Location
2958B Cooley
Biography
Additional Title
- Charles and Elizabeth Schrock Faculty Development Professor
Research Interests
Dr. Kochunas’ research focus is on the next generation of numerical methods and parallel algorithms for high fidelity computational reactor physics. His areas of expertise include neutron transport, nuclide transmutation, multi-physics, parallel programming, and HPC architectures.
During his time as a PhD student he initiated development of the MPACT code that became the main deterministic neutronics tool within the CASL (Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors) project and subsequently within VERA (Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications). MPACT was not only born out of his PhD research but has also become a central research tool in the work of more than 14 other PhD students in the NERS department.
News
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Brendan Kochunas honored with NERS Departmental Faculty Award from Michigan Engineering
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NERS hosts Harper Academy 4 Future Nuclear Engineers
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Real-time modeling of 3D temperature distributions within nuclear microreactors to improve safety systems
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Brendan Kochunas honored with ANS Early Career Reactor Physicist Award
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NERS to support U-M, Los Alamos National Laboratory collaboration
Education
University of Michigan
PhD Nuclear Engineering ’13
Dissertation: A Hybrid Parallel Algorithm for the 3-D Method of Characteristics Solution of the Boltzmann Transport Equation on High Performance Compute Clusters
University of California Berkeley
MSE Nuclear Engineering ’08
Thesis: Advanced Simulations of Light Water Reactor Cores for Transuranic Recycle
Purdue University
BS Nuclear Engineering ’06
Graduated with distinction
Minor in Philosophy
Professional Service
- 2019-present: Assistant Professor, Nuclear Engineering & Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan
- 2014-2019: Assistant Research Scientist, Nuclear Engineering & Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan
- 2016-2018: Adjunct Lecturer, Nuclear Engineering & Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan
- 2013-2014: Post-Doctoral Researcher, Nuclear Engineering & Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan
- 2009-2013: Graduate Student Research Assistant, Nuclear Engineering & Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan
- 2009: Graduate Student Instructor, Nuclear Engineering & Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan
- 2008: Research Aide, Argonne National Laboratory
- 2007-2008: Graduate Research Assistant, Nuclear Engineering, University of California Berkeley
- 2005-2006: Undergraduate Research Assistant, Nuclear Engineering, Purdue University
- 2004: Co-op/Intern, Nuclear Fuels Group, Tennessee Valley Authority
Honors and Awards
- 2024 – ANS Early Career Reactor Physicist Award
- 2022 – DOE-NE Distinguished Early Career Program Award
- 2016/2017 – Ted Kennedy Family Faculty Team Excellence Award
- 2016 – ANS Best Paper, Annual Conference; “A Space-Dependent Wielandt Shift for Multigroup Diffusion Eigenvalue Problems,” B. Yee, E. Larsen, B. Kochunas, Y. Xu, Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc., 114, 753-756 (2016).
- 2013 – Finalist for Richard F. and Eleanor A. Towner Prize for Outstanding PhD Research
- 2012 – Richard F. and Eleanor A. Towner Prize for Distinguished Academic Achievement
- 2011 – CASL “Knight” Award for Technical Contributor of the Year; First recipient, and only graduate student to receive this award. Competed against all technical contributors in CASL (e.g. laboratory staff and members of industry, post-docs, senior researchers, etc.). Can only receive once.
- 2010 – Fuel Cycle Innovations Award, 3rd Place
- 2010 – Distinguished Service Award for 2010 Student ANS Conference
- 2007-2008 – AFCI/GNEP Fellowship
- 2005, 2006 – Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
- 2005-2006 – National Academy for Nuclear Training Scholarship