to the Isotopic Fission Spectrum Mixture Problem.” Idaho National Laboratory, 2020. INL/EXT-19-54998. Tech. Report. DOI: 10.2172/1593873

Patents

• “Intermixing Feedwater Sparger Nozzles and Methods for using the Same in Nuclear Reactors.” US10566097B2.
• “Acoustic Flowmeters and Methods of Using Same.” US10650931B2.
• “Systems and Methods for Airflow Control in Reactor Passive Decay Heat Removal.” US10937557B2.

Poster Presentations

• Dawn, William C. and Scott Palmtag. “Multiphysics Modeling of Microreactors with Unstructured Mesh Neutron Transport and Exascale Computing Architectures.” NEDAC Poster Session (2022). Raleigh, NC. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.29283.22567
• Dawn, William C. “MC² for High Energy Neutron Cross Sections in MPACT for Molten Salt Fueled Reactors.” ORNL NESLS Intern Poster Session (2017). Oak Ridge, TN.
• Dawn, William C. and Scott P. Palmtag. “Increasing Computational Efficiency of Fluid Property Calculations in CTF.” Office of Undergraduate Research Symposium (2017). Raleigh, NC.
• Dawn, William C., Rebeka S. Gottfried, Matthew T. Ingram, Zachary D. Morey, and Charles W. Tait. “A Thermal Test Location in a Sodium Cooled Fast Reactor.” Office of Undergraduate Research Symposium (2017). Raleigh, NC.
  • Awarded Sigma Xi Best Undergraduate Engineering Poster.

Professional Experience

• Senior Nuclear Engineer. Studsvik Scandpower, Inc. Idaho Falls, ID.
  • June 2022 - Present.
  • Peacock Lead Developer.
    • New, continuous energy Monte Carlo code developed entirely from scratch.
    • Developed in C++23 with modern software best-practices (e.g., GitLab version control, unit tests, continuous integeration, etc.).
    • Responsible for implementing all neutron physics including thermal scattering, resolved and unresolved resonances, and depletion.
    • Coordinating team of developers for nuclear data processing and development of input/output processing tools.
  • SIMULATE5/SIMULATE5-K developer.
    • Added capabilities for modeling Pellet-Cladding Mechanical Interaction (PCMI) during transients to support NRC Regulatory Guide 1.236.
    • Implemented and benchmarked SIMULATE5-K-VVER for modeling transients in VVER-1000s and VVER-440s.
    • Developed internal tools for software testing and project management.
• NEUP Intern. Idaho National Laboratory. Idaho Falls, ID.
  • May 2019 - August 2019.
  • Added fast neutron cross section library capabilities to Rattlesnake neutron transport code based on MC² and ISOTXS file format.
  • Used Rattlesnake to investigate effects of higher-order neutron scattering in fast reactor systems.
  • Implemented isotopic fission spectrum mixture into Rattlesnake.
  • Authored two technical reports related to work:
    • “Comparison of Higher-Order Neutron Scattering Cross Sections” (INL/EXT-19-54899)
    • “An Analytic Benchmark for the Solution to the Isotopic Fission Spectrum Mixture Problem” (INL/EXT-19-54998)
• CASL Graduate Assistant. Consortium for Advanced Simulation of LWRs (CASL). Raleigh, NC.
  • May 2018 - August 2019.
  • Developed lesson and lectured on CTF-MPACT coupling and use for practical reactor designs.
  • Provided technical experience and IT support for student reactor design simulations.
  • Contributed to logistical planning for CASL Institute.
• NESLS Engineering Intern. Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Oak Ridge, TN.
  • May 2017 - August 2017.
  • Added fast neutron cross section library capabilities to MPACT neutron transport code via ISOTXS file reader.
  • Simulated fast neutron chloride molten salt reactor in steady-state and depletion simulations.
  • Developed molten salt reactor models in MPACT, MCNP, and Serpent.
  • Proficient in large project coding and source control with git.
• CASL Undergraduate Research Scholar. Consortium for Advanced Simulation of LWRs (CASL). Raleigh, NC.
  • August 2015 - May 2017.
  • Reduced computing time by 30% by improving steam tables in CTF.
  • Performed code comparisons with MCNP to verify energy group structgure in MPACT.
• Edison Engineering Intern – PRISM. GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy LLC. Wilmington, NC.
  • May 2016 - August 2016.
  • Drafted and submitted journal article “PRISM Reference Fuel Design.”
  • Awarded two patents relating to ESBWR and one patent related to PRISM.
  • Developed PRISM General Description Book and prepared public-facing documents for a general audience.
• Edison Engineering Intern – LOCA & Containment. GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy LLC. Wilmington, NC.
  • May 2015 - August 2015.
  • Analyzed reactor transients using TRACG to support 10% power uprate.
  • Created automated data visualization and animation packages using MATLAB.
• Licensed Reactor Operator. NCSU PULSTAR Research Reactor. Raleigh, NC.
  • Licensed by Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to operate all controls at NCSU reactor facility.
  • Experienced in startup, operation, and troubleshooting on 1 MW research reactor.

Technical Skills

• Coding Languages: Fortran, C++, C, Python, MATLAB, LaTeX.
• Simulation Packages: CASMO, SIMULATE, MFEM, DIF3D, MC², REBUS, MCNP, Serpent, MPACT, CTF.

Achievements

• Alan F. Henry/Paul A. Greebler – American Nuclear Society Scholarship (2021).
• College of Engineering Master’s Scholar of the Year (2019).
• Nuclear Engineering University Program (NEUP) Fellowship (2017–2020).
  • Fully funded for three years of graduate school.
  • Nationally recognized Department of Energy (DOE) fellowship.
• Nuclear Engineering University Program (NEUP) Undergraduate Scholarship (2014–2017).
• College of Engineering Outstanding Senior Award for Scholarly Achievement Nominee (2017).
• Awarded Sigma Xi Best Undergraduate Engineering Poster for “A Thermal Test Location in a Sodium Cooled Fast Reactor” (2017).
• American Nuclear Society Scholarship (2014–2018).
• Eagle Scout (2012).