Michael Short

Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering, MIT

The Mesoscale Nuclear Materials group focuses on the trickly, coupled problems hindering carbon-free, baseload energy from being achieved at the pace which we all want. Our motto is “nuclear materials at the speed of thought,” so we develop far faster ways of measuring effects on materials as they happen. This way, advanced fission and fusion power can be introduced within the decade. Our group is heavily collaborative and experimental, with modeling & simulation often providing insight and understanding into what we measure. Mike holds four degrees from MIT, and despite constant & copious travel has never really left the Institute. He is passionate about teaching and hands-on mentoring, believing strongly that if one works hard on the scientist and person in front of you, great science will naturally follow. He also believes that science is the last bastion of diplomacy in an increasingly polarized, fractured world.