Dr Kay Song

My research is driven by my deep belief that the world needs nuclear power and technologies to address key issues such as climate change. I am a materials scientist interested in understanding and improving materials used for nuclear fusion and fission. 

I obtained my physics honours degree from the Australian National University in 2018, with my thesis investigating the effects of helium plasma on the recrystallisation kinetics of tungsten for use in fusion reactor divertors. Following this, I completed my PhD in Engineering at the University of Oxford in 2024, studying ion-irradiation damage in fusion-relevant iron-chromium steels. These research degrees allowed me to develop a fundamental appreciation of applying a range of characterisation techniques to gain a comprehensive understanding of a materials system that no single technique alone can affort. I completed my first postdoc in 2024 at the University of Oxford as a part of the MIDAS programme, where I shifted my focus to zirconium alloys for use in nuclear fission reactor fuel cladding, and I developed detailed electron microscopy and nanoindentation procedures to understand how deformation mechanisms are affected by irradiation.

At UNSW Sydney, my research is focused on shielding materials for compact spherical tokamaks. With the growth of the global fusion industry, private companies are shifting their focus on more compact reactors, which are less resource-intensive to build, to attain the dream of fusion energy. However, this means that the radiation exposure of the reactor components, particularly the magnetic confinment sections, will be more intense. This demands better shielding materials to ensure safe and efficient reactor operation. In this project, I apply my experimental expertise in microscopy, synchrotron X-rays, and mechanical testing to build a complete understanding of how these materials will behave in the reactor environment.