https://nuclear.engr.utexas.edu/research/radlab

Dr. Derek Haas is an Associate Professor, the Area Coordinator for Nuclear and Radiation Engineering, and holds the Chevron Centennial Fellowship No. 2 in the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. Outside his role as a professor, he is also a consultant to nuclear energy development companies and co-founder of NuWells Energy.

His research interests focus on radiation detection for nuclear arms control, non-proliferation, and advanced reactor design and licensing. This includes the fundamental physics of radioactive decay processes, fission yields, environmental transport of radionuclides, and radiation detection techniques. Dr. Haas’s research is primarily experimental and uses the 1.1 MW TRIGA Mark II reactor at The University of Texas at Austin. He is the lead of the team at UT Austin collaborating on the Natura Resources Molten Salt Research Reactor at Abilene Christian University and is the co-PI on the Molten Salt Reactor Digital Twin project at UT Austin.

In addition to his research, Dr. Haas is involved in nuclear energy policy and workforce development. He was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the Texas Advanced Nuclear Reactor Working Group to develop a plan to grow the nuclear industry in Texas. He currently serves as the UT Austin representative to the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) and Board of the Texas Nuclear Alliance.

Dr. Haas previously served as a surrogate inspector from the United States for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and a technical advisor for U.S. nuclear arms control and non-proliferation policy development. He also contributed to the analysis of the Fukushima nuclear reactor accident and nuclear tests in the Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea.

Dr. Haas joined the faculty of The University of Texas at Austin after eight years at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory where he worked as a Senior Research Engineer in the National Security Directorate. He earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from UT Austin.

Selected Publications

1. Barron, DC, ME Pasman, BA De Luna, EJ Artnak, DA Haas. Design and Modeling of a Fast Neutron Beam at a Research Reactor. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment. (2021) https://doi.org/10.1016/J.NIMA.2021.165284
2. Hashem, N, M Pryor, D Haas, J Hunter. Design of a Computed Tomography Automation Architecture. Applied Sciences: Special Issue – Nondestructive Testing (NDT) Volume II. (2021) https://doi.org/10.3390/app11062858
3. De Luna, BA, JL Lapka, A Dolocan, DA Haas. Characterization of Select Physical and Thermal Properties of Crystalline 97% 10B Powder. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment. (2021) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2021.165232
4. Foxe, M, T Bowyer, I Cameron, M Cooper, J Hayes, D Haas, L. Lidey, M Mayer, J Mendez, J Slack. Design and Operation of the U.S. Radionuclide Noble Gas Laboratory of the CTBTO. Pure and Applied Geophysics (2020) https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-020-02591-0
5. De Luna, BA, DA Haas, DC Barron, EJ Artnak. Design of an In-core Fission-Spectrum Neutron Irradiation Facility with Pneumatic Sample Transfer at a Research Reactor. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 957, pp 163292 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2019.163292
6. Phathanapirom, UB, DA Haas, BD Leibowicz. A Game-Theoretic Approach to Nuclear Fuel Cycle Transition Analysis Under Uncertainty. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 137 pp 107112 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ANUCENE.2019.107112
7. Byers, MF, DA Haas, BS Barth, J Lowrey. Adsorption of tracer gases in geological media: experimental benchmarking. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 322-3 pp 1621-1626 (2019) https://doi.org/10.1007/S10967-019-06768-3
8. Brennan, C, D Haas, S Landsberger, E Artnak, G Bator, T Kovacs. A feasibility study on the determination of 90Sr food-chain transfer using stable strontium as a surrogate and neutron activation analysis. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 208-209 pp 105988 (2019) https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JENVRAD.2019.105988
9. Byers, MF, MJ Paul, DA Haas, SR Biegalski, BA De Luna, BS Barth. Evaluation of carbon tetrafluoride as a xenon surrogate for underground gas transport. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 318-1 pp 465-470 (2018) https://doi.org/10.1007/S10967-018-6135-3
10. Hashem, NR, DA Haas, MW Pryor. MeV photon imaging with robotic sample positioning at a research reactor. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 318-1 pp 599-604 (2018) https://doi.org/10.1007/S10967-018-6151-3