Before enrolling at the University of Michigan, Tim DeFranco obtained a BS. in Aerospace Engineering from The Ohio State Univerity. While there, he took an introductory nuclear engineering course, leading to an eventual minor in Nuclear Engineering and two awards for research on his undergraduate thesis investigating “The Diffusion Bonding of 316L ss with Boron Carbide for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Applications”.

At the university, Tim’s research primarily focuses on the expansion and novel application of preexisting additive manufacturing technologies to develop moderator materials for advanced reactor designs. Following the completion of his master’s, Tim hopes to achieve a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering with a focus on Nuclear Materials. In addition, he is interested in expanding the fields of radiation shielding materials, hydrogen storage, and nuclear thermal propulsion.