Steve Zinkle, Ph.D. The Governor’s Chair for Nuclear Materials is Steve Zinkle. Zinkle investigates the effect of radiation on materials in fission and fusion nuclear reactors. His research aims to develop high-performance, radiation-resistant materials for advanced nuclear fission and fusion energy applications. The nuclear scientist is also researching accident-tolerant fuel systems for reactors in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster in Japan.
