Research Area and Descriptors
       Fusion engineering and plasma physics.

Background
       Zach Friis started his postsecondary education in the late 90's at a local Vocational School where he gained practical "hands-on"  experience in electronics technology. After graduating Valdosta Technical College with high honors, he went on to attend Valdosta State University. At Valdosta State University, Zach progressed towards a Bachelor's of Science in Physics with a minor in Mathematics while working as a student research assistant in Astronomy. Using his background in electronics, he and a small team working underneath a DOE POWRE grant, built and successfully tested a small radio telescope. He also gained value knowledge of non-linear optics during his senior design project where he grew ADP crystals to observe their frequency doubling capabilities. After graduating Cum Laude from Valdosta State University in 2003, Zach matriculated into the Georgia Institute of Technology where he began his studies in Nuclear and Radiological engineering. He received his Master's degree in the Fall of 2005 for his thesis topic "An Investigation of MARFE Induced H-L Back-Transitions." Literally two days after handing in his Master's Thesis, Zach flew to Germany to work at TEXTOR for the remainder of the semester. He was able to work in Germany because a fellowship awarded from the ISEP at Argonne National Lab.  While working at TEXTOR, he used analyses of previous experiments to propose a brand new series of density limit experiments. He is currently analyzing those experiments and formulating a PhD dissertation topic.

Research
       Zach's current research is somewhat of a continuation of his previous work for his Master's Thesis. His primary interest are what effects  do neutral particle recycling play on edge phenomena. For his PhD topic, he will most certainly be examining several edge phenomena such as MARFE formation and the L-H transition in a couple of Tokamaks. Of particular interest is what effect poloidal flow in the edge has on the neutral particle distribution and the resulting effect on the edge phenomena. For his examination, Zach is utilizing the GTNEUT code, developed by Dr. Zhang and Dr. Mandrekas, for his neutral particle analysis.

Distinctions

Alpha Chi

Sigma Pi Sigma

W. M. Stacey, et al. 2005. "A Subcritical, Gas-Cooled Fast Transmutation Reactor with a Fusion Neutron Source" Nucl. Tech 150, no. 2, 162-188

Contact Information

 

Phone:	(404) 894-7730
Fax:	(404) 894-3733
Office:	Neely, Room G111A
E-mail:	gtg707s@mail.gatech.edu