Associate Professor Edward Obbard

My Expertise

As Director of the UNSW Nuclear Innovation Centre, I lead the UNSW program of nuclear engineering research, education, and social engagement. I am program coordinator of the postgraduate nuclear courses at UNSW. As a nuclear materials engineer, my research in nuclear materials develops nuclear fuel materials that open new design possibilities in high temperature, space and deployable nuclear technology.

Invited expert in IAEA member state support program task: Exploratory Cooperation on Safeguards Applications of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT)
Leading 3-year Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering program 2023-2025 for Accelerated Qualification of Nuclear fuels, part of $21.7m SUNRISE nuclear research consortium.
2021 Innovation in Global Security Prize, Geneva Centre for Security Policy for development of first blockchain prototype for nuclear materials accounting and control (NMAC).
CI on ARC Linkage Project ($665k + $360k from Tokamak Energy and partners, incl. ANSTO) to develop advanced shielding materials for Tokamak fusion reactors
Convening advanced postgraduate courses in: Reactor Physics (ENGG9742), Nuclear Safety Security and Safeguards (ENGG9744) and Introduction to Nuclear Engineering (ENGG9741).

RELEVANT INDUSTRY SECTORS

Nuclear engineers in Australia work in vital industry, government and research.

Nuclear medicine
Uranium mining
Radiation safety
Research
Safety critical systems
Nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear safeguards
Nuclear regulatory agencies
Nuclear engineering education and training

Fields of Research (FoR)

Nuclear Engineering (incl. Fuel Enrichment and Waste Processing and Storage), Metals and Alloy Materials, Mineralogy and Crystallography, Condensed Matter Physics, Synchrotrons; Accelerators; Instruments and Techniques, Radiation and Matter, Energy Generation, Conversion and Storage Engineering, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety, Performance Evaluation; Testing and Simulation of Reliability, Virtual Reality and Related Simulation, Design Innovation

SEO tags

Nuclear Energy

Materials performance and processes

Energy

Workplace Safety

Technological and Organisational Innovation

Biography

I am a nuclear materials engineer in the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, UNSW Sydney. I obtained my PhD in materials science in 2010, at the Chinese Academy of Science Institute of Metal Research and I previously studied Mechanical Design, Materials and Manufacture at the University of Nottingham, UK. I apply fundamental knowledge of materials to industrial problems in nuclear and manufacturing engineering. I have researched manufacture and repair technology in the gas turbine power industry. At the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, I designed, then managed the construction and commissioning of a hot cell facility for nuclear materials research and radioactive materials testing. I also designed, and performed engineering analysis of, nuclear materials testing facilities that are now part of the Open-Pool Australian Light-water Reactor.

Nuclear energy allows human development in a carbon constrained energy economy, while providing our best chance of preserving the Earth's biodiversity under future climatic conditions influenced by global warming. At UNSW Sydney, I research new materials and technology that enhance the safe and sustainable deployment of nuclear energy. This includes my original field of materials science, plus essentially human focused research such as virtual reality tools for remote handling and blockchain (shared ledger) systems for nuclear materials tracking. I teach courses on the UNSW MEng.Sci in nuclear engineering and I contribute to space engineering research.