CHAIR

SUMMARY

After graduating from university with two degrees and completing 4 years of active-duty military service, joined Brush Wellman, the world’s largest beryllium company, and ended up spending over 28 years of my career at Brush and Materion, working in many different capacities: Materials Engineer, Sales Engineer, Managing Director of a beryllium-foil manufacturing facility, Director of International Sales & Marketing, and Vice President of Beryllium Sales & Marketing.

It was at Brush that I learned initially about beryllium environmental, health, and safety (EH&S), and about the material’s use in fusion energy research.  Ever since then, have been involved with a variety of fusion research activities around the world, including major projects such as JET, ITER, and DEMO.  Since 2017, worked as an independent consultant for my own company, Be4FUSION LLC and as Project Associate for Beryllium Activities at the ITER Organization in France (2018-2019), the UK Atomic Energy Authority in England (2019-2022), before joining Kyoto Fusioneering (KF) early in 2023, working as a Technical & Business Advisor in the US Office.  

WHY I JOINED BHSC & ITS BOARD

Wanted to use my beryllium-centered experience in commercial industry, independent consulting, and fusion research, to contribute to the BHSC, as the activities over my career have extended across multiple disciplines, of which health and safety is just one.  I like to think that my range of experience has given me a broad perspective about the material and its safe handling, which may not be commonly found.  In addition, fusion research is potentially a new, significant area for large-scale beryllium use, which could play a major role in the material’s EH&S programs moving forward.

EDUCATION & MEMBERSHIPS

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• B.Sc.      Chemistry
• B.Sc.      French Language & Literature, with a minor in German

Member, IEA Fusion Materials Beryllium Working Group since 2009 (Chair 2018-2021)

Chair, 14th IEA International Workshop on Beryllium Technology held in Oct-2019

Co-Founder, BeYOND Industrial Forum (Beryllium Opportunities for New Developments) since 2008

TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS

Active in beryllium technical publishing since 2007, much of it related to health and safety.  Authored or co-authored more than 30 technical papers and one U.S. patent, including:

• Lead author of “Chapter 11: Beryllium Intermetallic Compounds” in the book Beryllium Chemistry & Processing (2009)
• Co-inventor of a U.S. Patent titled Processes for Making Salt Systems Including Beryllium Fluoride (2017)
• Co-author of the ITER Beryllium Management Plan (2019), which details how the ITER Organization would safely handle the 12+ tons of beryllium planned to be used in the reactor.
• Co-author and co-editor of “Beryllium & its Alloys as Neutron Multiplier Materials” part of Comprehensive Nuclear Materials (2020); lead author of the section on Beryllium EH&S in fusion research
• Co-author of Managing Beryllium in Nuclear Facility Applications (2011)