Robert Kerr

  • Postdoctoral Research Associate

  • Area of Specialisation: Small-scale mechanical testing and transmission electron microscopy (TEM)

  • Working across Key Challenge 2, Key Challenge 4.

  1. Robert Kerr is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford working on the micromechanics of irradiated zirconium alloys. His project focuses on understanding how neutron and proton irradiation affect the mechanical properties and deformation behaviour of cladding alloys, using techniques such as nanoindentation, FIB, EBSD, and TEM.

    Rob completed his PhD at Oxford through the Fusion CDT, in collaboration with UKAEA, where he studied plasma-facing tungsten components from the JET fusion reactor. He went on to work as a postdoctoral researcher on the characterisation of superconducting wire for Siemens Healthineers.

    He brings experience in high-resolution materials characterisation and a strong background in nuclear materials to the MIDAS project. His current work involves preparing and analysing irradiated zirconium alloy samples at the active Materials Research Facility (MRF) at Culham, aiming to better understand irradiation-induced damage mechanisms relevant to next-generation nuclear energy systems.

    Get in touch with Robert