Artem Lunev

Professional Summary

Senior R&D Engineer & Computational Scientist with 15 years of experience turning complex physics into high-performance, production-ready software and experimental methodologies. Led the development of mission-critical solvers for real-time laser control (Huawei), next-generation analytical instruments (Netzsch), and nuclear fusion research (UKAEA). Core competency: bridging the gap between deep physical models and extreme computational efficiency, achieving sub-millisecond latency and 15-20x speedups through algorithmic innovation and low-level optimisation. Specialises in materials characterisation, thermal analysis, and multi-scale modelling.

Technical Skills

Professional Experience

• Developed a software toolkit (C/C++ with intrinsics) for real-time prediction of mechanical deformation in laser-heated plates using spectral collocation methods resulting in <40ms latency.
• Increased time integration efficiency of spectral collocation and spectral element solvers implementing a combined DUMKA3 / TR-BDF2 multi-rate integration scheme (15-20x performance boost compared to Euler) .
• Wrote custom SIMD routines (AVX2/AVX-512) and optimised memory layouts, improving computational throughput by 2-3x over standard libraries on target hardware.
• Led team efforts to build a low-latency (<2ms) real-time trajectory planner (Python) based on a non-linear multi-objective optimisation problem connected to optical aberrations.
• Led team efforts to apply order reduction in thermo-mechanical modelling by using explicit model order reduction (MOR / POD) and implicit (spectral elements and spectral collocation) techniques.

• Developed novel analytical methodologies for complex materials, including a Rietveld refinement technique treating atomic positions in thin-film MOFs as optimisation variables to track solvent-induced structural evolution (contributed to Materials Horizons).
• Identified and modelled a primary source of systematic error in Laser Flash Analysis (LFA) for highly conductive materials, linking it to laser beam re-reflection and IR detector overload, and proposed a corrected physical model (published in Applied Physics Letters).
• Quantified the error (>10% in diffusivity) introduced by the classical diathermic model at low Planck numbers (Np). Established Np > 3.5 as the validity criterion and developed a comprehensive coupled radiative-conductive model with circumferential heat fluxes for accurate analysis outside this range (published in Advanced Functional Materials).
• Applied computational modelling and analytical techniques to deconvolute measurement artefacts from intrinsic material properties, improving the accuracy of thermal diffusivity data.

• Oversaw the full systems development for LFA 4x7 / 7x7 instruments, including pulse generation & delivery (Pockels cell), vacuum/gas systems, detection systems, and temperature measurement/calibration for furnace stability control.
• Led the complete redevelopment of the backend for the Proteus LFA analysis software (v8.5.0+), identified and remediated critical implementation errors in analysis models, reducing overall measurement uncertainty from 20% to 3%.
• Developed and implemented an improved pulse mapping technique based on multi-stage nonlinear optimisation and PCHIP interpolation.
• Designed novel sample holders to simultaneously minimise parasitic radiation and contact resistance while also introducing sample size adaptability, leading to improved measurement accuracy and reliability (patents: US20230100308A1, EP4343293A1).
• Initiated and managed an international research collaboration combining LFA, X-ray tomography, and FEM to model heat conduction in metal foams, resulting in joint publications (e.g., International Journal of Thermal Sciences).

• Led experimental investigations into radiation, corrosion, and high-temperature resistance of fusion reactor materials (e.g., divertor, first wall) under operational loads (temperature, ion fluxes) and accident scenarios (oxidising atmosphere, plasma disruptions), using spatially-correlated surface-sensitive techniques (Raman spectroscopy, confocal microscopy, EBSD) and thermal analysis.
• Established advanced protocols for thermal analysis (Flash DSC, Nano/Pico-TR) and microstructural characterisation of irradiated materials, and led procurement of specialised instrumentation.
• Coordinated international research collaborations with UK academic partners (University of Huddersfield, Manchester, Birmingham) and Russian institutions, managing projects from experimental design to data analysis.
• Developed PULsE, an open-source, platform-independent framework for thermal analysis, featuring a novel full radiative-conductive coupling model for LFA and a dynamic plugin architecture for extensible thermal modelling.
• Conducted computational materials science research using molecular dynamics and dislocation dynamics to study defect evolution and mechanical properties in nuclear materials, resulting in Q1 publications.

• Performed large-scale molecular dynamics simulations (LAMMPS) on HPC clusters to study dislocation dynamics in UO₂, with key findings published in high-impact journals (e.g., International Journal of Plasticity).
• Developed methods for creating controlled defect configurations via applied shear stress and automated dislocation trajectory analysis using OVITO and custom Python scripts.
• Built a prototype mesoscale solver to simulate collective dislocation dynamics, predicting polygonisation conditions—a key degradation mechanism in ceramics under irradiation.
• Validated multi-scale models against experimental data and contributed to the field's discourse as a co-editor of a special issue in Defect and Diffusion Forum.
• Recognised with the Young Researcher Award (2nd Place) at the NuMat 2016 conference for contributions to the field.

• Modelled high burn-up nuclear fuel behaviour: fabricated SIMFUEL-type samples in Obninsk, then performed ion irradiation experiments (Swift Heavy Ions: Xe, 90 MeV; Low-Energy Ions: Xe, 320 keV & He, 20 keV) at JINR cyclotrons (Dubna) to analyse microstructural reconfiguration and HBS formation.
• Studied the thermal stability of advanced nitride fuels (e.g., (U,Mm)N) using TGA/DSC up to 2400°C in high-purity helium, successfully extracting activation energies and chemical stages of decomposition to advance the understanding of UN degradation.
• Developed characterisation protocols using SEM/EDX and tunnelling microscopy for detailed microstructural investigation of irradiated and fabricated materials.
• Contributed to the development and metrological calibration of the "Kvant" thermal conductivity measurement instrument, designing software and verifying performance with reference samples.
• Authored and co-authored multiple research papers in journals including Journal of Nuclear Materials, documenting findings on radiation damage and fuel fabrication.

Honours & Awards

• Scholarship of the President of the Russian Federation (2012-2014).
• Young Researcher Award (2nd Place, NuMat 2016 Conference).
• IAEA Conference Grants to present research on fuel performance at the International WWER Fuel Performance Meetings (2013, 2017).
• Additional academic awards including Research Fellowship, Postgraduate Student Award, and Promising Lecturer Award.

Patents

• Lunev, A. et al. "Sample holder for holding a plate-shaped sample in a laser/light flash analysis." US20230100308A1, EP4343293A1 (2023).
• Lunev, A. et al. "Device for the Determination of Temperature Parameters with Adjustable Sample Holder." Patent Pending.

Education

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Moscow (2011 – 2014)

Master of Engineering (MEng), Metallurgical Engineering
National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Moscow (2005 – 2011)