Hunter B. Andrews

Hunter Andrews is an R&D Staff Scientist in the Isotope Applications Research Group within the Radioisotopes Science and Technology Division.  His research focus revolves around the development of in-situ, online monitoring tools for complex environments using optical spectroscopy. His main expertise lies in the application of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), a rapid form of spectroscopy capable of elemental analysis regardless of sample form. Dr. Andrews is a leader in the application of LIBS to molten salts for real-time monitoring, characterization, and quantification. Beyond molten salts, he has developed LIBS methods for the analysis of various gas streams, advanced nuclear fuels, biological and environmental samples, geological samples, and liquids from chemical processing. This expansive experience is captured in his more than 70 peer-reviewed publications. His other research interests include molten salt reactor safeguards and operation, analytical chemistry, electrochemistry, spectroelectrochemistry, neutron imaging, inorganic mass spectrometry, chemometrics, and machine learning.

Dr. Andrews received his Ph.D. in Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2020. His graduate research focused on the near-real time material detection through combined implementation of electrochemistry and LIBS for molten salt systems. He first joined ORNL as a postdoctoral researcher in the spring of 2020 and transitioned to staff in the summer of 2021.